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Important Update
Ruling Against Mask Mandate
We have been made aware of Judge Rademaker’s decision. We understand from the State Education Department that the State of New York shall seek an appeal of the decision and seek a stay regarding the enforcement of the same. As a result, the State Education Department has stated that schools are required to continue to require the use of masks pending the final adjudication of the litigation.
Accordingly, the BOCES shall continue to require all students and staff to wear masks for the health and safety of our community and in accordance with the recommendation of the New York State Department and County Departments of Health and Center for Disease Control.
We will continue to work with legal counsel to ascertain the implications of this litigation and any appeals for our BOCES.
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Catholic Charities of Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster Prevention Department Can Help with Your Prescription Drug Storage and Disposal Needs
Catholic Charities has been working with Sullivan BOCES to provide the school district health offices with prescription drug safe storage and disposal items and would like to offer these items to the families of students.
They can provide
- Lock bags (to store prescriptions safely)
- Lock caps (with combination)
- Drug destruction products (Dispose of RX or Deterra to safely dispose of an unneeded prescription)
- Prescription Trackers (to keep track of when prescriptions were taken)
Please contact Luisa.Parker@cccsos.org (845) 794-8080, ext. 2531 to get any of these items for your home.
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An Important Message from John Liddle, County of Sullivan Commissioner of Health and Family ServicesAt the Sullivan County Division of Health and Family Services, we know firsthand how difficult it can be to understand the many changes in guidance coming from Federal and State officials with regard to the rapidly evolving.COVID-19 pandemic. In some ways, we are fortunate that for the 75% of Sullivan County adults who are at least partially vaccinated, the symptoms of the omicron variant of COVID-19 often aren't much tougher to deal with than the common cold. Unfortunately, for the unvaccinated and partially vaccinated, elderly, and medically frail, the omicron variant can be just as deadly as its predecessors. And as we now know all too well, the omicron variant is spreading like wildfire around the globe. For this reason we are asking all Sullivan County employers to ensure employees who are sick are allowed to stay home for the duration of their CDC recommended isolation period. While our team in Sullivan County government is doing everything we can to keep schools and workplaces open safely, the most important thing you can do to support our efforts is to stay home when you're sick and allow your employees to do so as well.Without going too deep into individual details, COVID isolation and quarantine periods last between 5 and 10 days in almost all circumstances. Because the state's contact tracing system was recently discontinued, Public Health Services today debuted a new test reporting portal for public use so that everyone in the community can quickly and easily get the forms they need to prove they have been or are currently isolating or quarantining.
The forms can be found at
Sullivan County Self-Attestation PortalFor those who have tested positive for COVID-19, an Isolation Affirmation Form is required and can be obtained via email by reporting test results to Public Health on the above page. For those who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, a Quarantine Affirmation Form is required and can be filled out, downloaded and printed from the above page. Both forms can be used as proof of isolation/quarantine with local employers, school districts and other appropriate authorities. Any submitted information will be kept confidential. This is designed to streamline the process for all of us - our staff and the public - during a very busy time in this ongoing pandemic.However, those who are unable to use or access these forms can call us at 845-513-2268, and we will make sure the needed forms are obtained. If and when the State opens its portal, people are welcome to access it, but at this point, we're encouraging all Sullivan County residents to use our portal to self-report a positive home test and obtain the necessary paperwork. -
Test to Stay (TTS) is a protocol recently adopted by New York State and Sullivan County. On Friday, January 7, 2022, Sullivan County Public Health Services authorized Sullivan County school districts and BOCES to use TTS to help schools stay open for instruction.
Test to Stay allows a known exposure to a positive COVID case to return to work or school if they are asymptomatic and consent to three (3) NAAT or rapid antigen tests on a prescribed schedule over a seven-day period after exposure. Basically, a home COVID test is administered before the individual can go to school or work and is repeated two more times during the seven days unless recognition of the exposure is delayed or weekends or school breaks intervene. Sullivan BOCES will administer the prescribed testing for exposed asymptomatic individuals prior to the start of the school day.
In addition to a negative NAAT or antigen test, symptomatic individuals must be well enough to participate in school. They must not have a runny nose or a cough severe enough to make mask wear difficult or unhygienic, be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication, and meet other district requirements to return to school after a non-COVID illness.
The exposed person allowed to remain in school through TTS must be quarantined outside of school instruction/academic periods on weekends/holidays when the seven-day TTS period is active - During this time, no school test is required. The person should not participate in community activities or extracurricular activities, including clubs, sports, arts/performance activities, etc. after school/evenings. Please note that people participating in TTS are allowed to ride the school bus when following all existing guidance, including required masking.
Before a school district or BOCES can implement TTS, they must prepare written protocols and adopt a board policy. Sullivan BOCES is actively engaged in drafting the protocols, and the board is expected to adopt the policy at the January 18 BOE meeting. After the Board adopts the policy, it will take up to 10+ school days to implement the program. BOCES must obtain parental consent for students and staff before TTS is implemented.
The following requirements remain in place:
- There is no exemption to the antigen or NAAT testing requirement for symptomatic vaccinated people.
- Individuals with symptoms attributable to pre-existing medical conditions (e.g., migraines, allergies) and are not new or worsening do not require school exclusion or testing.
- If the healthcare provider diagnoses a confirmed non-COVID-19 acute illness AND COVID-19 is not suspected, a note signed by the healthcare provider explaining the alternate diagnosis may be provided to allow a student, teacher, or staff member to participate in school without COVID-19 testing. Such individuals may participate in school according to the usual school and medical guidelines for the diagnosis.
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Students on Quarantine: Continued Instruction
If your child is required to quarantine due to a positive COVID test, or due to a COVID exposure, Sullivan BOCES will provide materials for continued instruction.The first thing you should do is notify Sullivan BOCES if your child does NOT have internet access and/or a device. You can call the main office of the program your child attends (phone numbers below), or you can speak with your child’s teacher(s) regarding this matter.
Elementary Programs (WSS/GMOD)
(845) 292-5618Special Ed & Alternative Ed Programs (RPEC)
(845) 295-4111Career & Tech (CTE) Programs
(845) 295-4152
If your child needs a device, a Chromebook will be provided. If, for any reason, your child is not able to use a device, instructional material can be provided in paper form for completion. The instructional items/materials can be picked up from Sullivan BOCES, or arrangements with the home school district can be made to get the items to your child as well.All teachers have Google Classrooms, and therefore, if your child is using a Chromebook they will be expected to log into the Google Classroom to obtain and complete work. The remote instruction is asynchronous, which means that your child is able to complete their assigned work independently. Should your child have questions regarding their assignments, they can reach out to the teacher via phone, Google Classroom, or via email. If your child is a secondary special education or alternative education student, they will likely have multiple teachers and should be sure to check into each of the Google Classrooms for all of their teachers.
Your child’s homeroom teacher will set up a Google Meet during their scheduled homeroom time (8:00 - 8:26 am), which your child will be expected to join daily for attendance purposes. If your child is not using a device, you, or your child may call the main office during the home room period to be marked “Present” for the day. If your child does not attend the Google Meet or contact the main office during homeroom, they will be marked as “Absent” for the day.
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Current CDC guidance states that being fully vaccinated for COVID-19 ensures that our staff and students remain safe, and can help avoid quarantine if you are exposed to someone who tests positive as long as you remain asymptomatic and have consistently worn a mask.
Resources to assist:
- For a weekly list of public health clinics, please visit: https://sullivanny.us/Departments/Publichealth/COVIDvaccines/clinics
- For a pharmacy or health care provider near you, visit https://www.vaccines.gov/.
- You can also call 1-800-232-0233 for help finding a vaccine, or text your ZIP code to 438829 to get a list of options sent to your phone.
- Check your local pharmacy’s website to see if vaccination walk-ins or appointments are available.
- Visit the CDC’s Frequently Asked Questions page for information about COVID-19 vaccinations https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html
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BOCES Special Board Meeting
February 1, 2022
Time: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: Virtual MeetingThe Board anticipates entering into Executive Session at 5:00 PM, before the start of the meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://E2CCB-GST.zoom.us/j/98707902526
Meeting ID: 987 0790 2526Dial by your location
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
+1 646 518 9805 US (New York) -
Got5 - Crisis Text Line
The New York State Office of Mental Health and the Suicide Prevention Center of New York State has created a Crisis Text Line to help students and those in need get through a difficult moment. The Crisis Text Line is a free, anonymous, text-based support network that is available 24/7.
Simply text “GOT5” to 741-741 to start a texting conversation with a trained Crisis Counselor who can help you get through a difficult moment.
Help is a text away!
