A Message from Dr. Padilla (April 19th, 2020)

• Online schedules for students
• Grading guidelines for the 4th quarter
• Attendance requirements and procedures

• Horarios en línea para estudiantes
• Pautas de calificaciones para el cuarto trimestre
• Requisitos y procedimientos de asistencia.

• teaching and learning schedules
• grading guidelines for the 4th quarter
• permitted video conference platforms
• faculty/staff start & end times

Dear Newburgh Enlarged City School District Families and Employees,

This afternoon, we were contacted by the Orange County Department of Health and were made aware that someone regularly at Heritage Middle School tested positive for COVID-19. March 13th is the last known date this individual was present at the school.

Anyone who was in Heritage Middle School on Friday, March 13th, 2020, and is symptomatic, should contact their healthcare provider.

Please understand, the person who has the infection will not be cleared to re-enter any district school buildings until the following occurs:

❑ Seven days has passed from the last test where the person has tested positive for the infection

and

❑ Two subsequent negative tests have occurred 24 hours apart.

There is no evidence that the disease is airborne. In order to be affected, all the evidence shows that the disease is droplet transmitted or transmitted by someone who, within hours after the infected person touched the same surface with some sort of bodily fluid (sneezing, runny nose, sweat) as the infected person caused that fluid to be on.

It has been emphasized for weeks that a community spread component is real and serious. In most cases of a community spread, symptomatic people are walking around and have no idea they are infected. Here on the other hand, we know of one person so people can at least be armed with the knowledge of what to look for.

The best way to prevent community spread of COVID-19 is to avoid groups, engage in social distancing, and be aware of anyone who appears sick. People who sense their own symptoms should contact their healthcare provider before just showing up at their doctor’s office.

During this time of extended closure, the District has been and will continue to actively assess and monitor all aspects of this rapidly changing situation in consultation with local, state and federal officials. We have been in regular contact with the Department of Health regarding any concerns that have been brought to our attention and we have followed their guidance throughout.

We understand this information is concerning. We are fully committed to our students, families, and thank all who have provided guidance and support to the district over the past week. This is a complex matter and we will continue to manage it with the same sense of purpose and sound leadership our students, staff and community deserve.

Be Safe,
Roberto Padilla, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Estimadas familias y empleados del Distrito escolar ampliado de la ciudad de Newburgh:

Esta tarde, fuimos contactados por el Departamento de Salud del Condado de Orange y nos informaron que alguien regularmente en el campus de Heritage Middle School dio positivo a COVID-19. El 13 de marzo es la última fecha conocida que este individuo estuvo presente en la escuela.

Cualquier persona que estuvo en el campus de Heritage Middle School el viernes 13 de Marzo de 2020 y tiene síntomas, debe comunicarse con su proveedor de atención médica.

Por favor comprenda, que la persona que tiene la infección no tendrá autorización para volver a ingresar a los edificios escolares del distrito hasta que ocurra lo siguiente:

Han pasado siete días desde la última prueba en la que la persona dio positivo por la infección.

Y

Dos pruebas negativas posteriores se produjeron con 24 horas de diferencia

No hay evidencia de que la enfermedad sea transmitida por el aire. Para ser afectado, toda la evidencia muestra que la enfermedad es transmitida por gotitas o transmitida por alguien que pocas horas después de que la persona infectada tocó la misma superficie con algún tipo de fluido corporal (estornudos, secreción nasal, sudor) ya que la persona infectada causó que ese líquido estuviera en esa superficie.

Se ha enfatizado durante semanas que un componente de difusión comunitaria es real y serio.En la mayoría de los casos de propagación comunitaria, las personas sintomáticas están caminando y no tienen idea de que están infectadas. Aquí, por un lado sabemos de una persona, y las personas pueden al menos estar armadas con el conocimiento de qué buscar.

La mejor manera de prevenir la propagación comunitaria de COVID-19 es evitar grupos, participar en el distanciamiento social y estar al tanto de cualquier persona que parezca enferma. Las personas que perciben sus propios síntomas deben comunicarse con su proveedor de atención médica antes de presentarse en el consultorio de su médico.

