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March 10, 2020

Dear NECSD community,

I hope the weekend served as an opportunity to spend meaningful time with loved ones and take personal care. This communication serves as a follow up to my letter dated March 4, 2020.

Out of an abundance of caution, the Newburgh Enlarged City School District conducted a deep cleaning of all schools over the weekend. Our school buses were also thoroughly cleaned. The district followed the procedures and guidelines recommended by the New York State Department of Health during the cleaning process.

As I am sure you are aware, the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19), the novel coronavirus is changing quickly. As of typing this letter, there are no known confirmed cases of Coronavirus in our school community or in Orange County. Additionally, we have not been informed of any self-quarantined nor mandatory-quarantined cases who have entered our school community after possible exposure.

District Calendar/Event Information:

At this time, the Newburgh Enlarged City School District has no reason to close its schools. Should that change, the NECSD will make that decision based on guidance from the NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Orange County Department of Health, and the NYS Education Department (NYSED). We currently have three unused emergency days.

At this time all field trips and conferences scheduled to travel outside Orange County have been cancelled. The status of future activities and events within the district will continue. If that changes, you will be notified immediately. We will do our best to give as much notice as possible about calendar changes. However, fast decisions are likely necessary. Due to the rapidly changing impact of COVID-19, the novel Coronavirus, I encourage you to think about childcare if I need to close school. If closing school becomes a reality, I will do my very best to provide ample notice but know this may not be in the most timely manner.

Proper Hygiene:

While there are no confirmed cases in our district at this time, NECSD remains committed to sensible hygiene practices. It is of utmost importance that you continue to wash your hands frequently using soap and water for at least 20 seconds, avoid touching your face, cough and/or sneeze in your sleeve or tissue, and stay hydrated. I strongly urge you and your family to educate your child(ren) about Coronavirus and encourage him/her to take personal care. There are resources on our website and social media platforms to help you engage in discussion with your child.

Travel requirements:

Please refer to the CDC website for travel alerts for affected areas: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel. At this time, the CDC has identified the following geographic regions as a warning level 3, sustained community transmission area: China, Iran, Italy, and South Korea. If you plan to travel to an affected area, the DOH and CDC are requiring that you notify school officials of your family travel plans before leaving.

We are also strongly encouraging families to notify their school if they are traveling outside the United States, to a non-affected area or within the United States to a highly-populated area (i.e., amusement parks, etc.). In having information on other travel, it will help us in preparing for the return of students who traveled to areas that may later be identified as an affected area.

The travel form, to complete prior to leaving for your trip, can be found here.

Members of our school community returning from travel to areas with community spread of COVID-19 must follow guidance they have received from healthcare officials. COVID-19 information for travel is updated regularly on the CDC website.

Coronavirus Travel: Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Display of Symptoms:

If you, your child(ren), a member of your family, or someone with whom you are in close contact displays symptoms of Coronavirus, please call your healthcare provider immediately and contact the health office at your child’s school. Similarly, if you believe that you, a member of your family or your child has been exposed to Coronavirus, it is imperative that you consult your medical provider and let us know as soon as possible. Communicating the confirmation or suspicion of the illness helps prevent the spread of the virus in our school community. Our administrators and district health office professionals are prepared to assist you and answer any questions you may have.

Continued Communication:

Any updates about the impact of the Coronavirus on the NECSD will be posted on our website and you will be notified via robo call. Your cell phone and email addresses can be updated through your Parent Portal account or by contacting Registration@necsd.net.

Please continue to check our website and social media for continuous communication from me. Please know, the safety of our school community is a serious matter to all of us in the Newburgh Enlarged City School District. Through the work of all, we will get through this together.

Through the work of all,

Roberto Padilla, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Newburgh Enlarged City School District

ATTENTION: Are your scholars or colleagues doing something great? Please contact the district Communications Team at communications@necsd.net. We’d love to visit your class or event and/or post your pictures and recap to highlight the amazing accomplishments throughout our district!