January 14, 2021 LETTER REGARDING IN-SCHOOL TESTING

FROM SAYVILLE SUPERINTENDENT DR. JOHN STIMMEL 

Dear Sayville Public School Community, 

I hope this letter finds each of you and your loved ones safe and well.  Recently we have seen COVID-19 infection rates in Suffolk County and across the nation rise. It appears that the anticipated second wave may be upon us. This has many concerned about what the coming weeks mean in terms of keeping schools and businesses open.  

Data compiled by the Department of Health suggests that since September we have had a successful reopening of schools and that, with precautions, kids are safer in school.  We have been assured that Sayville’s reopening plans including social distancing, the wearing of masks, rigorous cleaning and disinfecting have been successful in reducing or preventing the spread of COVID-19.  

The prevalence of COVID-19 in our community has implications for school operations.  As per Governor Cuomo’s “Microcluster Initiative,” areas with higher levels of community spread may be designated as Yellow, Orange or Red zones.  In those zones, testing is required for schools to remain open for in-person instruction and certain restrictions are placed in the community to decrease interaction and slow the spread.  You can read more about the micro-cluster initiative here. 

While we have not been designated as a micro-cluster, the COVID-19 positivity rate over recent weeks has caused concern in the District.  While this should not cause undue alarm, Sayville Public Schools, working in conjunction with the SCDHS, will take the proactive step of administering COVID-19 tests to twenty percent of our students and staff.  This will permit us to compare District COVID data to that of the County and determine if any additional steps need to be taken to address the spread of COVID. We will soon contact those parents who indicated their willingness to have their children participate in this undertaking.  (If you have not already done so but still wish to have your child tested by the District, please go to this link: https://forms.gle/gemMVZvmD4V5r5Hr5. You will be contacted if space is available to test additional students).

We will initiate this voluntary in-school testing program to test 20 percent of the school population (staff, students, and faculty) over the next few weeks.  Rapid BinaxNOW COVID Tests developed by Abbott Labs will be administered on campus by trained Sayville School Nurses.  The tests are being provided at no cost to the District by Suffolk County.  We want to reemphasize that testing is voluntary.

Parents and guardians who completed the Willingness to Test Survey in December will be provided a link to an online consent form. We anticipate administering COVID Tests to 640 staff and students. This testing initiative will help identify and isolate instances of COVID-19 and also provide a larger sample size of the population to illustrate a more accurate positivity rate for Sayville.  The information gained from this activity will support our efforts to keep our schools safely open for instruction during the pandemic.  Additional information concerning COVID Testing is available on the district website and questions can be directed to superintendent@sayvilleschools.org.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Respectfully,

Dr. Stimmel
Superintendent of Schools

 To read the Board of Education letters to Governor Cuomo and to Section XI, please click on THIS LINK!

Sayville School District is utilizing a COVID-19 Health Screening App for daily self-screening of faculty, students and staff.

Please complete prior to building entry:

COVID-19 Screening Attestation

 Directions for families

AUDIO Recordings of the previous ZOOM meetings can be found both in the DIGITAL BACKPACK and at the Fall REOPENING LINK AUDIO RECORDINGS.

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