February 9, 2022
Chatham Families,
Today, Governor Hochul announced that, while the statewide indoor mask mandate for business will end tomorrow, masks will continue to be required in certain settings, including schools.
The Governor also indicated that school districts will be receiving more test kits to be sent home with students prior to the winter recess (for use prior to returning to school on Monday, February 28). Chatham CSD plans to distribute these test kits to our students and staff in all buildings next Wednesday and Thursday. This remains a voluntary testing program. More information will be forthcoming.
In early March, the state will make an assessment on mask protocols in schools based on the latest metrics. This includes cases per 100K, positivity rates, hospital admissions, pediatric hospitalizations, vaccinations, and global trends.
The state is currently drafting proposed guidelines (if the mask mandate were to end) based on feedback from state education groups.
Earlier this week, I joined school superintendents throughout our BOCES region in sending a letter to New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett advocating for the DOH to work with our school districts to chart a clear path forward. The full letter can be viewed here.
Sincerely,
Sal DeAngelo
Superintendent of Schools