Several students in Patty Parsons’ English classes entered Outdoor News Magazine’s Youth Writing Contest, and senior Abbie Reasor won FIRST PLACE in the 9-12 category for Prose! Her piece, titled “What’s on the End of the Line?”, is about fishing in the Erie Canal with her dad when she was younger. Abbie will receive $100, an award plaque and her work will be entered in the Outdoor Writer's Association of America annual writing contest! Way to go!
Season's Greetings to our Falcon Family! We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday! #ForeverFalcons #SouthSenecaCSD
Just two days before our holiday break, we at South Seneca now have over 80 members of our staff and student population in mandatory quarantines as a result of contact tracing related to our three recent cases. In addition to these, we are informed of nearly thirty others in the school community who are now either COVID-positive themselves, or quarantined as a result of exposure to someone who is positive.
As we have been communicating since before Thanksgiving, when groups of staff and students are forced to quarantine at home for two weeks, it creates a substantial disruption to each of their own lives, and to the school program. Those in quarantine, again, have broken no rules, and have only been caught up in the tracing process. They go into quarantine to contain potential spread, which is necessary, but disheartening and inconvenient.
We know from all evidence that once again, there is a reasonable concern that those numbers may spike in the period immediately following the holidays. As a precautionary measure designed to prevent potential large numbers of quarantines into the new year, South Seneca will shift to a temporary fully remote model for instruction in the week after New Year’s Day, January 4 through January 8.
Students should prepare for the week as a school week, and not as an extension of the vacation. Teachers will be in touch to arrange a class schedule. Contrary to the week we went remote after Thanksgiving, there is still a possibility for us to operate small groups of organized activities, such as the highly controlled athletic workouts, etc. Coaches will be in touch with athletes about those arrangements.
We understand that being fully remote can pose a burden on working families, and we encourage those with concerns to reach out to our offices for help. This measure is intended to prevent an even longer burden, as families in quarantine have communicated to us. If the numbers of positive cases and widespread quarantines were to reach a critical threshold, the shift to remote learning could keep us out of the buildings for weeks at a time, which is what we’d like to avoid.
We urge our community to continue to follow all guidelines for staying safe, and we wish full recovery for those having already tested positive.
Thank you for your continued understanding and cooperation.
On Saturday, South Seneca received information from the Seneca County Health Department that two of our elementary school students had tested positive for COVID-19. The two students are members of two different grade levels, and last attended in-person on Tuesday, December 15.
As with all cases in our school community, we are collaborating with the Health Department to facilitate contact tracing and any necessary quarantines. We also collaborate with the Department to make determinations about any closures that might be appropriate. Anyone who is to complete required steps as a result of potential exposure is being contacted by the Health Department or by the school district for instructions.
In this case, because of the timing of the onset of symptoms, contact tracing has resulted in a very large number of quarantines for both students and staff in Interlaken. Out of an abundance of caution, the Elementary School will move to a fully remote model of instruction for the three days leading up to our break: Monday, December 21 through Wednesday, December 23. The Middle-High School was not impacted in this case and will continue as planned with our hybrid model this week. We will revisit our status over the next several days and will communicate any further adjustments to our school calendar as they are decided. On Monday, the district will work to distribute Chromebooks to elementary students as needed for participation in classes.
We know the community understands that personal identifying information about those testing positive is protected under privacy laws, so we are unable to share those particular details.
We join all our colleagues, both in the school setting and out, to continue to urge everyone to take the risks associated with the pandemic seriously, and to do all you can to minimize your own chances of exposure to the virus. This includes diligent wearing of face coverings in public spaces, attention to social distancing, and good regular hand hygiene, along with the use of caution when planning any holiday travel or gatherings.
Thank you for your continued understanding and cooperation.
Seneca County will be running asymptomatic testing sites every Monday from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. starting this Monday, December 21.
There is no cost for this testing and results will be available immediately.
Pre-registration is required at the following link: https://apps.health.ny.gov/doh2/applinks/cdmspr/2/counties?OpID=9900120
Due to the severe weather conditions, regular Thursday meal deliveries will be moved to Friday this week. Thank you for your understanding, stay safe and stay warm! #ForeverFalcons #SouthSenecaCSD
Please be aware that with significant snowfall overnight, persisting into the morning hours, South Seneca will be closed Thursday, December 17. This cancellation includes all classes, both in-person and remote.
