COVID-19 Updates

 

Friday, August 6, 2021,

Good afternoon, 

I trust this email finds you well and enjoying the summer, especially this wonderful stretch of weather we have been experiencing. I write this communication to provide a brief update.  Like you, I have been anxiously waiting for school reopening guidance from our Governor or New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). Yesterday, New York State confirmed that they will not be offering us additional guidance. Instead, we are being directed to follow the most current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance and create plans locally, while consulting with our local Department of Public Health, as they now have jurisdiction over health practices, based on COVID-19 data in our region.

With that understanding in mind, we are working regionally as school superintendents and consulting our local Department of Public Health creating plans. We hope to release reopening information as early as next Thursday (August 12, 2021) but perhaps not until the beginning of the following week.  At this time, we are already significantly behind schedule as the state gave us guidance on July 14th last summer. 

Based on the information we have at this time, we have every reason to believe that students will be back, five days per week, in all grade levels this coming school year. We are hopeful that the virtual option remains a possibility as we have heard from a number of you who would like to see the virtual option until the vaccine is available for all age groups. 

We understand that people have very different beliefs on what they think should happen in our own community and throughout the country specific to masking, vaccines, etc. Our goal is to create a plan that maintains a safe school environment for everyone and meets the varying demands from our stakeholders as best as possible but it will never be perfect in the eyes of some. Again, please expect to hear more specific plans in the next few weeks and I continue to thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate, yet again, a new set of expectations.

Sincerely,

Jamie Farr

Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

 

Good evening,

On Thursday, July 22, 2021, the Canandaigua City School District was made aware of a middle school summer school student who tested positive for COVID-19. As a cautionary, proactive measure, middle school staff and students were instructed to wear masks today while we gathered information and consulted with the Ontario County Public Health Department. The Ontario County Public Health Department has directed additional students to quarantine as a result of the exposure. These students sat within six feet of the COVID positive student, some of whom were wearing masks and some were not. Mask wearing had no impact on the Department of Health’s decision to quarantine or not quarantine the individual however proximity was the determining factor. Also, we have a confirmed positive case of a student at the elementary school today and no quarantines resulted from the Department of Health investigation. As has been our practice, communications are sent out in cases where there may have been an in-school exposure to COVID.  
Students and staff who are in the summer school classes with this student are required to be masked for the next ten days, even if they are vaccinated and have directly been contacted by the school. 

The rest of our summer programs continue to follow the guidelines that were released by New York State on July 7. These summer school guidelines state: masks are strongly encouraged to be worn by all in school settings but are not required for vaccinated adults and any student in areas where physical distancing of 3’ or more can occur.

As a reminder, these are the guidelines that were released by New York State on July 7:
 

1. Unvaccinated adults are required to wear masks indoors.
2. Masks are strongly encouraged to be worn by all in school settings but are not required for vaccinated adults or any student in areas where physical distancing of 3’ or more can occur.
3. Masks are required to be worn indoors in large gatherings where social distancing is not possible (for example, an assembly in an auditorium).
4. Masks are required to be worn in common areas where social distancing is not possible (such as in crowded hallways during passing time).
5. Masks are not required outdoors.
6. Daily health screening surveys through BravesSquare must continue for those on campus during the summer.
7. The collection of information for possible contact tracing must continue.
8. Visitor screening protocols must continue. 
9. Masks are required to be worn on school buses (with a few exceptions).
10. If the infection rate rises, masks will be mandatory for all indoor activities and locations.  We will continue to follow guidance from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

Good afternoon, 

Yesterday afternoon, July 7th, of 2021, school districts across New York State received the following information from the New York State Department of Health:
 

• Given current low rates of COVID-19 transmission, schools/districts may decide to implement revised masking policies consistent with those available in the archived INTERIM GUIDANCE FOR CHILD CARE, DAY CAMP, AND OVERNIGHT CAMP PROGRAMS DURING THE COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY (available here).

 

• Daily reporting to the COVID-19 Report Card is no longer required.

 

• Summer schools in NYS may follow either the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools Through Phased Prevention (available here) or the current NYS INTERIM GUIDANCE FOR IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION AT PRE-K TO GRADE 12 SCHOOLS DURING THE COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY (available here).   

What does this mean? Based on this guidance and the information within, the following guidelines are now in place for all programs run by or at the Canandaigua City School District this summer and for our twelve-month employees who work in our school buildings during the summer months: 
 

1. Unvaccinated adults are required to wear masks indoors.
2. Masks are strongly encouraged to be worn by all in school settings but are not required for vaccinated adults or any student in areas where physical distancing of 3’ or more can occur.
3. Masks are required to be worn indoors in large gatherings where social distancing is not possible (for example, an assembly in an auditorium).
4. Masks are required to be worn in common areas where social distancing is not possible (such as in crowded hallways during passing time).
5. Masks are not required outdoors.
6. Daily health screening surveys through BravesSquare must continue for those on campus during the summer.
7. The collection of information for possible contact tracing must continue.
8. Visitor screening protocols must continue. 
9. Masks are required to be worn on school buses.
10. If the infection rate rises, masks will be mandatory for all indoor activities and locations.  We will continue to follow guidance from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

*Based on the programming we have running this summer, the above items 3 and 4 should not impact our school district. 

The above information applies to the 2021 summer programming only and additional information is supposed to be shared regarding the 2021-2022 school year soon. This guidance includes the Extended School Year Program, CMS Summer School, the AIS intervention program, the regional 9-12 summer school, and the summer workshop programs.  

Thank you for your continued patience and I hope your summer is off to a great start!

Sincerely,

Jamie Farr
Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

Canandaigua City School District - COVID-19 Data Dashboard

2020-2021 School Year

The Canandaigua City School District, along with the superintendents from each school district in Ontario County, has worked alongside the Ontario County Administration and Public Health as well as our legal teams, and our school physicians to draft reopening plans. These plans have been created and endorsed by all parties however today, 8/10/21, New York State Education Department (NYSED) Commissioner, Betty Rosa, informed schools across New York State that they will be releasing school reopening guidance. In light of this news, instead of sharing our reopening plan this Thursday as we had hoped, it is prudent for us to wait for this guidance to make sure that everything in our plan is in accordance with the guidance from NYSED. 

We thank you for your patience as we make sure we make the best possible decisions for our community. While there is not a timeline for NYSED to release such guidance, we will impress upon them the importance of urgency behind sharing this information with school leaders across the state.  

 

Friday, May 14, 2021

Good afternoon, 

I trust this email finds you well and excited that we are about to break this chilly spell we’ve been under and return to more normal temperatures.  It sure is nice to see boats returning to the lake and people out and about, enjoying the beautiful surroundings we are so fortunate to live in.  It is also wonderful to see the return of our primary and elementary students to a full five days of in-person instruction per week.  What a phenomenal job everyone has done to get us to this point and it is further evidence, we can do this safely.

1. Budget Vote - Tuesday, May 18, 2021

2. Increased capacity at sporting events 

Budget Vote - Tuesday, May 18, 2021

 

Today’s communication focuses on the budget vote and board of education election, which takes place this coming Tuesday, May 18th.  Below is a recording of our budget hearing which was presented this week prior to the board meeting as well as a link to our Budget Digest.  Please, be informed and come out and cast your vote:

 

Budget Information & Public Presentation Recording 

Budget Digest - May 2021

 

 

Increased Capacity at Sporting Events

 

On May 12, 2021, The New York State Public High School Athletic Association announced changes in the regulations for the number of spectators allowed to attend each event. Outdoor sporting events have a capacity of 500 people and indoor sporting events have a capacity of 250 spectators. 

 

At home Canandaigua City School District events, spectators with district issued passes will be admitted to the event. Any remaining open spectator spots will be available on a first come basis. So for example, if for a game 120 passes have been distributed, 380 additional people will be able to watch the outdoor sporting event. Contact tracing lists will be taken at each event and physical distancing practices will continue, including the District’s requirement to wear masks on campus at this time. Each student athlete at the Canandaigua City School District can have four spectators use passes to attend our home events. 

 

Please note these guidelines are in place for our home events. Events at other schools are subject to their guidelines. 

 

Based on information we received late this afternoon, changes related to the guidelines and mask requirements for vaccinated individuals may be changing in New York and when we have more specific information we will communicate it. The details were just released and we should have information to share next week.

 

Thank you all and please enjoy a wonderful weekend. 

 

Sincerely,

 

Jamie Farr

Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

 

Over the past year, we have received plenty of feedback on many topics and our community continues to provide feedback that helps drive our decisions and push our thinking. This survey does show that our community has mixed feelings and beliefs when it comes to returning to school, just like the varying perspectives which have existed all along, making this situation incredibly hard to navigate. However, it is important that we support the results of the survey, as intended, and continue to work towards our goal of reopening all of our school buildings five days a week when possible. 

Information for Buildings for the Remainder of the School Year 

Based on the survey results, which are shared in more detail below, the plans for the remainder of the school year are as follows: 

Canandaigua Primary School, Canandaigua Elementary School: 

• In-person students at the Primary and Elementary School will return to five days of in-person instruction beginning Monday, May 3, 2021. Primary-Elementary virtual students will switch from four to five days of synchronous virtual instruction starting Monday, May 3, 2021.

Canandaigua Middle School, Canandaigua Academy, CACC

• The current learning model will remain in place for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. The District will continue to offer Braves Bonus Days on Wednesdays and is working on expanding the capacity on Wednesdays and assigning instructional staff from each content area to support students who are seeking more support or who are struggling and thus, assigned to come in on Wednesdays. 

Survey Results

These decisions were reached directly from the result of the community risk tolerance survey as the NYSDOH guidance indicated we needed to do. Thank you to the 3,417 people who completed the survey. 

At the Primary-Elementary Schools, 61% of parents and staff voted to fully reopen, compared to 39% who wanted to remain in the current model. Based on this information, the Primary-Elementary Schools will fully reopen on May 3 following the revised New York State Department of Health Guidance.  

At the Middle School, Academy, and the CACC, 55.5% of survey participants wanted to remain in the current model, compared to 45.5% who wanted to reopen. Based on this information, the Middle School, Academy, and the CACC will remain in the current models of instruction for the remainder of the school year. Even if the results were to fully reopen, reopening would still have been dependent on the 7-day rolling average for COVID cases in our county and based on current projections, the cases of COVID would likely not have reduced a low enough number to position us to reopen this year regardless.

The 7-day rolling case total can be found here by searching for Ontario County: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home.

We also communicate with the local department of health to ascertain the most up to date and accurate total which is more current than the CDC data. 

Next Steps

• The Primary and Elementary staff will spend time the next two Wednesdays preparing for the full reopening and working as a building to solve some of the more urgent needs, issues, and questions specific to their building.
• The last Braves Bonus Wednesday at the Primary-Elementary School is tomorrow, April 21, 2021. 
• Our maintenance and custodial crew will be setting up the Primary and Elementary building with necessary furniture to accommodate this shift and our transportation department will confirm bus runs. 
• Staff at the C.A.C.C., the Middle School, and the Academy, will report to work each Wednesday starting on May 5th. 
• We continue to plan for end of the year traditions and the end of the year calendar and we will announce each as plans are solidified. We are still working under significant restrictions, which change regularly, making formalizing the plans a bit of a challenge. 

Why are we reopening the Primary-Elementary School Now? 

While we wished that guidance would have allowed us to open all our buildings sooner, however, there are still many benefits for our in-person students returning this school year.

• Social Emotional Learning - We fully understand that students have struggled mentally and emotionally during this pandemic. We have wonderful and trained professionals who can provide students the necessary support.

• Re-acclimation - It has now been over one year since we last were all in school together.  Some of our youngest learners in UPK, Kindergarten, and first grade do not even know what a full school year looks like under normal circumstances. We need to re-establish routines, expectations, and stamina.

• Building Community - Relationships and community are the foundation for our work as educators.  A significant amount of time will be spent on building relationships and a sense of community which is such a priority here in Canandaigua.

• Prepare for September - Reopening now does give us time to learn about what September ought to look like for what we hope is a full reopening UPK-12. 

• Academic Recovery  - Although some might believe “great we are reopened, lets recover from the academic loss” it is important to keep in mind that the recovery process won’t be immediate and won’t even be the primary focus to finish out the year.  Our staff is second to none and I have full confidence that together, academic recovery will occur but it will be strategic and take time.  Our focus will primarily be on the items listed prior to academic recovery.

Thank you for your feedback and continued support during this challenging school year. While I know this is a polarizing topic, it should also be a time for celebration. We are beginning to move towards a full reopening and put this difficult time behind us which is something we are all looking forward to.  This could not have happened without the collective efforts of all involved.  Our Board of Education, leadership team, staff, students, parents/guardians, and community partners have come together to make this moment possible.  Thank you! Please, stay safe, be strong, and Go Braves!

 

The New York State Department of Health released new guidance for schools on Friday, April 9, 2021.

CHANGES IN GUIDANCE

This guidance includes the following key changes for this school year: 

• Schools must solicit public comments and provide opportunities for feedback from parents, community members, teachers, staff, students, and local health departments prior to changing their social distancing practices to gauge their level of tolerance for this change given our current circumstances

• Students can be as little as three feet apart from each other with certain exceptions

• Chorus, band, and physical education can now participate at six feet apart

• Face masks that meet guidelines are required for all people “at all times, except for meals”

NEED FOR FEEDBACK

Thank you for making your child’s instructional delivery selection should we reopen 5-days per week this school year. We are now required, per the updated NYSDOH reopening guidance, to seek feedback on our communities' risk tolerance related to reopening. The feedback from parents, students, and staff, along with transmission rates in our areas will determine the district’s decision and timeline to reopen. Important information related to making this decision can be found in this video from Superintendent Jamie Farr explaining the guidelines and their impact on the Canandaigua City School District. 

Updated Guidance & Reopening Video 

 

While we continue to see very little spread of the virus at school, Ontario County currently has a “high” rate of transmission according to CDC’s metrics which we now must follow: CDC COVID TRACKING LINK 

TRANSMISSION RATES

If the rates of COVID-19 in our area continue to stay at a “high rate of transmission,” the district must follow different guidelines for grade UPK-5 students and grades 6-12 students. The Primary-Elementary School can reopen with a high transmission rate with a physical distance of three feet between students in classrooms. The guidelines for middle schools and high schools are different and is listed in the graphic below:

High Risk of Transmission= ≥100 cases per 100,000/7 days, Positive rate ≥10%

• Elementary Schools can maintain physical distancing of three feet between students in classrooms and cohorting is recommended when possible.

• Middle/ High Schools three feet between students in classrooms is recommended only when schools can use cohorting. When schools cannot maintain cohorting, middle school & high schools must maintain physical distancing of at least six feet between students in classrooms.  

SUBSTANTIAL RISK OF TRANSMISSION= 50-99 cases per 100,00/7 days, Positive test rate 8-9.9%

• Elementary, Middle, and High Schools can maintain physical distancing of at least three feet between students in classrooms and cohorting is recommended when possible.

Moderate Risk of Transmission = 10-49 cases per 100.,000/7 Days., positive test rate 4-4.9%

• Elementary, Middle, and High Schools can maintain physical distancing of at least three feet between students in classrooms

Moderate Risk of Transmission = 10-49 cases per 100.,000/7 Days., positive test rate 4-4.9%

• Elementary, Middle, and High Schools can maintain physical distancing of at least three feet between students in classrooms.

At Canandaigua Middle School and Canandaigua Academy, maintaining a physical distance of six feet between students is not possible if all hybrid students return to in-person attendance five days a week. If the community stakeholder feedback from the Academy and Middle School is to reopen, we will evaluate the rates in collaboration with the Ontario County Health Department each Monday to determine if reopening is a possibility or if we must remain in hybrid. Full reopening, if our CDC COVID cases fall below 100 per 100,000 residents on a 7-day rolling average per reopening requirements, would result in five days of virtual instruction, five days of in person instruction for those who choose, and the CACC would reopen with five days of in-person instruction as well. 

WHAT WILL AN IN-PERSON SCHOOL DAY LOOK LIKE?

Generally what the school day would entail is a distance of 3’ between students in the classroom and adults must be 6’ distanced according to the reopening document.  In our primary school, classrooms will have approximately 22 students in each.  In the elementary school, approximately 24 students will be in each classroom.  The middle school also has larger than normal classes averaging approximately 25 students in classes.  The Academy class sizes, due to more electives offerings, etc., will have typical class sizes. 

TRANSPORTATION

For bussing, we will maintain one student per seat where possible.  Approximately two thirds of our bus runs will be able to maintain one student per seat whereas the other third will have students doubled up in bus seats.  Thank you to the many families who have coordinated and will continue to coordinate their own transportation to help decrease congestion and the density on busses. 

MEALS AT SCHOOL

Breakfast and lunch will maintain physical distancing at 6’ as required and we will be leveraging creative spaces across the district to make this happen.  Band, chorus, and physical education is now permitted to move to 6’ of physical distancing with a mask.  

SURVEY INFORMATION

Please complete the linked survey by 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 18. The survey results and information about the remainder of the school year will be presented during a Community Forum on Tuesday, April 20 at 6 p.m. -the link will be shared early next week. 

This reopening survey has one question: 

For the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year, my preference is to: 

• Proceed with full reopening to the greatest extent possible prior to the end of the school year

• Remain in the current models of instruction and finish the year as is, with a focus on preparing for a full reopening in September 

This survey will gauge the community's risk tolerance to move from 6’ to 3’ of physical spacing given our current infection rates, as required by the reopening document.  We must make public our reopening plan and submit it to our local Department of Health and New York State and demonstrate that we have met all the criteria. Your feedback will help directly guide the district’s decision about reopening our facilities, if possible, this school year.

We thank you for your patience through this challenging process. As the guidance states, “Ultimately, the school/ district’s decision to move to shorter physical distances will come down to the local community’s risk tolerance based on its unique circumstances.”  

Please complete the survey for each child you have enrolled in the Canandaigua City School District. The survey is also being distributed to our staff and students (via their school email, access through BravesLink). 

If you need any assistance, please contact techhelp@canandaiguaschools.org and for more information about how reopening would look in each of our buildings, visit https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info.

Friday, March 26, 2021,

This week, qualifying individuals for receiving the vaccine loosened up yet again. Now individuals who are 50 years old and older are eligible, in addition to others who already qualified. Based on the data we collect here in the Canandaigua City School District, it is clear that the vaccine has been highly effective for our staff. Approximately 85% of our staff have received the vaccine and we have not had a COVID case among our staff in nearly a month and a half.

I’d encourage you, if you are eligible to receive the vaccine, to do your own investigation and consider getting one. It appears as though the vaccine supply will be increasing significantly in New York State and it is helpful to be prepared to make an informed decision when your time and eligibility comes.