Durante este tiempo de cierre prolongado, el Distrito ha estado y continuará evaluando y monitoreando activamente todos los aspectos de esta situación que cambia rápidamente en consulta con funcionarios locales, estatales y federales.Hemos estado en contacto regular con el Departamento de Salud con respecto a cualquier inquietud que se nos haya señalado y hemos seguido su orientación en todo momento.

Entendemos que esta información es preocupante, Estamos totalmente comprometidos con nuestros estudiantes, familias, y agradezco a todos los que han brindado orientación y apoyo al distrito durante la semana pasada. Este es un asunto complejo y continuaremos manejándolo con el mismo sentido de propósito y liderazgo sólido que nuestros estudiantes, el personal y la comunidad merecen.

Cuidese,
Roberto Padilla, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Newburgh Enlarged City School District Families and Employees,

This afternoon, we were contacted by the Orange County Department of Health and were made aware that someone regularly at Newburgh Free Academy North Campus tested positive for COVID-19. March 11th is the last known date this individual was present at the school. 

Anyone who was in NFA North Campus on Wednesday, March 11th, 2020, and is symptomatic, should contact their healthcare provider.

Please understand, the person who has the infection will not be cleared to re-enter any district school buildings until the following occurs:

❑  Seven days has passed from the last test where the person has tested positive for the infection 

and

❑  Two subsequent negative tests have occurred 24 hours apart.

There is no evidence that the disease is airborne. In order to be affected, all the evidence shows that the disease is droplet transmitted or transmitted by someone who, within hours after the infected person touched the same surface with some sort of bodily fluid (sneezing, runny nose, sweat) as the infected person caused that fluid to be on.

It has been emphasized for weeks that a community spread component is real and serious. In most cases of a community spread, symptomatic people are walking around and have no idea they are infected. Here on the other hand, we know of one person so people can at least be armed with the knowledge of what to look for.

The best way to prevent community spread of COVID-19 is to avoid groups, engage in social distancing, and be aware of anyone who appears sick. People who sense their own symptoms should contact their healthcare provider before just showing up at their doctor’s office.

During this time of extended closure, the District has been and will continue to actively assess and monitor all aspects of this rapidly changing situation in consultation with local, state and federal officials. We have been in regular contact with the Department of Health regarding any concerns that have been brought to our attention and we have followed their guidance throughout.  

We understand this information is concerning. We are fully committed to our students, families, 

and thank all who have provided guidance and support to the district over the past week. This is a complex matter and we will continue to manage it with the same sense of purpose and sound leadership our students, staff and community deserve.                                              

Be Safe,

Roberto Padilla, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

__________________________________________________________________________

Marzo 17, 2020

Estimadas familias y empleados del Distrito escolar ampliado de la ciudad de Newburgh:

Esta tarde, fuimos contactados por el Departamento de Salud del Condado de Orange y nos informaron que alguien regularmente en el campus de Newburgh Free Academy North dio positivo a  COVID-19. El 11 de marzo es la última fecha conocida que este individuo estuvo presente en la escuela.

Cualquier persona que estuvo en el campus de NFA North el miércoles 11 de Marzo de 2020 y tiene síntomas, debe comunicarse con su proveedor de atención médica.

Por favor comprenda, que la persona que tiene la infección no tendrá autorización para volver a ingresar a los edificios escolares del distrito hasta que ocurra lo siguiente:

• Han pasado siete días desde la última prueba en la que la persona dio positivo por la infección.

Y

• Dos pruebas negativas posteriores se produjeron con 24 horas de diferencia

No hay evidencia de que la enfermedad sea transmitida por el aire. Para ser afectado, toda la evidencia muestra que la enfermedad es transmitida por gotitas o transmitida por alguien que pocas horas después de que la persona infectada tocó la misma superficie con algún tipo de fluido corporal (estornudos, secreción nasal, sudor) ya que la persona infectada causó que ese líquido estuviera en esa superficie. 

