July 15 district updates

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District update returns on a weekly basis

The following message is from Superintendent Kaweeda G. Adams:
As we look forward to the 2020-21 school year, we are reinstating our district updates to provide information and resources to all students, families and community members in our planning for reopening in September, and our ongoing monitoring of guidance and precautions related to COVID-19. 

These updates will be weekly during the summer, delivered each Wednesday. We will consider an increased frequency for this roundup-style communication as the start of the school year gets closer, and we also we be sharing information and updates through a wide range of additional tools during the summer as well. 

Please check in to our website regularly and follow us on School News Notifier (SNN), Facebook and Twitter. Our goal is to help everyone prepare to return to school in September no matter what circumstances the continued presence of COVID-19 presents. We will be prepared to serve you no matter what! 

As you know, we have been planning for the start of the new school year since early May. All of our work has been in alignment with the guidance available to us from Governor Cuomo, the State Education and Health departments, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You can read more about the current status of our planning on our website. No decisions have been finalized as we are still in the process of gathering input from our stakeholders.

I will provide an update on the status of our reopening plans at the July 23 Board of Education meeting, which will be held virtually through Google Meet. We also are looking forward to our reopening forums over the next two weeks. 


Reopening survey open until Friday; forums begin July 21

A reminder that our reopening survey will be open for students, parents and guardians, and community members through this Friday at 4 p.m.

Nearly 550 people had participated in the survey as of Wednesday evening – thank you to everyone who has taken time to offer your feedback! Your comments and questions will inform our presentations at the reopening forums scheduled later this month, as well as our planning for the start of school in September. 

No decisions have been finalized at this time. The district continues to work toward the state’s July 31 deadline to submit reopening plans for review. Governor Cuomo has said he will announce final reopening guidance during the first week of August. 


Register for virtual elementary summer school by July 24

Registration is open until Friday, July 24 for the City School District of Albany’s virtual elementary summer school program. 

The program will operate from Aug. 3-28 and is designed to help preset elementary students entering grades 1-6 for a successful new school year. 

Students will have access to two hours of live virtual instruction each weekday. Instruction will focus on skills students need for a strong start to the school year in ELA, Math, Social Studies and Science, as well as navigating all the changes that have occurred in our community due to COVID-19 and racial injustice. 

Students in grades 1-3 will be able to sign on each weekday from 8:30-10:30 a.m., and students in grades 4-6 will be able to sign on from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 

Please note that on the application you must fill in all required fields to complete your registration. 


Summer Adventure awaits!

Thanks to our partners at Capital Region BOCES, students from kindergarten-grade 5 can take part in eight weeks of free and fun summertime activities on a new website.

The Summer Adventure website will provide a wealth of activities for kids and their families, ranging from cooking to science to arts and crafts to mindful moments. With a mix of independent learning and family fun, parents will have the freedom to choose from a variety of summer adventures for their kids. 

The program launched July 3 and new activities will be unveiled every Friday through Aug. 21 to keep kids active all summer long. Sign up here for Summer Adventure activities delivered to your inbox each week.