Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates

The mission of BCSD is to educate and prepare all students to reach their potential, discover their purpose and be engaged community members. The health and wellness of our staff and students are integral to delivering on that mission. With that in mind, the district is monitoring this evolving public health crisis very closely and will keep all stakeholders informed of any news or updates that could impact our schools.

Status

• BCSD 2020-21 reopening plans are now available
• School buildings remain closed and are only open to staff and students participating in the district’s Extended School Year (ESY) program.
• All playgrounds, playing fields and buildings remain closed to visitors until further notice.
• Visitors to any building are by appointment only and all visitors must first complete this online COVID-19 symptom tracker to be allowed inside.
• Free breakfast and lunch for children continues during the summer.

School District Updates

• Reopening update: Families can choose remote instruction
• BCSD reopening plans are now available
• Board, district outline Reopening Plan at July 28 meeting
• Fall sports on hold until September 21
• Update July 15: Guidance and timeline for possible fall reopening 
• Update June 24: Transportation planning and survey
• Free breakfast and lunch for children continues during the summer.
• 2020-21 district budget approved; voters elect three to Board of Education
• Update June 15: Looking ahead
• Update May 28: Looking ahead to 2020-21
• Annual budget vote and Board of Education election will be held June 9 by mail.
• Update May 1: Schools to remain closed through end of school year
• Child care funding now available for income-eligible essential workers
• Update Apr. 16: Schools to remain closed through May 15
• Update Apr. 6: Schools to remain closed until April 29
• Update Mar. 31: Schedule clarification for April
• Student medications can still be picked up
• Update Mar. 27: Schools to remain closed; expanded instruction begins Monday
• Do you need a K-5 Chromebook? Take our survey.
• Update Mar. 23: Planning for future instructional needs
• Bethlehem Y to offer child care for emergency personnel
• Update Mar 19: School buildings to close Friday, 3p
• CSE meetings moving to online format as of Mar. 23
• Update: Mar. 17: All schools ordered to close through Mar. 31
• In-person CSE & CPSE meetings postponed until further notice
• Update Mar. 16: BC schools to remain closed as COVID-19 precaution
• Superintendent’s Conference Day Mar. 16 is CANCELED – March 15
• Meals for students while schools are closed – March 15
• Superintendent’s Letter: Friday, March 13 – Classes Canceled Mar. 16-20
• Important Calendar Change: No Classes Monday, Mar. 16
• Superintendent’s Letter: Thursday, March 12
• Superintendent’s Letter: Wednesday, March 11
• Superintendent’s Letter: Friday, March 6
• Superintendent’s Letter: Thursday, February 27

Student Travel, Field Trips, Athletics & School Events

• All upcoming NYSSMA festivals are postponed until further notice.
• In-person CSE/CPSE meetings are postponed until further notice.
• Ticket sales for Stage 700’s Chicago: High School Edition are postponed until further notice.
• All athletics practices, contests are canceled until further notice.
• All district events and activities are canceled until further notice.
• All Continuing Education classes are suspended until further notice.
• All international school trips have been canceled for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year.
• All other field trips are canceled through the April break, which ends April 17. At that time, the district will decide whether travel can resume. 

If you have a BC event that has been canceled or rescheduled and would like it to appear here, please email bcsdcommunications@bethlehemschools.org.

Food Available for Children during the summer

• Grab & Go meals for children while schools are closed 

Mental Health Resources

• NYS Mental Health Hotline – 1-844-863-9314, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Albany County Mental Health Hotline – 518-269-6634, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Mental Health resources and counselor contact information
• Weekly news from the Elementary Counselors

Child Care for Capital Region Families

• Child care funding now available for income-eligible essential workers
• If you are a parent or caregiver who needs child care, please complete this parent need for child care survey. Based on the information you provide about your job, employer, number of children, and financial need, OCFS may be able to help you find the child program you need. It may be a challenge to find child care due to COVID-19 related program closures, however the staff at OCFS are trying their best to support families to find the high quality child care that they need. In addition, the OCFS website has several resources available https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/childcare/
• Information from the Capital District YMCA about childcare for emergency and other essential workers
• School’s Out Inc. Essential Worker Childcare will be ending on Friday. August 21 to allow us to prepare for the reopening of all of our sites on Monday, Sept. 14.
• If you are looking for child care, the Child Care Resource and Referral Agency (CCRR) is a great place to start. They will ask you about the kind of care you are looking for, the ages of your children, the hours of care you need and other specifics such as any special needs your child might have. Based on that information, they will be able to give you a list of providers that most closely meet your needs. Please contact:
  • Brightside Up (formally Capital District Child Care Coordinating Council, Inc.)
    Ms. Abbe Kovacik, Executive Director
    91 Broadway
    Menands, NY 12204
    Phone: (518) 426-7181, ext. 323
    Fax: (518) 426-9649
    Email: akovacik@cdcccc.org
    Website: http://www.cdcccc.org/
• Learning Care Group offers childcare services for children of healthcare workers, law enforcement, EMTs, firefighters, and essential workers. Website: www.childtime.com

Academic Resources for Students, Families

• Mar. 26: BC Learning from Home website for K-5 students
• Mar. 18: Links and resources for BC families K-5
• Technology support for students in grades 6-12

Testing Updates K-12

• June Regents exams are canceled
• Online AP exams are May 11-22
• ACT tests postponed until June 13
• NYS ELA and math testing for grades 3-8 suspended

Updates from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

• What to do if you are sick – Advice from the CDC
• CDC Coronavirus web page
• Preventing COVID-19 Spread in Communities 
• Travel Advisories
• People at Risk for Serious Illness from COVID-19 
• Get Your Household Ready for Coronavirus Disease 2019 

Updates from the NYS Dept. of Health

Call the NYSDOH hotline at 1-888-364-3065 for information about Coronavirus.

• Feeling stressed about Coronavirus? Managing anxiety in an anxiety-provoking situation
• Governor Andrew Cuomo on Twitter
• NYSDOH Coronavirus web page

Updates from Albany County

• Letter to elementary students about Coronavirus
• Letter to middle school students about Cororavirus
• ACDOH Coronavirus web page

Fact Sheets/Posters

• Protect yourself from COVID-19 and stop the spread
• Coping with stress during infectious disease outbreaks

Coronavirus Resources for ENL Families

Fact sheets and information about coronavirus COVID-19 can be found in several languages at the links below

• https://www.colorincolorado.org/coronavirus
• https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/coronavirus.page
• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/
• https://medlineplus.gov/languages/coronavirusinfections.html

Talking to Children about the Coronavirus COVID-19

• Video: Handwashing & How to See Germs Spread (YouTube)
• Talking to Children About COVID-19: A Parent Resource (National Association of School Psychologists)
• Talking to Kids about the Coronavirus (Child Mind Institute)
• Feeling stressed about Coronavirus? Managing anxiety in an anxiety-provoking situation (NYSDOH)