Se ha enfatizado durante semanas que un componente de difusión comunitaria es real y serio.En la mayoría de los casos de propagación comunitaria, las personas sintomáticas están caminando y no tienen idea de que están infectadas. Aquí, por un lado sabemos de una persona, y las personas pueden al menos estar armadas con el conocimiento de qué buscar.

La mejor manera de prevenir la propagación comunitaria de COVID-19 es evitar grupos, participar en el distanciamiento social y estar al tanto de cualquier persona que parezca enferma. Las personas que perciben sus propios síntomas deben comunicarse con su proveedor de atención médica antes de presentarse en el consultorio de su médico.

Durante este tiempo de cierre prolongado, el Distrito ha estado y continuará evaluando y monitoreando activamente todos los aspectos de esta situación que cambia rápidamente en consulta con funcionarios locales, estatales y federales.Hemos estado en contacto regular con el Departamento de Salud con respecto a cualquier inquietud que se nos haya señalado y hemos seguido su orientación en todo momento.

Entendemos que esta información es preocupante, Estamos totalmente comprometidos con nuestros estudiantes, familias, y agradezco a todos los que han brindado orientación y apoyo al distrito durante la semana pasada. Este es un asunto complejo y continuaremos manejándolo con el mismo sentido de propósito y liderazgo sólido que nuestros estudiantes, el personal y la comunidad merecen.

Cuidese, 

Roberto Padilla, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Dear Newburgh Enlarged City School District Families,

Yesterday, Governor Cuomo signed an executive order to close all NYS schools for 14 days starting tomorrow, Wednesday, March 18th through Tuesday, March 31st. Schools are expected to open on April 1st, however, this may change when the state reassesses whether the mandated closure should be extended. The intention of this closure is to help mitigate the spread of the virus in our schools and community. As we navigate this uncertain and challenging situation, please take precautions to keep yourself and your family safe.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, March 18, 2020 school buildings will be open from 9am – 1pm for students, faculty, and staff to pick up personal belongings if necessary. You must contact your building principal via email ahead of time to receive an appointment time.

Starting Thursday, March 19, 2020, you should be receiving additional information about learning opportunities. Also, starting Thursday, teachers will begin offering virtual office hours from 9am - 1pm daily. Scholars should use email and/or Google Meet to correspond with their teachers.

All IEP meetings have been cancelled until further notice and will be rescheduled at a later date.

Through the work of all,
Roberto Padilla, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Newburgh Enlarged City School District

Dear Newburgh School District Families and Staff, 

We greatly appreciate your continued flexibility and support in light of this national health pandemic. Please continue to take the essential precautions for you and your family.  Today, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, through executive order the continuation of school closures. The intention of this closure is to help mitigate the spread of the virus in our schools and wider communities.  

Additionally, as the details of the State and Federal strategy addressing the Coronavirus continue to emerge, their recommendations are likely to change.  Therefore, families should prepare for the potential of longer school closures. As a result of this, we ask for your continued flexibility. Some of this flexibility will come in the form of calendar revisions.  More information regarding any such changes will be shared in the future as our current priority is to focus on providing on-going learning opportunities, and supporting the well-being of our school community.  

In the Newburgh Schools, we developed the plans outlined below to support our students’ learning while they are at home.  Please be reminded that during the school closures, all athletic and extracurricular activities are canceled. 

Our administrators, teachers and staff have been diligently preparing for school closures during this rapidly changing reality.  The following information will help you plan as our District awaits additional guidance from New York State Governor’s office, New York State Department of Education, and the New York State Department of Health.  

Continued Learning Opportunities:
When visiting our District's website, NewburghSchools.org, you will notice our homepage is now a landing page with important information for students and their families. Specific Continued Learning Opportunities will be available on our homepage in the near future. 

Additional Educational Resources for Parents
Please see the 'Additional Educational Resources'' section on our District's homepage for educational resources students can access from home. These resources are provided by outside organizations.  

