The letter below represents the opinion of the superintendents in the Genesee Valley BOCES based on our experiences in our own districts and counties. It was sent to Governor Hochul and our elected state legislators. We are hopeful that decision making for our districts regarding mitigation practices for COVID-19 will return to the local level.
Please see the following message from the Superintendent:
An appellate court issued a stay yesterday on Monday's mask mandate ruling from Nassau County. This stay keeps the mask mandate for schools in place at least through this coming Friday. Therefore, please continue to follow our current requirement that all individuals be masked during indoor school activities. If new guidance is issued by the New York State Education Department, we will communicate that guidance as quickly as possible.
The continued patience and grace of our school community is valued and appreciated as we deal with all of the issues that surround COVID-19.
Reminder: the Board of Education Meeting on Thursday, January 27, 2022 at 7:00pm will be held at the ***Bennington Town Hall***, 905 Old Alleghany Road, Bennington, NY 14011
Yesterday, a state court in Nassau County ruled that the New York State Department of Health exceeded its authority by requiring that masks be worn in school settings. The Governor and the New York State Department of Health have appealed this decision and we anticipate this issue moving forward to the New York State Court of Appeals which is our state’s highest court.
The Attica Central School District has received notification from the New York State Department of Education to continue the requirement that all individuals in school settings wear masks under our current regulations. Specifically, here is the directive we received from our governing education agency:
“It is the New York State Education Department’s understanding that the Department of Health will appeal the Nassau County Supreme Court decision, which will result in an automatic stay that will unambiguously restore the mask rule until such time as an appellate court issues a further ruling. Therefore, schools must continue to follow the mask rule.”
As we’ve done throughout the pandemic, we will continue to closely monitor this issue and keep you informed throughout the coming days as this matter moves forward and clarified guidance is issued.
For today – and until further notice - we are following the directive of the New York State Education Department and continuing to require that all individuals within school buildings wear masks while indoors. We will keep you informed when, and if, this requirement changes for schools.
We understand that this issue has the potential to divide our community. There are good people who have different opinions on many issues surrounding COVID-19. The District thanks our school community in advance for your continued support, patience, and understanding as we all work our way through the challenges that the pandemic consistently presents to each of us.
For Facebook and District Website:
Positive COVID-19 at-home test? Here’s what you need to know:
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/new-york-state-contact-tracing
The District would like to remind our community that New York State continues to require universal masking for all public school settings and events. This includes our School Board Meetings. The Board of Education prefers to hold in-person meetings in a public setting. However, if attendees do not adhere to the masking requirement, the Board will be forced to move future meetings to a remote or zoom-style format. We appreciate our community’s support in helping to keep our meetings and events open to public attendance. Thank you!
A letter from the Superintendent about updates regarding COVID-19
School is closed today, Monday, January 10th, due to a water main break.
School is closed today, Thursday, January 6th, due to current weather situation.
The Attica School District is looking for a certified lifeguard to be able to cover the middle school (grades 5-8) physical education swim classes. Services would be needed for roughly 10 weeks and would run from January 3rd through mid-March from 8:15 - 3:15 on Monday through Friday. If interested, please contact our Athletic Director - Eric Romesser asap @ 585-591-0400 ext. 1176.
Reminder about Return to School information can be found here:
https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1744542/Return_to_School.pdf
Please review the protocols for athletic events here: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1744543/Game_Day_Experience.pdf
Attica BOE Names Timothy Hayes as Interim Superintendent of Schools
At the December 9 meeting, the Attica Central School District Board of Education (BOE) appointed Timothy (Tim) Hayes as the interim Superintendent of Schools for the term of January 1, 2022, until June 30, 2022.
Hayes retired in 2019 as the Superintendent of Schools of the Geneseo Central School District after serving for 13 years in this role. He most recently served as the interim Executive Director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Livingston County and the interim Principal of Alexander Elementary School.
Christopher Day, President of the Attica Central School District BOE, noted how Hayes’ experience and attributes will best serve Attica Central Schools.
“We are pleased to have such a knowledgeable school administrator as Tim Hayes who will serve our school community for the next six months as we chart the course for our new superintendent.”
The search for the new superintendent will commence in Spring 2022 with an anticipated start date of July 2022. Kevin MacDonald, District Superintendent of Genesee Valley BOCES, will serve as the search consultant.
The annual “Go Home Early” drill is scheduled for Friday, December 10, 2021. All students will be dismissed earlier than the normal dismissal time. This is a requirement of the NYS Education Department to ensure that students and staff are prepared in case an emergency requires school grounds to be cleared and students to be transported home or to another location.
Elementary Dismissal: 10:45am
Middle & High School Dismissal: 11:10am
Buses depart at 11:20am
Please plan accordingly as students will then also be arriving home earlier than normal. For more information on the drill, please contact your child’s school building main office.
Digital Equity Survey
Parents should look for the letter and the survey to be coming home with all students beginning Monday, December 6th. Please have it returned by Friday, December 10th.
The letter can be found at the following link: https://5il.co/12ofk
Check out the latest job opportunities in the district and apply here:
https://www.atticacsd.org/page/open-positions
"Early Go Home Drill" will take place on Friday, December 10, 2021. On this date, students will be dismissed from the Elementary School at 10:45am, High School and Middle School will dismiss at 11:10am, buses will depart at 11:20am.
The Wyoming County Health Department
Has announced that it will offer the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5-11 in each of the Wyoming County Schools.
Attica High School - Auditorium Lobby
Wednesday, November 17th, 2021
9:00am - 12:00pm
*Elementary level students will need to be accompanied by a parent. Due to the anxiety some children experience with vaccines, it is also STRONGLY recommended parents attend with Middle School age students.
To sign up for an appointment,
please call Mrs. Amy Meyer at 585-591-0400 ext.1263
Each participant will also need a completed consent form, available below:
5-11 Year Old - Consent Form: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VffioWeSTtV40CSHj03Vehwm5SKfHT-CHzWVqIOoLeI/edit
**We have currently been allotted 40 slots. If all appointment times have been filled, and there is enough interest, a second day will be scheduled by the Wyoming County Health Department.
Additional information regarding the COVID-19 Vaccine
in children ages 5-11:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/children-teens.html
https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/comirnaty-and-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine#additional
Link to Google Doc:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zNn3Hj4RfFmyNjL6wgL43PGGCGR9i7TdYPYpDCGDuYg/edit
Bus Stop Reminders
Please make sure your child(ren) are out waiting for the bus a couple of minutes before their scheduled pick up time to ensure on time pickup for everyone.
Don’t forget to sign up for the SAFESTOP App to receive alerts when your bus enters into your custom alert zone