Even during the pandemic, South Seneca has been supportive of college students who are studying education, as they must gather field experience in classrooms as a requirement on their way to their degrees. Today, we were informed that one of the college students who spent time in our Middle-High School building last week tested positive for COVID-19. This student observed all appropriate safety measures while in our building, but it is likely that those who had extended exposure time will be subject to quarantine as the contact tracing process around this case is completed. The last time the student was in the building was Friday, December 11. In accordance with our established protocols, we are in close contact with the Seneca County Health Department to make all determinations about any closures that might be appropriate on a case-by-case basis. No portion of our program will need to be closed as a result of this case, although some quarantines of some individuals is expected. We know the community understands that personal identifying information about those testing positive is protected under privacy laws, so we are unable to share those particular details. As the holiday season and colder weather approaches, and while infection rates are increasing over the last few weeks, we continue to urge our school community to take all necessary precautions. Please heed the warnings about indoor gatherings, wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, and seeing regularly to hand hygiene. Thank you for your continued understanding and cooperation.
After some time with classes being virtual, we have students back in our classrooms again today!
The South Seneca Board of Education will meet Wednesday, December 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the MSHS auditorium in Ovid. The agenda will include a presentation on the 2021-22 budget and other new business.
We are so grateful for our falcon family, all students and faculty! Have a wonderful and healthy holiday! Happy Thanksgiving! #ForeverFalcons
Attention South Seneca Community: please be aware that the district will move to a full remote model for instruction in the week immediately following the Thanksgiving break. Teachers and our two building offices will be sharing more information in the days to come.
The November BOE meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 18 at 6:30pm in the Interlaken Auditorium. Presentation will be on winter athletics updates from the section and the state. The board will make a decision at this meeting about aligning with Section V this winter.
November 16, 2020
This past weekend South Seneca received information that one of our elementary school students had tested positive for COVID-19. In this case, the last attendance day for the student was Monday, November 9. We are in contact with the student’s family, and are hopeful that symptoms remain mild.
In accordance with our established protocols, we immediately notified the Seneca County Health Department to make all determinations about any closures that might be appropriate on a case-by-case basis, and if the report means that contact tracing or quarantines are expected.
In this case, because the student has not been in attendance since last week Monday, the Seneca County Health Department has advised that it is not necessary to close any aspect of our current in-person instructional schedule. The Department has determined that the student was not infectious on that date.
We know the community understands that personal identifying information about those testing positive is protected under privacy laws, so we are unable to share those particular details.
As the holiday season and colder weather approaches, and while infection rates are increasing over the last few weeks, we continue to urge our school community to take all necessary precautions. Please heed the warnings about indoor gatherings, wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, and seeing regularly to hand hygiene. Thank you for your continued cooperation and understanding.
November 12 update: law enforcement has advised that we are safe to run our after school intramurals program this afternoon. Given that information, intramurals are on for today.
We remain in constant contact with law enforcement related to the continuing search for escaped parolee Kevin Witt. As the scope of the search is now widened out beyond the district, South Seneca will be open today, Thursday November 12 for in-person instruction. We will operate using our "lock in" model to begin the day, and for as long as necessary, while the search continues.
Happy Veterans Day! We are grateful for all those who have served our nation!
Please be aware that the South Seneca Elementary and Middle-High Schools will operate using fully remote instruction Tuesday, November 10, 2020. Law enforcement is blocking roads in the district in the search for an escaped parolee from the Willard Drug Treatment Campus.
We've launched a new Local and Regional Pandemic Resources page on our website, to track the developments in and around the district as we operate our hybrid learning model. Find the new page in the District Info menu at www.southseneca.org - and stay safe everyone!
South Seneca will be holding the first of a series of meetings for parents and guardians of seniors to make sure we are doing all we can to make this school year memorable for our senior class! The meeting will be held on Thursday, November 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the MSHS auditorium.
Topics will include social event plans, opportunities for college bound seniors (including athletes), opportunities for those planning to go right to the workforce or military and ways to do "Senior Spotlights" throughout the year.
The meeting will be recorded for those who cannot attend in person.