Technology Resources

• Chromebooks - Devices will be available for students who have requested one via the district online form (http://bit.ly/nfadevice). Distribution will occur on:  
• Tuesday, March 17th from 9:00 am - 12:00 noon at NFA-Main (lower lobby parking lot)
• Wednesday, March 18th from 9:00 am - 12:00 noon at Heritage Middle School and South Middle School (front parking lot) 
• Verizon Hotspots - Hotspots will be available to students who indicated on the Chromebook request form that they do not have access to the Internet at home.  Students who took home a Chromebook already and don’t have Internet access can request a Verizon Hotspot via this form (http://bit.ly/necsdhotspot). Please check the district website for updates; distribution plan will be available soon.  

• Internet Access - For families who do not have internet access in the home, you may wish to contact local cable providers to determine if they are offering free wifi service or other options. 
  • Spectrum: to offer free high-speed internet to households with students. Families can call (844) 488-8395 to enroll. For those who "see" the Spectrum municipal WiFi on their device, it's now free.   

Books
An organization called “First Book” is trying to deliver 6 million books to students who don’t have access to books or the internet.

Free Meals:  
“Grab and Go” Breakfast and Lunch bags will be provided during the school’s closure starting tomorrow, Tuesday, March 17, 2020. See times and locations on our website or social media pages. Please contact Caitlin Lazarski at clazarski@necsd.net if you have questions. 

Committee on Special Education:
Click here for the parent/guardian letter regarding Special Education/504 Services. 

Board of Education Meetings: 
Board Committee meetings will be cancelled until further notice. Our regularly scheduled Board meetings will continue with the designated dates and times, but will not happen in person. Instead, we will conduct Board Meetings via phone conference. The public will have access to listen to these Board meetings. Please see our website for access information by the end of the week. The law regarding open meetings has recently changed due to the current public health emergency, therefore all on-site Board meetings will be closed to the public until further notice.   

Tech support for students and parents: 
To receive technical support, please call the NECSD helpdesk at 845-568-6532. If no one answers please leave a detailed message.  Someone will contact you to provide assistance. Another option is to send an email to helpdesk@necsd.net. The helpdesk and email will be monitored daily from Monday - Friday, 8:00-am - 4:00pm while schools are not opened and students are learning online.  

PreK Registration: 
At this time, we are postponing PreK registration. Once the school district opens again, we will send out registration dates. In the interim, please visit, NewburghSchools.org/Registration, to review, download, print, and complete necessary forms, so you are prepared when new dates are announced.

This is an unprecedented time that has caused disruptions throughout every level of our community.  We understand that many of you may have questions which is why we encourage you to frequently visit the District’s website and social media sites. We will continue to update the sites with valuable information and resources.  Also, I encourage you to please check your emails. 

As we receive more guidance from the Governor, Health Department and other Education officials, we will keep you informed.  We thank you again for your patience during these challenging times. As always, we sincerely appreciate your continued support and understanding.  Together we will get through this challenging time due to the strength of our partnership as a Goldback Nation. We appreciate you!  

ShoulderUp, 
Dr. Roberto Padilla
 Superintendent

Meadow Hill School 10:00AM-10:15AM
124 Meadow Hill Road, Newburgh, NY 12550

Balmville School 10:30AM-10:45AM
5144 Rte. 9W, Newburgh, NY 12550

GAMS 11:00AM-11:15AM
300 Gidney Avenue, Newburgh, NY 12550

Horizons-on-the-Hudson School 11:30AM-11:45AM
137 Montgomery St, Newburgh, NY 12550

*Sacred Heart School 11:30-11:50AM
24 South Robinson Ave. (Ann Street entrance), Newburgh, NY 12550

South Middle School 12:00PM-12:15PM
33-63 Monument Street, Newburgh, NY 12550

*Newburgh Armory Unity Center 12:00PM-12:20PM
21 South Williams Street, Newburgh, NY 12550

*Lake Street Apartments 12:30PM-12:50PM
3 Lake Drive (parking lot for the office), Newburgh, NY 12550

New Windsor School 12:30PM-12:45PM
175 Quassaick Avenue, New Windsor, NY 12553

Vails Gate STEAM Academy 1:00PM-1:15PM
400 Old Forge Hill Road, New Windsor, NY 12553

Temple Hill Academy 1:30PM-1:45PM
525 Union Avenue, New Windsor, NY 12553

*Additional location beginning Monday, March 30th. Look for a school bus (other locations look for the white Newburgh Schools Meal truck)

If your child has a Chromebook but needs help logging in please click here

E-mails for grades 3-5 have been activated. Scholars can log into those e-mails to receive important information for their families using the same password they would to log into their Chromebook. This is a "walled garden," meaning students in grades 3-5 will only be able to send and receive email with teachers within @necsd.net, but not other students or anyone outside of the @necsd.net domain.

