December 2, 2020
Dear Galway Families,
We recently received communication regarding the New York State Cluster Action Initiative, an executive order by Governor Cuomo, which, based upon cases of COVID-19, designates certain areas in need of enhanced public health restrictions. Areas are designated by a red, orange, and yellow color system (see COVID micro-clusters: What the red, orange, and yellow zones mean). If our region were to be designated as a “yellow zone” under this initiative, the Department of Health requires schools that wish to remain open to immediately begin a bi-weekly testing program, testing 20% of its in-person population (inclusive of students, staff/faculty). Our district is currently not in a yellow zone as of today, December 2, 2020.
Click here for percentage positive results by county.
In conjunction with other area school districts, the Galway Central School District is securing a contract with Adirondack Health and Wellness to administer the COVID-19 antigen test in order to meet the yellow zone testing requirement. In order to meet the 20% threshold, the district will have to test students and faculty/staff on a bi-weekly, randomized basis in order to remain open for in-person instruction. The district cannot test students for COVID-19 infection without consent. If a student who is randomly selected for testing does not have a consent form on file with the district, he or she will have to complete coursework while remaining at home for 14 days from the date the test was supposed to be administered. The 14 days will remain in effect even if the district’s test results remove them from the yellow zone.
Testing Process
The free diagnostic test for the COVID-19 virus will be administered by a Registered Nurse. A rapid COVID-19 test will be used, which will involve inserting a small swab, similar to a Q-Tip, into the front of the nose. Results will be available within 15 minutes and we will notify you if your child tests positive for COVID-19. Any students who test positive will be sent home and must be kept at home until meeting the Saratoga County Department of Public Health criteria to return to school. This same procedure will be followed for faculty and staff. Testing will be conducted in our building for all district students, faculty, and staff. Elementary students will be escorted to and from the testing/waiting location.
Testing Results
If the district’s testing reveals that the positivity rate among the 20% of those tested is lower than the yellow zone’s current 7-day positivity rate, testing within the district will no longer be required to continue. If the district’s testing reveals that the positivity rate among in-person student, staff, and faculty population is higher than the yellow zone’s current 7-day positivity rate, the district will be required to continue to test 20% of its in-person population on a bi-weekly basis.
Required Consent Form
Click here for the Galway Consent for Student Rapid COVID-19 Testing form. If you are willing to give consent, please sign the digital form by Wednesday, Dec. 9th so we are prepared in the event our area enters a yellow zone. Thank you in advance as we work to provide everyone with a safe and secure learning environment.
Galway Central School District Administration