1/7/2022

Dear Grand Island Families:

Superintendents and officials from private, public and parochial schools met this afternoon with the Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) to discuss several topics.  We are very pleased to report that every school and district in Erie County now has the ability to begin a Test to Stay program as long as they adhere to the ECDOH requirements.  For Grand Island that means we will continue to implement Test to Stay and make some minor adjustments as noted below.  Additionally, there is new guidance regarding the quarantine and isolation period for COVID close contacts and for students who are positive with COVID-19.  

Please click the PDF for more information.

In line with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, and as allowed by NYSDOH, the ECDOH will now allow individuals in quarantine to be released after the completion of day 7 (i.e., day 8) as long as they meet certain conditions, namely:

• A diagnostic COVID-19 test- with a specimen collected and tested within 48 hours before the end of the planned quarantine discontinuation (i.e., after five days following last exposure) - is negative; and, no symptoms are reported during daily monitoring.

• Students and staff can start to provide their school with a negative test result from "day 5" or after during their quarantine, along with an affirmation form, in order to return to school or work.

• See attached or  CLICK HERE to download and complete the AFFIRMATION OF QUARANTINE form that was created by Dr. Burstein.  The form is also attached to this email. 

• Once the form is completed and sworn to by the parent or employee, the affirmation form will be turned into the school's main office, if completed for a student or to the employee's supervisor.

• This affirmation form, is automatically accepted by Dr. Burstein as noted on the bottom of the form with the following information:  

• This affirmation sworn to as indicated, then based solely on such affirmation above, and accepting such information as fact, I, Gale R. Burstein, Commissioner, Erie County Department of Health, do hereby find the that the affirming individual herein met the criteria for quarantine as the case may be during the dates affirmed to above.

Dear Grand Island Families, Faculty and Staff:

The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) has been able to resume ID Now (rapid) COVID-19 diagnostic testing. ID Now is a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) test that provides results in about 15 minutes.  

These tests are available by appointment only for symptomatic pre-k-12 students and symptomatic school staff who have been excluded from school or work due to illness. 

This service is not intended for school staff who are required to show proof of routine COVID-19 testing because they have not documented full COVID-19 vaccination.

There is no cost for this test. Parents and school staff may call (716) 858-2929 to schedule an appointment.  The test will be performed at a location identified by the ECDOH.

The current supply available to the ECDOH is expected to last about 3-4 weeks, and their department is working to obtain more of these tests.

School staff must bring their school ID to their appointment.

CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE to search and review cases of COVID-19 attributed to a public school.

Supplemental documents:

Memo from NYSED regarding June 7, 2021 interim guidance for in-person instruction

CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE

Here is the direct link to the online bus schedules: CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE to schedule an appointment for the Pfizer vaccine.