Dear Greenville School Community,
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic we have followed the guidance of local, state, and federal authorities. This year, we have continued to work with the Greene County Department of Health to review the CDC COVID-19 guidelines.
The health and safety of our students is our top priority. Please use this document as a reference for answers to common COVID-19 questions as they relate to your child’s school experience.
What if somebody in my home tests positive for COVID-19?
Students are not required to quarantine, and therefore are expected to attend school. The CDC recommends that you monitor for symptoms and test if symptoms develop.
What if my child tests positive for COVID-19, and has symptoms?
Any student who tests positive for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, must isolate at home for 5 days, where day “0” is the day of symptom onset or (if asymptomatic) the day of collection of the first positive test.
Please notify the school attendance secretary of your child’s absence.
What if my child tests positive for COVID-19, and DOES NOT have symptoms?
Any student who tests positive for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, must isolate at home for 5 days, where day “0” is the day of symptom onset or (if asymptomatic) the day of collection of the first positive test.
Please notify the school attendance secretary of your child’s absence.
My child tested positive for COVID-19, when can my child return to school?
Students can return to school after five days of COVID-19 isolation as long as they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and symptoms are improving.
My child is an athlete and tested positive for COVID-19, when can my child return to sports?
Student-athletes can return to play upon completion of their COVID-19 isolation.
Student-athletes who have contracted COVID-19, regardless of the severity of their symptoms, may develop COVID-19 related health issues upon returning to their sport. We recommend that parents have their child medically cleared prior to returning to play for their own health and safety; however, the Return to Play Clearance Form is no longer required. The school nurses will be available for consultation if you have questions/concerns.
Will GCSD be contact tracing, or notifying the community of exposures and/or positive cases?
We will not be contact tracing (sending names of exposures to the county health department, or notifying families of potential exposures) as New York State is no longer recommending quarantine for exposed individuals.
What happens to my child’s attendance record if they test positive for COVID-19? Do I have to provide documentation?
Students out of school for COVID-19 isolation will be marked absent. However, it is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to submit an excuse to the attendance secretary.
To document a COVID-19 isolation absence as excused, there are three options.
Option 1: Submit a dated doctor’s note to your school’s attendance secretary stating the student has tested positive for COVID-19.
Option 2: Submit paperwork from the county in which you reside to your school’s attendance secretary.
Greene County will email you a Notice of Isolation upon completing an online form. Click here for the Greene County Form.
Schoharie County provides access to a Notice of Isolation upon completion of an online form. Click here for the Schoharie County Form.
Albany County provides a downloadable form that can be filled out at home by hand, or on the computer. Click here for the Albany County Form.
Option 3: Submit a parent/guardian-written note stating the student is sick.
PLEASE NOTE: The Greenville Board of Education policy states “Students are allowed parent-written legal absence notes for personal absences up to 6 days. This includes, but is not limited to parent-written notes for illness, medical appointments, and acts of nature.”
A COVID-19 absence is UNEXCUSED if
The family/student chooses to quarantine because of close contact, and no other legal/medical documentation is submitted.
The absence exceeds six days without documentation from a doctor or the county health department.
The Greenville Board of Education policy states “Six unexcused absences will exceed the parent limit for notes and will be considered as an Unexcused Absence pending receipt of necessary legal or medical documentation or validation for any additional excused absences.”
Official attendance letters will be sent when students reach certain thresholds of unexcused absences. For more information on our attendance policy, please click here.
Will my child be able/required to attend class via Google Meet while in COVID-19 isolation?
Now that students no longer need to quarantine when exposed to COVID-19, we will not offer the option of attending class virtually.
The only students who will be out of school for COVID-19, will be those who test positive. Similar to other medically related absences, we want students who have tested positive to stay home, rest, and recover.
How can my child stay on track during their COVID-19 isolation?
If they are feeling up to it, students can keep up with their classes by:
Requesting homework to be sent home (parents/students can submit a request to their teachers.)
Regularly checking Google Classroom/Seesaw.
Working in conjunction with teachers and parents to develop a reasonable timeline to complete missed work.
What academic support is offered after my child returns from a COVID-19 isolation?
Students can stay after school for extra help.
Teachers will develop a reasonable timeline to complete missed work.
If additional help is needed, students can seek tutoring services by contacting their School Counselor at the Middle/High School level, and their classroom teacher at the Elementary level.
Does the school have COVID-19 tests available?
Yes, at home test kits are available in the Nurse's Office and the Main Office.
Will my child be tested for COVID-19 at school?
Testing in school will not be required, even for athletics.
If a parent/guardian consents to testing, nurses can administer a COVID-19 test in school.
Will my child’s teacher be notified if they are out of school for COVID-19?
Teachers will be given the information that guardians provide to the attendance secretary, unless otherwise requested by the guardian.
What is the mask policy now?
Students are not required to wear masks at school related functions, however, they can wear a mask if they feel more comfortable doing so.
It is recommended by the CDC that students returning from their COVID-19 isolation wear masks for five additional days.
The health and safety of our students continue to be our top priority. We thank you for your ongoing support in navigating these difficult times. It is my hope that with the implementation of these new protocols, Greenville Central School District can continue to return to “normal.”
For questions about this communication, please contact Sierra Pizzola by phone at 518-966-5070 x523 or by email at pizzolas@greenvillecsd.org.
Sincerely,
Michael Bennett
Superintendent of Schools