Learning Model Selection

Students, staff, and parents all received custom surveys this week. As we see guidelines starting to open up, perhaps making a full reopening of school this spring is possible, we need to gather information to help us prepare for this possibility. Please complete your surveys as soon as possible. Staff and student surveys are due today, Friday, March 26th, and parent surveys are due Monday, March 29th at 9 a.m.

Thank you to the over 700 people who attended our virtual board meeting and both forums this week.  And thank you to the additional 550 people who watched the recordings.  We are trying very hard to communicate clearly with everyone and your engagement has been noted. In the forum, we explained our reopening efforts and many of the details we believe will be in place if we are allowed to reopen.  If you missed the forum, the recording can be found here:  March 23 - Community Forum


COVID Dashboard
 

	# of student cases	*Change from last report (student)	# of staff cases	Change from last report (staff)	Cases Active	Cases completed/ return to school
Primary School In-Person	15	0	7	0	1	21
Elementary School In-Person	20	0	11	0	0	31
Middle School In-Person	28	0	5	0	0	33
Academy In-Person	67	0	16	0	3	80
CACC In-Person	3	0	0	0	0	3
District Office/ Operations Center Staff	N/A	N/A	6	0	0	6
Virtual (District-Wide)	18	0	0	0	0	18
Students placed Out of District	1	0	N/A	N/A	0	1
	152  Students cases		45 Staff cases		4 Active Cases	193 Completed
Total Number of Cases: 197 Total Cases

*Note we do have students and staff in quarantine/isolation due to a presumed positive case. Presumed positive cases are not reported on the state dashboard.

Drills Today (3/26)

The Academy and Middle School each had a brief lockdown drill this morning. Thank you to our local police agencies for supporting our administrative team with the lockdown drill. Thank you to our students and staff for their patience as we practiced these important safety procedures.

In Summary

Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict what the future may hold but what I do know is that our community (staff, students, parents, board members, and community partners) will work diligently and together to make the very best out of whatever situation we are in. I want to wish you all a wonderful spring break and thank you for your continued and faithful support. Please, be safe and keep us trending in the right direction. As is my motto these past few months: Onward! Stay safe, be well, and Go Braves!

Sincerely,

Jamie Farr
Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

Junior Parent Night Zoom Webinar Link




Link: Canandaigua Community Recreation Guide - 2021

 

Dear Parents/ Guardians,

If the New York State Department of Health changes guidelines related to social distancing, the Canandaigua City School District will offer the following choices for the remainder of the school year:

-fully in-person instruction five days per week

-fully virtual instruction five days per week

In order to anticipate and prepare for this potential shift, we need to have you complete a survey and select which learning model you’d like your child to finish the year in should we reopen. The survey is now available in BravesSquare Secure Documents for each child you have enrolled at the Canandaigua City School District.  Video: How to Access Secure Documents

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jhsAu-XweGNcJ2a4RGsFUCtXPqFxxBiT/view

 

Please complete the survey by Monday, March 29 at 9 a.m. The change in learning models is dependent on changes in social distancing guidelines from New York State. If guidelines change, our goal would be to return to having our building fully reopen sometime between April 19 and May 17. The district hosted a forum on this topic this week.  If you were unable to watch it, you can find the link to the recording here:  Community Forum, March 23, 2021

Students also received a survey specific to how things are going currently, what concerns they have about a full reopening and what they might need should we fully reopen, through BravesSquare and the survey was posted in their building Schoology page. Please urge or help your child complete the survey related to reopening our schools.

For more information, visit: www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info 

Link: Community Forum, March 23, 2021

Thank you!

