Back to school update from Superintendent Thomson

August 20, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as your new superintendent of schools. We are only three weeks away from the start of the 2021-2022 school year and I hope you are enjoying the remainder of your summer break.  We are all very much looking forward to having all staff and all students back at Baldwinsville on full-time and in person basis.  As you are all aware, the COVID-19 Delta variant is spreading at a very rapid rate.  I would like to assure everyone that the safety of all of our students, staff, and community is priority number one for our school district.  Having stated this, please read this letter closely as it contains specific information in regards to our re-entry plan for the 2021-2022 school year.  

Please understand this communication is our way of providing important information.  We anticipate finalizing plans and communicating updates to you frequently as circumstances change and more guidance is released from Governor Hochul,  the New York State Department of Education, the Center for Disease Control for Prevention, and the Onondaga County Health Department.

As a district, we are planning and prepared for a full reopening in person, five days a week for all students this fall. The first day of school for all students is Wednesday, September 8, 2021. Safety remains our number one priority. We are paying close attention to updates on the COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts of variants from local, state and federal sources, and we are reviewing the guidance being offered to us as we prepare for students and staff to return.

Here are a few updates to frequently asked questions we have been working to address.

Will students be required to wear masks?

We have heard concerns from community members on both sides of the issue. Based on recommendations from local officials, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics the Baldwinsville Central School district will require that all students and staff, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks inside our school buildings and on our school buses. 

Will students or staff be mandated to get vaccinated or regularly tested?

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon recently imposed an Executive Order requiring all of our employees to be vaccinated or submit to a weekly COVID testing mandate.  We strongly encourage all eligible students and staff members to get vaccinated. We also encourage any member of the community exhibiting COVID symptoms to get tested.  We are currently working with Onondaga County to prepare for surveillance testing of students and staff.  As we learn more information about the surveillance testing, we will provide an update to you.

Will remote learning be an option for students?

As communicated on August 6th in a community letter, our District will not be offering the same remote learning option that we offered during the 2020-21 school year.  The District will utilize its already established process for requesting alternative instruction due to medical needs.  If your child has medical needs, is unable to engage this school year through in-person learning five days a week, and you have not notified your school’s principal of your intent to request the alternative instruction application, please contact the principal ASAP.   

Will I need to request school transportation for my students this school year?

As communicated on August 6th, if you plan to use our school transportation you do not need to do anything!  A school bus route is being set-up / established for your student and will be communicated to you on Friday, August 27, 2021 when school schedules are released.  If you plan to not utilize our school transportation system for your students and transport your own children to and from school each day, please complete this questionnaire so that we know your intent.  Again, the district is only interested in knowing the names of students who will not be using our transportation system. 

As more guidance is released by the county or state, we will continue to release updates before the start of the school year. Please check your email and check our website for more information.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.  

Enjoy the remainder of your summer. See you soon!

Respectfully yours,

Jason D. Thomson, Superintendent of Schools