All students in the GCSD are expected to attend class on campus every day.

GCSD students and staff who are not able to attend school due to: 1) specific medical need; or 2) a DOH assigned quarantine should contact their principal.

Remote learning/tutors will only be provided if a student is mandatory quarantined by the Saratoga County Department of Health.  

There is no requirement for a daily screening for students, staff, and visitors. 

The state requirement for universal masking in P-12 school settings ended on March 2, 2022. 

After testing positive for COVID-19, students, staff, and teachers must wear masks on return to school during Days 6-10 of their isolation period. 

The NYSDOH recommends students, staff, and teachers wear masks when: 

• They feel comfortable wearing a mask for personal reasons
• They were in the same room within the school as someone diagnosed with COVID-19 for 15-minutes or longer and were thus exposed or potentially exposed
• They are known to have been exposed to COVID-19 in any setting within the previous 10 days
• They are moderately-to-severely immunocompromised and have discussed the need to mask with their health care provider

Masks should be well-fitted and appropriately worn (to cover nose and mouth) and should conform to CDC guidelines for masks and respirators. 

Transportation: Masking is no longer required on school buses or vans. Individuals who are required to wear masks in school should wear masks on school buses. 

Masked and unmasked people will be working and learning alongside each other in our school. Our district will maintain a "mask positive" environment so those who do wear masks – whether by choice, expectation, or requirement – will not be stigmatized, bullied, or made to feel uncomfortable; and likewise, those for whom masks have not been required or recommended will not be stigmatized, bullied, or made to feel uncomfortable. 

Whenever persons are expected or required to wear masks, masks may be removed when eating, drinking, singing, going outside, or playing a wind instrument. When masks are removed for these reasons, physical distancing of six feet or more will be maintained to the extent possible. 

As a baseline, GCSD will maintain three feet of physical distance between students when possible.

In settings where masks are not worn, anyone within a six-foot radius of an infected person is considered exposed. 

As with all other communicable diseases, notification of a possible exposure to COVID-19 will be communicated with parents.

Masks are not required on school buses or vans. Individuals who are required to wear masks in school should wear masks on school transport.   

1. Seating charts will be maintained for each bus.  
2. Windows/vents will be open to the extent possible.  
3. High touch surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected between bus runs

Please refer to Galway CSD Policies Public Use of Facilities Policy 1500, Policy 1500E and Policy 1500R. Galway CSD retains the right to limit outside groups of school facilities due to cleaning and disinfection capacity. 

2. Outdoor use of facilities by outside groups will be permitted.

Parents/Guardians will be allowed in the building.

1. Teach and reinforce handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
2. Remind everyone in the facility to wash hands frequently and assist young children with handwashing.
3. Supply and use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol (for teachers, staff, and older students who can safely use hand sanitizer). Hand sanitizers will be stored up, away, and out of sight of young children and used only with adult supervision for children under 6 years of age.

GCSD will provide appropriate PPE to staff and students as appropriate, i.e., masks, gowns, gloves, hand-sanitizer, etc.

1.  GSCD will maintain an appropriate supply of PPE.

The weekly testing requirement established in 10 NYCRR 2.62 remains in effect. Staff who were diagnosed with and recovered from COVID-19 within the past three months are not subject to the weekly testing requirement. 

Galway CSD will offer screening testing to unvaccinated students on a weekly basis when our area is identified as having moderate, substantial, or high transmission rates. 

Use of Over-the-Counter Tests

The use of Over-the-Counter COVID-19 tests are allowed for school purposes. Individuals must follow the instructions found in the package inserts. 

Symptomatic individuals, regardless of vaccination status or recent infection, should stay home until tested. 

Symptomatic individuals who are tested and test negative according to the test instructions will be allowed to return to school. As a note, the Over-the-Counter test requires two samples taken 36 hours apart. 

Symptomatic students who are not tested must be excluded from school for at least five days following the onset of symptoms and until they are fever-free for at least 24-hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and other symptoms are improving. After returning to school, they must wear a mask for Days 6-10.

Exposed staff and students and/or their parents/guardians are primarily responsible for ensuring that recommended testing occurs. Galway CSD will supply testing kits to affected families for testing at home.

The Galway CSD Nursing Staff may send a student home when they exhibit any of the following symptoms: 

• Fever over 100/chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea/vomiting
• Diarrhea
• New loss of smell/taste

1. OUTDOOR AIR VENTILATION
   • The Galway Central School District has increased outdoor air ventilation rates well above minimum code requirements, especially in outdoor air temperature conditions above freezing. Once freezing temperatures are approached, the district will evaluate what the maximum outdoor air rate the individual system can handle while still meeting heating demands and avoid potential coil freezing conditions. Outside air-intakes are located directly behind each heating unit in all classrooms.
2. FILTRATION
   • TBS, as part of their contract, changes district filters every six months. Currently our filters are rated from MERV 8 to MERV 14. MERV 8's are being replaced by MERV 11's. The HVAC system, the rooftop units, filters are rated MERV 13 and 14.

The district will continue regular cleaning and disinfection daily or more frequently, as needed, along with frequent cleaning and disinfection of shared objects and surfaces as well as high transit areas, such as restrooms and common areas.  

1. High touch surfaces will be cleaned several times a day.
2. Areas where symptomatic/positive cases are presumed will be disinfected following occupancy.
3. Classrooms will be provided with additional cleaning/disinfecting supplies for staff use during the day.
4. Shared equipment will be cleaned between use.

1.  Encourage Vaccinations CDC recommends that all teachers, staff and eligible students be vaccinated as soon as possible.