“The past week, there has been a significant increase in positive COVID-19 cases in our community and in our schools. More people are required to quarantine due to illness or exposure to COVID. Because of these circumstances, our schools will be full Remote Learning next week, January 3rd through the 7th. This decision was made because we will never compromise the health and well-being of our students and staff under any circumstances,” wrote Quezada on the YPS website.
“We are confident in our current Remote Learning process that has been working well over the past three months for the classes that have been quarantined. Please remember we are returning from a long recess, and it may take a day or more to put everything in place. Be patient and respectful as our school administrators and teachers prepare for your child’s instruction.
Information about Online Remote Learning is available on the District and school websites.
“To ensure your family is prepared for Remote Learning, every child must have use of an electronic device, such as a computer, laptop or tablet, with Internet access. If you do not have a device or Internet access, please contact your child’s principal on Monday, January 3rd. Our administrators, teachers and support staff will all be working from their respective schools to provide remote instruction and can be available via email.
“On Monday, your child’s teacher or principal will reach out to students in grades 1 through 12 using Teams, and grades prekindergarten and kindergarten using Seesaw.
“On a different note, please understand that on Monday, January 3rd, you will receive information about the distribution of free COVID-19 Home Test provided by the Governor. Every student in the district will be able to pick up a home test at their respective school.
Thank you for your continued support as we work through the impact and disruptions of COVID-19. Stay well. I look forward to seeing our students back in school on Monday, January 10th, 2022,” said Quezada.
The announcement in Yonkers comes after Governor Kathy Hochul moves forward with her plan to keep the schools open with her test to stay in school program. Hochul said that NY State has been able to secure 5.28 million COVID tests and those tests have been sent out to schools across the state in an effort to have students and staff tested, and to have the schools remain open.
Quezada explained that it would have been logistically impossible for the YPS to have tested every students and staff member in time for the first day back to school Jan. 3, and that testing that the district conducted in the last week of December for students and staff resulted in a 25% positivity rate, which added to the decision to hold off for a return to classrooms until Monday Jan. 10.
Last year, Quezada was a strong advocate for getting students back in the classroom as soon as possible, and he remains so today. Another concern for the YPS is a possible shortage of bus drivers and teachers.
The YPS will also attempt to provide a remote learning device for students who do not have one. Last year, the policy was to provide one device per family, which resulted in a problem for some families with 3 or 4 children in the YPS.
The Mount Vernon School district also announced remote learning until Jan, 18, 2022.
