Back to School?
Now that local high school seniors have graduated, the focus has turned to the upcoming 2020-21 academic year.
What will school look like this fall?
Will classes start in September?
Or is it too early to say?
With COVID-19 cases rising in 26 states, the current coronavirus surge has increased anxiety and created more doubt about when — and if — school will start eight weeks from now.
Governor Andrew Cuomo told NBC’s Chuck Todd Sunday, “If this continues across the country, kids are going to be home for a long time.
“I’ll be honest with you. It's two months away," Gov. Cuomo said of the 2020-21 school year. “Anything can happen in two months. You look back two months and you see how many things have changed. I want to see what the infection rate is and what the disease is doing before we pull the trigger and make the decision.”
About 1% of the people tested in New York are testing positive, the Governor said.
“How does that number go up?” Cuomo asked. “Two ways. Lack of compliance – and I'm diligent about staying after New Yorkers and local governments that have to police it.
“Second, I'm now afraid of the spread coming from other states because we are one country and people travel, and I'm afraid the infection rate in the other states will come back to New York and raise that rate again.”
It’s already happening. In Chappaqua, 14 people have tested positive after members of two families who had been in Florida attended graduation ceremonies and parties and didn’t wear masks, the website LoHud.com reported.
So where does that leave us?
We reached out via email to Glens Falls City School Superintendent Paul Jenkins, asking to talk about what school may look like next fall. He politely declined an interview, but did say, “Basically, we are in a holding pattern. There are too many X factors that need to be decided at the state level, either by the Governor’s Office or by the State Education Department.”
We then reached out to James Dexter, BOCES District Superintendent, who oversees 31 local school districts in Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Hamilton and Essex counties.
“I don’t have any answers,” Mr. Dexter told Glens Falls Living. “We anticipate getting the safety rules from the Governor’s Office at some point, and then the Board of Regents is meeting [in mid-July] and we expect they will have a number of regulations, so likely we’ll have some guidance on health and safety measures including transportation, and then we’ll get another set of guidance.
“We’re hoping by mid-July we have at least some guidance, and then once we know the rules, we have six or seven work groups of superintendents and principals that will work regionally so there is commonality because districts share programs. And then I anticipate every district will have their own committees as well, working through August once we have information.”
Clearly it’s a very fluid situation.
“I do think we could have changing guidance,” he said. “So the initial plan is once we get the rules, then regionally we will work together to try to find the solutions that work best, and then each district would have its own plan. And it’s going to be a continuous loop as more guidance comes out.”
Will school start in early September?
“At this point, we’re certainly hoping that it entails bringing students back to school, but to what degree is still quite a mystery at this point.
“It certainly is our hope, but there are so many other factors. There are staff that have medical needs, students who have medical needs…there are so many things that are unknown.
“That would be our wish. I know the kids want to come back. It’s just a matter of what the guidance is and that will determine what we can do and what we’re not able to do.”
So much planning, so little time.
“It’s going to be a heck of a summer,” Mr. Dexter said. “We have to plan as if and hope we start in September and then adapt accordingly.”
Prospect Mountain Opens
Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway is now open seven days a week between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, DEC is taking the following precautions:
• The shuttle will not operate;
• Picnicking will be prohibited, and the picnic pavilions will not be available to rent;
• Restrooms will remain closed; and
• View scopes at the pull-offs and on the summit have been dismantled.
For more information on open facilities, visit DEC’s camping page. For information about campgrounds operated by the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation visit the NYS Parks camping webpage.
Now Hiring…
The Lake George business community is looking to fill more than 500 job openings, and has developed a website, LakeGeorgeisHiring.com, to facilitate hiring.
The site features open positions for all levels of experience, including cooks, housekeepers, front desk staff, bussers, food runners, waitstaff, bartenders, maintenance, security, marketing, delivery drivers and more.
Also, DEC is seeking seasonal campground staff with all levels of experience and skill sets, including supervisors, security, maintenance, and cleaning staff, and booth workers. If interested, please send an email to campinfo@dec.ny.gov.
Pay Your Glens Falls Water + Tax Bills Online!
The City of Glens Falls is now offering online payments for tax bills and water and sewer bills at https://www.cityofglensfalls.com/203/Online-Payments.
“Residents can either use American Express, VISA, Mastercard, Discover or a checking account for payment,” said a press release. “Please note that there is a convenience fee involved when paying online. This fee is set and retained by the processing vendors enabling the transaction. The City of Glens Falls receives no portion of this convenience fee.”
Fees are: American Express, Visa, Mastercard and Discover Credit Charge – 2.85% plus $0.40. E-Check - $2.95.
Batter Up!
The Glens Falls Independents of the Independent Collegiate Baseball League opens play on Monday, July 6th at East Field in Glens Falls. The Independents host the Albany Athletics in a doubleheader, with first pitch at 5:30 pm. The season concludes the week of August 13 with all four teams aiming to complete a 30-game season. Game days are all doubleheader matchups on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
A press release said, “Per state guidance, the ICBL will allow participating players up to two family members per game in attendance. Both ICBL venues will offer sit-down outdoor dining options as well, in accordance with county health regulations…East Field is in the final stages of developing its dining options.”
The 2020 schedule, results and news can also be found on the ICBL Twitter feed @IndCollegiateBB in addition to Twitter feeds for @DutchAlbany, @AlbanyAthletics, @MohawksBaseball.
The ICBL is the only collegiate-level league in the Greater Capital Region to operate this summer after the cancellations of several other local baseball leagues.
…and of course, COVID-19, County by County
In Warren, Washington and Saratoga counties, the coronavirus is at its lowest levels since the pandemic began.
In Warren County, less than a half-dozen new cases have been diagnosed in the last five weeks.
In Washington County, it’s a similar story: very few new cases reported and no Washington County residents hospitalized.
Saratoga County reports one person hospitalized as of Wednesday, with 24 active cases.
Until next time -
Gordon
