Dear Putnam Valley Community:
I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season and that your children have quickly transitioned back to school. I have highlighted some important topics below for your reference. There seems to be growing optimism that 2021 will finally bring us better days; although it will take us some time to get there.
Schools Reopened – We were able to safely reopen all three buildings following the holiday recess and have so far avoided any uptick in positive cases. Please let this serve as a reminder of how important it is to follow the health and safety protocols we have in place. Mask wearing, social distancing, and handwashing have proven to be effective. Please continue to keep any symptomatic or sick children at home, follow all quarantine orders, and complete the student health screening each day. Collectively, we can all do our part to keep our schools open.
Testing – The district has completed all of the state requirements to become an approved testing laboratory and obtained enough test kits to begin voluntary testing of district staff. We are prepared to quickly shift to voluntary student testing if the need arises. I would like to extend a huge thank you to our school nurses and athletic trainer for facilitating our testing program.
Vaccinations – A vast majority of district staff members have successfully scheduled their first vaccination appointment and some have already received their first dose. There is growing excitement within the district that the vaccination of district staff signals the beginning of a long transition back to a “new” post-COVID normal. Inauguration – As we have for many years, teachers and students will have an opportunity to discuss what we all hope will be a peaceful transition of power. While COVID will force us to alter some of the traditional ways we have acknowledged inaugurations, teachers will continue to find age-appropriate ways to recognize this important event.
Please continue to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have; we are always willing to take the time to listen and help. Let’s stay optimistic that we will be able to keep our schools open, that the next few months will pass smoothly, and we will continue to inch forward in our efforts to overcome this pandemic.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools