September 2021 Plan Update
NOTE: This is an archive. Links contained within the content below may no longer be valid or work. This is due to our website change over in July 2022 and content sourced by other organizations we linked to may have changed since September 2021.
SEPTEMBER 2021 UPDATE
This plan is subject to updates through the 21-22 school year as note and also see our main landing page for updates
Corning-Painted Post Area School District
Introduction:
The goal of this updated plan is to prioritize safe in-person learning in our schools while adhering to layered mitigation strategies.
Communication/Family and Community Engagement
The Superintendent communicates weekly with local Steuben County Health officials.
The Superintendent and Head Nurse communicate with local health agencies for guidance and feedback as needed.
The Superintendent communicates weekly or as-needed with CPP stakeholders via the website and CPP app.
The Superintendent will also communicate via email directly to families, as-needed.
Instructions/Training/Signage
The District has a landing page for all 2021-22 opening content located here: https://www.corningareaschools.com/Content/250 Our website includes a language translation function for text content and also accessibility options.
The Superintendent utilizes our website and district app to communicate with stakeholders and our community. Messages and archived messages are available here: https://www.corningareaschools.com/Superintendent
The District is utilizing direct email to families, Virtual Town Halls, the website and app to communicate with stakeholders with updates.
The District will be able to provide communications in the language(s) spoken at home among families and throughout the school community. Our ELL teachers will work to help support our students and families. Our online written plan will be accessible to those with visual and/or hearing impairments and the website has a Google translate function.
The District will continue to emphasize mask wearing, physical distancing and respiratory hygiene through signage and videos (www.youtube.com/cppschools)
using multiple media communication methods. The district published a link on the website to the Steuben County Vaccine Information page Vaccine Link on CPP website: https://www.steubencony.org/pages.asp?PID=13959
Point(s)-of -Contacts
Our coordinators and points of contact include Michelle Caulfield, Superintendent; Kerry Elsasser, Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services; Anne Stefanini, Head Nurse; Becky Henderson, Supervisor of Special Education. Email contact for Head Nurse and Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services: health@cppmail.com. For general questions, stakeholders can also contact the Superintendent directly at ask@cppmail.com.
Health and Safety
The District will comply with the updated Interim Guidance for Pre-K to 12 Schools issued by the New York State Department of Health in the areas of Health and Safety.
Specific modifications include:
Physical Distancing
The District will ensure that appropriate physical distancing is maintained between individuals while in school facilities and on school grounds, inclusive of students, faculty and staff, unless safety or the core activity (ex. Instruction, moving equipment, using an elevator, traveling in common areas) requires a shorter distance or individuals are of the same household.
The District will maintain at least three feet of physical distance between students within classrooms to reduce potential transmission of COVID-19.
The District will maintain six feet of physical distance between adults (teachers, staff, visitors) and between students and adults.
The District will maintain three to six feet of physical distancing during band, lunch, and chorus, depending on location.
For sports activities, the District will follow the Interim Guidance for Sports and Recreation During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
Masks
Face masks are required at all times in school buildings, except for when eating meals and snacks, or when playing a band instrument.
An acceptable mask is required to be worn by all individuals in all classrooms and non-classroom settings, including but not limited to school offices, restrooms, gyms, auditoriums, and all other parts of a school building.
Masks should have at least two layers of material (ex. two ply). Acceptable masks include but are not limited to cloth based masks (ex. Homemade sewn, quick cut), and surgical masks that cover both the mouth and nose. Single layer masks and gaiters are not acceptable face coverings.
Face shields worn without other masks are not considered adequate protection or source control against COVID-19 and should not be used.
Students who are unable to medically tolerate a mask, including students where such a mask would impair their physical or mental health, may request an exemption from the required use of a mask. The District has a defined process for such requests, which includes consultation with the District’s Medical Director in determining the need and appropriateness of each individual request.
At least annually, the District will provide training to students, faculty, and staff on how to adequately put on, wear, take off, and dispose of personal protective equipment, including masks.
Event Masking Indoors
The District requires universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to PreK-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status and community transmission levels at this time. The New York State Department of Health directive requires that masks, which cover both the nose and mouth, be worn at all times while in these preK-12 school buildings for any event/activity.
Event Masking Outdoors
The District recommends that people who are not fully vaccinated wear a mask in crowded outdoor settings and/or during activities where current physical distancing recommendations are not possible.
Hygiene Practices
The District will continue its hygiene practices that include, but are not limited to:
Signage related to preventing the transmission of COVID-19, handwashing practices and other hygiene practices (ex. Coughing or sneezing).
Handwashing stations and hand sanitizer is readily available.
Daily health screening of staff and students with health attestations by either an app or paper-based format.
At least annually, the District will provide training to students, faculty, and staff on respiratory etiquette and hand washing.
Screening and Tracking:
Anyone with symptoms must be immediately sent to the health office for assessment. Based on the nursing assessment, the symptomatic individual will either be:
sent home with instructions to contact their healthcare provider for assessment and testing irrespective of their vaccination status or previous COVID-19 infection.
tested in the health office where the results and nurse’s assessment will determine next steps.
Students called in sick will be called by the school nurse. The nurse will conduct an assessment over the phone to determine the next steps.
Asymptomatic individuals who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from laboratory confirmed COVID-19 in the previous three months may remain at school/work, if identified as a direct contact.
Update, effective 2/4/22: Per the NYSDOH and Steuben County Public Health Department, the Corning-Painted Post School District will implement the Test to Stay (TTS) strategy. This strategy allows asymptomatic and unvaccinated direct contacts, except household contacts to avoid exclusion from the the school day by testing negative with an antigen test (ex. Binax NOW/CareStart) on each school day for seven days after exposure.
Vaccination
The District has been an active partner with Steuben County Public Health and has hosted a series of COVID-19 vaccination clinics for school staff and the community during the winter and spring of 2021. The District will continue this partnership and make its facilities available as a public vaccination site.
The District shall also continue to publicize opportunities for vaccination to eligible school personnel and students, as eligible, through the local and state Departments of Health.
Facilities
Our cleaning and sanitizing protocols meet the new Department of Health guidelines and were thoroughly outlined in our August 2020 plan and continue to be implemented.
Our schools follow scheduled cleaning and sanitizing procedures.
Signage is posted to support social distancing, proper hygiene and mask wearing.
Building Considerations
HVAC System
Outside air with mechanical ventilation runs 24/7 where possible.
Ventilation and air filtering in accordance to outside weather conditions.
Utilize fans in spaces that have open windows and/or doors.
Utilize air cleaners in spaces which require increased ventilation and have windows and/or doors that remain closed.
Child Nutrition
Student meal cash accounts are still available for parents to deposit money if they wish to have access to purchasing additional food items in the cafeteria line (if students have been told they do not have money this is why).
Each student continues to be eligible for one complete breakfast and one complete lunch at no charge in the 2021-2022 school year. This is made possible by the USDA waiver extending meals at no charge during the ongoing COVID response.
Free and reduced applications will be encouraged and collected so that any future benefits that may become available such as Pandemic-EBT and continuation of meals in the first 30 days of 2022-2023 school year will be on file.
If the district is required to move to extended remote instruction, meals will be provided.
More Information:
Transportation
Parents can view 2021-22 bus routes in Parent Portal.
When safe, ventilation will be improved by opening windows and roof top vents.
When possible, all individuals should maintain appropriate physical distancing on district buses, unless they are members of the same household. Student health screeners continue to be conducted at home before students board buses.
In all other regards, our transportation protocols already met the new Department of Health guidelines and were thoroughly outlined in our August 2020 plan. These protocols continue. For example, we will continue to require individuals to wear acceptable masks at all times on school buses (e.g., entering, exiting, and seated). Bus drivers will continue to have masks for those who need them.
Our buses have a cleaning and sanitizing protocol, which will continue.
If you have questions, contact the Bus Garage at transinfo@cppmail.com or by calling 607-962-2493 between the hours of 7AM and 3PM
Social Emotional Well-Being
The health and wellness of our students and staff is a priority. We have continued to implement and further develop district-wide plans and programs to support our students’ social and emotional well-being through the use of our Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Committee. We will continue to provide essential professional development and coaching sessions in various strategies to support our staff and students. Our Social Workers, School Counselors and School Psychologists are essential. Regionally, we have partnerships with our GST BOCES who continue to share resources for each building to utilize in addressing concerns.
School Schedules
For the 2021-2022 school year, we are providing in-person instruction for all of our students, five days a week. We will accomplish this by following health and safety protocols and implementing prevention strategies.
Attendance
Per our Board policy, all students are to attend in-person five days a week, unless ill or otherwise excused. If students are feeling ill, they should stay home.
Parents/guardians should contact the school nurse. As in any other school year, if a student is unable to attend school, the parent/guardian is required to provide an excuse.
There is no remote option available for students. Therefore, all registered students are required to attend school when it is in session.
Students will not be penalized for absences due to an order of quarantine.
Technology and Connectivity
With the return of students to full-time instruction, students in grades K-12 have been provided a 1:1 device (Chromebook or laptop). We will continue to utilize the Google suite of resources to meet our students’ instructional needs and in order to communicate with our families. Ex: Google Classroom and Google Meet.
The District will survey each family to determine which students would need support accessing the internet if a student needs to study remotely.
Teaching and Learning
For the 2021-2022 school year, we are providing in-person instruction for all of our students, five days a week. We will accomplish this by following health and safety protocols and by implementing prevention strategies.
Our commitments:
All students and staff must have the opportunity to feel safe, engaged, and excited about their learning.
At the heart of teaching and learning are the relationships that students and staff have with each other, their peers, and our entire school community.
Our curriculum will continue to be aligned with the New York State Learning Standards following our district’s curriculum plans for each course.
Our instructional model will continue to include the Google platform for course organization and management.
Student in Quarantine
If a student is home and in quarantine, an individualized instructional plan will be developed utilizing a variety of resources: Google Classroom, paper-based instructional materials, 1:1 or small group teaching via Google Meet.
In the event of a shift to Remote Instruction
If the District is required to move to remote instruction, each school building will communicate the remote instructional schedule to be followed. Students and parents will need to be prepared to transition to daily remote instruction upon notification by the District.
Special Education
All students with disabilities are receiving five days of in-person instruction during the 2021-2022 school year. Students are scheduled to receive all their current IEP programs and services.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic*, some students may have experienced delays or disruptions to their programs and services. Throughout the current school year, the Committees on Special Education will determine if there were any interruptions to a student’s programs and service which would require the need for compensatory services.
*During the period from March 2020 through June 2021
English Language Learners (ELL)
Our English Language Learners are attending in-person learning, five days per week. Our ENL (English as a New Language) teachers continue to work with individual families and ELL students.
Guiding Resources:
An archive of the previous plans and updates is located at this link.