 

Friday, March 19, 2021,

Happy Friday, I trust this communication finds you well and remaining safe.  I am happy to report that for three days this week, for the first time since September, we actually recorded ZERO staff and students (over 4,000 total people) with COVID.  It is to be celebrated and a major bit of gratitude goes out to all who continue to work hard to keep us safe and make this happen.  This is indeed good news and we should continue to strive to keep our numbers low and maintain positive momentum.  In today’s communication you will find:

Reopening Status Update

This morning, Friday, March 19, 2021, the CDC released information related to social distancing at schools. The language from the CDC is as follows:

CDC Updates Operation Strategy for K-12 Schools to Reflect New Evidence on Physical Distance in Classrooms

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is updating K-12 school guidance to reflect the latest science on the physical distance between students in classrooms. CDC now recommends that, with universal masking, students should maintain a distance of at least 3 feet in classroom settings. CDC has updated its operation strategy to say:
 

• In elementary schools, CDC recommends all students remain at least 3 feet apart in classrooms where mask use is universal- regardless of whether community transmission is low, moderate, or high.
• In middle and high schools, CDC also recommends students should be at least 3 feet apart in classrooms where mask use is universal and in communities where transmission is low, moderate, or substantial.
• Middle school students and high school students should be at least 6 feet apart in communities where transmission is high, if cohorting is not possible. Cohorting is when groups of students are kept together with the same peers and staff throughout the school day to reduce the risk for spread throughout the school. This recommendation is because COVID-19 transmission dynamics are different in older students - that is, they are more likely to be exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and spread it than younger children. 

Based on this information, we believe we can make efforts to fully reopen this school year and we are awaiting NYSDOH endorsement or more likely at this point, our local Public Health endorsement to make it entirely official. I believe such information will unfold in the coming days. To that point, I encourage you to tune into our Board of Education meeting on Monday, March 22, 2021.  At the beginning of the meeting, I will outline our reopening efforts and plans specific to this new guidance. 

Link to Board Meeting (3/22/21): Canandaigua City School District YouTube

Additionally, please be on the lookout for a Staff and a Community Forum next week (potentially on Tuesday, March 23) where I will share information as well as field questions. Based on the timing of the changes and upcoming spring break, plans will likely move very quickly and forums/surveys may come with a day's notice, etc. Announcements about the forums will be sent through BravesSquare. I also want to note that the fully virtual learning option will be available for the rest of the school year.

This is a challenging time and we are aware that for some members of our school community this is met with some anxiety, frustrations, and perhaps even disappointment. The fact remains, we have an amazing community and I have full confidence that we will stick together, support one another, be detail-oriented, and navigate whatever comes our way with grace.


 

Community Information/ Calendar Reminders

• 4-H Camp Bristol Hills Summer Camp Registration is now open - Camp Bristol Hills Info
• The Girl Scouts will be hosting events for UPK-Grade 5 in the next few weeks - Girls Scouts Events
• Facebook Live Event Youth Vaping Epidemic from School Dazed - March 23- Event Details
• Week of March 29-April 2 - Spring Break

 

In Summary

Please enjoy your weekend and as you begin to think about spring break in another week, I hope you all find a way to relax and rejuvenate but most of all, I hope you remain safe. We may be about to turn a corner and take another step towards a return to normal and what we can’t have is a spike in infections and/or quarantines as a result of spring break which would then set us back. We’ve come too far, together, to take a big step backward now. Thanks for all you do. Stay strong, be well, and Go Braves!

Sincerely,

Jamie Farr
Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

COVID Dashboard

	# of student cases	*Change from last report (student)	# of staff cases	Change from last report (staff)	Cases Active	Cases completed/ return to school
Primary School In-Person	14	0	7	0	0	21
Elementary School In-Person	20	0	11	0	0	31
Middle School In-Person	28	0	5	0	0	33
Academy In-Person	64	0	16	0	0	80
CACC In-Person	3	0	0	0	0	3
District Office/ Operations Center Staff	N/A	N/A	6	0	0	6
Virtual (District-Wide)	18	0	0	0	0	18
Students placed Out of District	1	0	N/A	N/A	0	1
	148  Students cases		45 Staff cases		0 Active Cases	193 Completed
Total Number of Cases: 193 Total Cases

*Note: We do have students and staff in quarantine/isolation due to a presumed positive case. Presumed positive cases are not reported on the state dashboard. 

