Orange Zone Designation and Remote Learning
Update, as of November 19, 2020 - 3:00 p.m.
Dear Elmira City School District Families,
We are writing to provide further information about school planning and the survey we recently conducted regarding school-based COVID-19 testing. Nearly 1500 families responded to the survey to indicate if they would support their children being COVID-tested in order to return to school vs. those who would not. Survey results approximate that 3 out of every 4 students would return to school with the understanding of being tested for COVID-19. This is critical insight as we move ahead with our planning efforts. It is our goal to always be transparent and timely with our communications so you are aware of the circumstances presented to the district as we continue navigating these uncharted waters.
As you can imagine, there are many considerations for school-based testing including parent consent, testing availability, coordination to become certified testing sites, etc. We have continued to explore the feasibility of testing 100% of our student and staff population. As we remain in an orange zone designation, it has become very evident that this is not achievable with the numbers that we would have to test. The uncertainty of testing supplies and necessary PPE, as well as the demand of people resources, is making it insurmountable.
With guidance from our Board of Education, we will continue remote instruction while our schools are in the orange zone.
Per health department guidelines, there is an extensive process in order for schools to become certified testing sites. It is important to note that the only way we can return to in-person hybrid learning without testing is if the Governor designates our region as a green zone. Note that schools in a yellow zone also require testing.
Below are the COVID-zone testing requirements, for your information:
• Orange Zone (this is our current designation): To reopen to in-person hybrid instruction, the state requires the district to test 100% of staff and those students who would be in hybrid learning prior to reopening the building. After this initial testing, the state requires weekly testing of 25% of the staff and students in the building each week the school remains in the orange zone.
• Yellow Zone: Schools may reopen to hybrid learning as long as 20% of the students and staff in the building are tested weekly while in the yellow zone and are able to discontinue testing after two weeks if the positivity rate falls below the rolling average.
• Green Zone: No testing is required for schools to operate under safety guidelines.
Our next step is to continue testing 20% of our staff while in an orange zone and develop a plan for testing once we are moved to a yellow zone designation.
Thank you for your continuing support of our students and their education. And as always, we also thank you for following safety practices to help decrease the effects of COVID-19 on our community by wearing masks, maintaining safe physical distance, washing hands thoroughly and regularly, and avoiding unnecessary outings and contacts.
Sincerely,
Hillary J. Austin
Superintendent of Schools
Elmira City School District