Return to Instructional Phase III Letter - November 13, 2020

Return to Instructional Phase III Letter - November 13, 2020

November 13, 2020

Dear Port Jervis Learning Community, 

As you are aware, the decision to shift to Instructional Phase I through today, November 13, 2020 was made as a result of the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases in the community.  In addition to the impact of these cases on the staffing of our schools, the decision to shift to remote learning was made out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of our students, staff, and their families.  

The timeline for exposure from outside events, the current quarantine numbers, and the number of reports to the Orange County Department of Health have been reviewed.  As a result of this information, coupled with the certainty that the screening, disinfecting, and distancing protocols in each of our schools provide the safest learning environment possible for our staff and students, the decision has been made to return Port Jervis City School District to Instructional Phase III on Monday, November 16, 2020.  

The return to Phase III is the hybrid model with :

  • Cohort I students attending school on Monday and Tuesday
  • Cohort II students attend on Thursday and Friday
  • All students are remote on Wednesday
  • All students are engaged in synchronous learning, following their schedule each day
  • Students in specific programs that were attending school Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday will continue with that schedule
  • Students that attend Career-Tech Programs at OU BOCES will return to their program’s specific schedule of hybrid learning
  • After school activities will not resume until after Thanksgiving.

As we return to in-person instruction, please be reminded of the following : 

  • The COVID-19 Screening Form (Attestation) must be completed every school day 
  • All students entering our school buildings will have their temperature scanned using two different mechanisms - Forehead Thermometer and Infrared Thermal Scanning Cameras
  • If your child is sick, do not send them to school

In closing, I believe it is important to note that the most recent increases in active cases in areas that make up our school district are being linked to a few outside events that included relatively large groups congregating despite the guidance and current Executive Order direction.  It is my steadfast opinion that our students deserve to have the opportunity to attend school in-person to the greatest extent possible.  Our students should have the opportunity to participate in athletics and extracurricular activities.  When a school or an entire school district is put in a position that warrants a shift to all remote learning, nearly 2500 students are denied these opportunities and well over 1000 families are impacted.  

Sincerely, 
Mike Rydell

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