The school closures caused by Novel Coronavirus are unprecedented and so, the NYS Education Department has had to make unprecedented decisions for students across the state. The administrations of the 2020 elementary- and intermediate-level State assessments have been suspended for the remainder of this school year. This suspension for the remainder of the school year applies to the following New York State testing programs:

• New York State Grades 3-8 English Language Arts Test;
• New York State Grades 3-8 Mathematics Test;
• New York State Grade 4 Elementary-Level Science Test;
• New York State Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Science Test;
• New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT) in Grades K-12; and
• New York State Alternate Assessment (NYSAA) for students with severe cognitive disabilities in Grades 3-8 and high school.

Statement From Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa and Interim State Education Commissioner Shannon Tahoe Regarding Elementary- and Intermediate-Level State Assessments

The health and safety of students and educators is our top priority.  The College Board is closely monitoring the updates and guidance about the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other leading health organizations. On Friday, March 13, 2020, The College Board launched a web page on AP Central to provide information about flexible testing options for schools experiencing substantial disruption or closure and guidance for schools that plan to maintain AP instruction while students are at home.  

The AP Program has developing resources to help schools support student learning during extended closures, as well as a solution that would allow students to test at home, depending on the situation in May. Additionally, they have announced portfolio submission deadline extensions for AP 2-D Art and Design, 3-D Art and Design, Computer Science Principles, Drawing, Research, and Seminar courses by March 20. Schools do not need to call AP Services for Educators to request these extensions. This information can be found at: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/news-changes/coronavirus-update 

Beginning on Wednesday, March 25, students and teachers can attend free, live AP review courses, delivered by AP teachers from across the country. The schedule for those courses and addition AP information can be found here: https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/coronavirus-updates#free-ap-classes. These mobile-friendly classes are:

• Designed to be used alongside work that may be given by schools.
• Will be recorded and available on-demand so teachers and students can access them any time.
• Not dependent on current AP teachers continuing instruction. We know many AP teachers now face challenges that would make that impossible.
• Will focus on reviewing the skills and concepts from the first 75% of the course. There will also be some supplementary lessons including topics from the final 25% of the course.

https://www.collegeboard.org/releases/2020/college-board-cancels-may-sat-response-coronavirus

In response to the rapidly evolving situation around the coronavirus (COVID-19), the College Board is canceling the May 2, 2020, SAT administration. Makeup exams for the March 14 administration (scheduled March 28) are also canceled. Registered students will receive refunds.

The College Board will provide future additional SAT testing opportunities for students as soon as feasible in place of canceled administrations. We’ll be as flexible as possible to give students the best chance to show their skills and stay on the path to college. We have not yet canceled the June 6, 2020, SAT administration and will continue to assess its status with the health and safety of students and educators as our top priority. The College Board is working with local partners, and we’ll soon share information about weekday school-based administrations this spring of the SAT, PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9.

To help students keep their college readiness skills sharp when many schools are closed, the College Board and Khan Academy will continue to provide free resources online, including full-length practice tests and personalized learning tools at khanacademy.org/sat. As a reminder, you can set up coaching tools in Khan for teachers to monitor student work. For more information on the coaching tools, visit satpractice.org/k12. If you need assistance setting this up, please reach out.

Together with our member schools and colleges, we will be flexible, thoughtful, and collaborative in exploring ways to continue to support student learning and provide opportunities to test during this challenging time.

In the coming days, the College Board will share additional information and details directly with registered students and test centers. A webpage with regularly posted information about the impact of the virus on the SAT can be found here.