The following message was emailed to all parents on Sunday, February 27.
Dear Parent/Guardian, At a press conference this afternoon, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the end of the mask mandate in schools, effective Wednesday, March 2. She cited improving metrics for making this decision, including a decrease in COVID cases and hospitalizations, as well as new guidance from the CDC.
As a result, masks will become optional in the East Greenbush Central School District starting Wednesday. Masks will continue to be required on Monday and Tuesday.
As we have done throughout this pandemic, we will follow the guidance that comes from the state health department while providing the best education possible for our students. I know this latest news is welcomed by many of our families. I also know that some families may be uncomfortable with it. We as a school community must ensure that everyone is respected for whatever decision they make when it comes to masks.
I am asking parents and guardians to speak with their children about personal choice and respect for each other’s personal decisions as we make this transition. The district will also be reinforcing this message with our faculty and staff this week.
As a reminder, our schools distributed free at-home test kits to families and employees prior to Winter Recess as a mitigation tool. We encourage families to test their children this evening prior to sending them back to school tomorrow. Testing is voluntary. Anyone testing positive should isolate at home and notify their school’s health office.
Thank you for your continued patience, cooperation and understanding. We will share any additional information regarding the new mask guidance as soon as it is available.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Simons
Superintendent of Schools