Delaware Academy Central School District at Delhi

  CALENDAR CLARIFICATION  

Unfortunately, we need to amend this year's calendar again to pull back the Friday and Tuesday of Memorial Day weekend.  We have used the following snow days this year:

Monday, January 10     Snow Day 1

Thursday, February 3   2 hour delay - moved to full day (Snow Day 2)

Friday, February 4       Snow Day 3

Friday, April 8th           Snow Day 4 (Flooding)

Monday, April 18th       Snow Day 5 (Give back day)  

Tuesday, April 19th      Snow Day 6

In response to the unanticipated District closures due to impactful weather events, the District must revert to its previous calendar.  In order to maintain the 180-day calendar for state aid purposes, Friday (5/27) and Tuesday (5/31) will now need to be full in-session days of attendance for students and staff.  We apologize for any inconvenience or confusion  this may have caused.  Thank you

  NOTICE REGARDING RECENT NYS MASKING PROTOCOLS & TESTING KITS


March 1, 2022

Dear Delaware Academy Families,

On Sunday evening, I shared that based on current CDC recommendations and Governor Holchul’s announcement, Delaware Academy will be shifting to a “mask optional” status beginning tomorrow, March 2, 2022.  On Monday, we received written notification from Delaware County Public Health that, “it is the decision of each individual school district to make changes to their mask policies going forward.” 

As of the writing of this letter, we have not received any additional clarification on revised requirements from the NYS Department of Health.  Therefore, given that Delaware County is currently identified as an area of Low Risk, the following updates will be effective beginning on Wednesday, March 2.

•Use of masks in schools, including on school buses and in all extra-curricular and athletic activities will be optional for all students and staff.
•Masks will continue to be available at school and on school buses for anyone who wants one.
•Use of masks will be required for anyone who has been identified for quarantine and/or Test-to-Stay due to exposure to COVID-19 for the required quarantine period as per Public Health.
•Masks will be required for any visitors to DASH as per Bassett School Based Health.
•Anyone who wishes to wear a mask at any time will be welcome to do so.
•Ridicule or harassment of anyone based on their mask choice will not be tolerated.
•We will comply with the masking requirements on any school trips to other schools, sites, or locations that require masks. 
•All other mitigation protocols remain intact including protocols for cleaning, social distancing, contact tracing, and weekly testing for unvaccinated staff.  This service is also available to students with parent/guardian consent. 

This is subject to change should the district receive updated directives from the NYS Department of Health, or if Delaware County becomes designated as an area of High Risk.

I remain proud of how our community has placed their trust and confidence in our district as we have navigated each change this year.  Parents and guardians, please discuss your family’s choice with your children and share your expectation for respectful behaviors toward peers who may make choices that are different from theirs.  I look forward to continued positive steps out of this pandemic.

Sincerely,

Kelly M. Zimmerman

Superintendent

February 3, 2022

Welcome to the halfway point of the 2021-2022 school year!  This week marked the start of the second semester as we forge ahead to springtime.  Speaking of welcomes, please join me in extending a warm welcome to Ms. Crystal Trask, our new MS/HS Principal.  She started with us this week and has already met with many students, family members, and teachers.  She is a wonderful addition to our DA Family.  I’d also like to congratulate our very own Athletic Coordinator, Jeff Ferrara!  He was recently awarded Athletic Administrator of the Year by the NYS Athletic Administrators Association for outstanding contributions to high school athletics.  This, of course, is no surprise to us.  We all know what a dedicated leader and role model Mr. Ferrara is.  Please join me in congratulating him.

And now, our COVID-19 updates.  Every update has been designed to keep our students in school for in-person learning to the greatest extent possible while remaining safe and healthy.  The most recent updates are as follows:

1.  COVID-19 Test Availability

• Our weekly testing clinic remains open and available to both staff and students.  Every Thursday afternoon we have Quadrant Bioscience PCR tests available to any staff or student who is pre-registered on-line at designated sites in each building.  Access for middle/high school students will be from 2:35-3:15 on a “walk-in” basis.  Students at the elementary school will be assigned times to attend the testing clinic.  The link for registration can be found HERE or by going to www.app.clarifi-covid-19.com and must be completed by a parent or guardian.  This option is available to asymptomatic individuals only regardless of vaccination status.
• If your child is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, testing is available through Delaware Academy Student Health (DASH) Clinic or in each nurse’s office.
• We have been notified that Governor Hochul intends to send test kits to districts for mass distribution to our students again.  This time, she intends to have them available prior to the February Break (2/21-2/25) so that students can test prior to returning on Monday, February 28.  We will be sharing additional details on distribution when we are notified by NYS.

3.  Test to Stay Program – Over the past month, DA has been able to provide continued in-person learning for approximately thirty students through our TTS Program.  For a full copy of the plan, and NYSDOH requirements, please see the Covid Updates page on our website.

5.  Vaccines continue to be available for students aged five and above through DASH.

6.  Weekly Reporting – In lieu of phone calls and emails, we are now reporting numbers of positive cases on our website.  Our weekly COVID Dashboard can be found at www.delhischools.org on the Coronavirus Update page or by clicking HERE.

7.  Mask Requirements - Thank you for your patience as we navigated the recent confusion regarding mask mandates in schools.  Most recently, a four-judge panel from the State Supreme Court Appellate Division ruled that the stay allowing state mask regulations to remain in force will be continued pending resolution of the state's appeal of a lower court ruling that the regulation is unconstitutional.  The state has until March 2 to file papers for its appeal.  In other words, mask requirements for schools could remain in effect until at least March 2.  As this situation evolves, and implications for schools are updated, we will communicate any changes to our practices and requirements at DA.

As I stated last month, thank you for continuing to do your part to keep Delaware Academy open and moving forward.  Stay healthy and safe!

Sincerely,

Kelly M. Zimmerman

Superintendent

Archive

Remote instruction is not available this school year. Please follow the steps below for student absences and completing school work.
• Parent/Family care provider should email Mrs. Barriger in the Attendance Office [email protected] to let her know about the absence.
• Students should check their Google Classrooms for classwork and homework assignments.
• Students should also email their teachers to let them know they are out and how long they may be out.
• If students need materials from their locker or from their teachers to complete assignments, contact the main office to arrange pick up at the school.

VISION

Delaware Academy Central School District at Delhi will be a leader in academic excellence, preparing students to excel in a diverse and dynamic society.

MISSION

Delaware Academy will provide a wide range of academic and extra-curricular opportunities that develop critical thinking and innovation. Our community of learners will foster partnerships within our region and beyond, supporting a wide range of career pathways for our students. Our students will enter society with the ability to embrace change with confidence, altruism, and adaptability.

DISTRICT GOALS

• Delaware Academy will engage in data-informed practices, using multiple sources of information to ensure continuous improvement in student performance and outcomes.

• Delaware Academy will evaluate and provide necessary resources to achieve our mission in an informed and fiscally responsible manner.

• Delaware Academy will attract, develop, and retain high quality, student-centered faculty, staff, and administrators.

• Delaware Academy will develop and maintain collaborative relationships with and between our district and the communities it serves.