This is an update regarding five new positive COVID-19 cases that the district learned about late yesterday and today. We are working under the Albany County Department of Health guidelines to determine who needs to quarantine and contacting those individuals. The Department of Health should be following up with them. Below is the location of the new cases:
- Farnsworth Middle School. There are two unrelated presumed positive cases and individuals who need to quarantine have been contacted by Mr. Laster, Mr. Aube and Mrs. Willetts. As a result of the need for several faculty and staff to quarantine, students and team teachers from the Seneca 6G team and faculty, staff and students in Pine Bush Grade 5 at FMS will transition to remote-only instruction for Monday, Dec. 21 and Tuesday, Dec. 22. All other FMS students and staff, who are not otherwise quarantined, will return for in-person instruction on Monday and Tuesday of next week.
- Guilderland High School. There are two new positive cases. One individual has not been onsite at all and the second individual had very limited contact with others. As a result, there is minimal impact on members of the high school community. Due to staffing shortages caused by quarantines from previous cases, the high school remains on remote instruction next week. Hybrid instruction will resume on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021.
- Lynnwood Elementary School. There was one new positive case, but the individual was not in the building during the time of infection, so no contact tracing is required.
Other than the exceptions noted above, all other Guilderland Schools remain open for in-person instruction.
We are all looking forward to the start of a new year and our students’ return for in-person instruction on January 4. To sustain our learning model, we ask that everyone be vigilant in following all safety procedures both in and out of school, including wearing a mask, maintaining proper social distancing, and avoiding group gatherings with individuals outside of your household. Doing so will make a difference in 2021!
If you have any questions, please reach out to your building principal. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Dr. Marie Wiles
Superintendent of Schools