Albany’s City School District was notified of eight new confirmed cases of COVID-19 March 23-29.
Two cases are linked to Albany High School. One case is in grade 11 and the person was last at school on March 24. The other case concerns a person who is not assigned to a class and was last at school on March 23.
One case is related to Giffen Memorial Elementary School. The person is not assigned to a class and was last at school on March 24th.
One case is related to the Harriet Gibbons Student Services Center. The individual is not assigned to any grade and was last in the building on March 23.
One case is related to fifth grade at the Montessori Magnet School, and the person was last at school on March 24.
One case is linked to first graders at New Scotland Elementary School and the person was last at school on March 24.
The last two cases are related to William S. Hackett Middle School. No person is associated with a grade. One person was last at school on March 21st and the other was last at school on March 17th.
Please note that schools are no longer required to quarantine people identified as past contacts of a person who has tested positive. We are now identifying anyone within 6 feet of a positive person as being exposed and notifying that person or, in the case of a student, their parent or guardian. We will continue to report positive cases.
Health and safety procedures continue at all district buildings and buses, including cleaning and disinfecting. We also want to remind everyone of steps you can take to stay safe:
1. Masks are optional in all New York school buildings and in our school district on First Student buses and CDTA buses that transport students. (See Gov. Kathy Hochul’s September 7 announcement that masking is now optional in several settings where it was previously required, including on public transit.) The district respects the personal choice of each individual and family regarding the wearing of masks in settings where it is optional.
2. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water when you are not at home. If you can’t use soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
3. Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth unless your hands are clean.
4. DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL IF SHE IS SICK OR HAS SYMPTOMS:
- Signs of COVID-19 include fever, fatigue/tiredness, muscle/body aches, congestion, cough, runny nose, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, nausea/vomiting or diarrhea, headache, loss of taste or smell, skin rash, feeling sick or unwell in any way .
- Please notify your school nurse if you keep your child away from school with symptoms; You can find this contact information on your school’s website.
5. We continue to encourage everyone who is able and eligible to get vaccinated.