On Wednesday, March 17, 2021,  the Canandaigua City School District was alerted of a primary student who tested positive for COVID-19. The Ontario County Public Health Department has directed additional students and staff members to quarantine as a result of the exposure.  

As has been our practice, communications are sent out in cases where there may have been an in-school exposure to COVID, otherwise, COVID numbers are updated daily on our website dashboard and in our weekly Friday communications.

Families impacted have been contacted by district personnel and if you have not been contacted, no further action is required. Students who are in quarantine have shifted to remote learning.
The Canandaigua City School District remains in close communication with the Department of Health. We thank you for your persistence. We urge everyone to take the following preventive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19:

• Wear a mask and maintain at least six feet of social distance
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and hot water for about 20 seconds
• Avoid gatherings of people whenever possible
• Stay home from school if you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19

Thank you for your continued efforts.

Friday, March 12, 2021

We hope everyone had a chance to be outside and enjoy the warm weather we experienced this week.  It sure was a nice break from the cold winter days but not to fear, certainly we haven’t had the last of our snow. Please do not forget, this weekend is Daylight Savings, so spring those clocks ahead one hour Saturday night.  

New Travel Guidance

Governor Cuomo and the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) announced that as of April 1st, people are permitted to travel within the United States and not have to quarantine upon return to New York State.  

This applies to people even if they have not had COVID or the vaccine.  People are still recommended to exercise caution if they do travel and further, if they do travel, it is also recommended to quarantine upon return to New York but it is no longer required. The Governor’s office also stated that all travelers must continue to fill out the Traveler Health Form.  Quarantines are required for all international travel. 

Link: Traveler Health Form

Link: More information from NYS

Performing Arts News

After discussions with county leaders and our county Department of Public Health, we agreed that extracurricular performing arts programs could participate in their activity, while masked and socially distanced at 6 feet instead of 12 feet.  This includes items such as theatre, our pep band The Sound, chamber choir, marching band, and other performing arts activities which take place beyond the school day.  These performing arts programs are not part of an academic curriculum but are wonderful experiences and important to the many students and staff who take part in them. 

Additionally, we will track the success of this approach through March and most of April and if it is proven to be safe and effective, we will expand this approach to music classes across the district during the school day.  It is a practice being followed in almost every state in the United States right now and it is even the practice at the college and university level in New York State. It also aligns with what CDC guidance calls for. This news is exciting for our performing arts students and staff and it is an indication of further progress we are making to return us to normal as soon as safe and possible.  We continue to demonstrate we can experience athletics in a safe manner and now we have the opportunity to demonstrate that we can offer performing arts in a safe manner as well. 

Reopening Status

We continue to plan and prepare for a full reopening if we are allowed to do so while we monitor Governor Cuomo’s office for potential news on updated school guidance.  If you are following along closely, our local Senator, Pam Helming, has been calling for a review of guidelines and she shared a video where New York’s Health Commissioner, Dr. Zucker indicated that new school guidance was a high priority and they hoped to have news to share in a week. This clip was from three weeks ago now when Dr. Zucker made the statement which Senator Helming was referring to: http://youtu.be/4hAcWEPLYn4

Additionally, there are many pieces of research in the field as of late which does show promise.  Specifically, these two pieces of research offer support for the notion that the difference in infection rates between socially distancing at 3 feet versus socially distancing at 6 feet is indiscernible. Again, this is promising news which might lead to a return to normal sooner rather than later:

1. Effectiveness of Three Feet vs. Six Feet

2. Three feet or six feet? How far apart do students need to be?

In Summary

Thanks for all you do to support our community through this health crisis. It seems as though there is now a light at the end of the tunnel.  Let's finish strong! Stay safe, be well, and Go Braves!

 

Sincerely,

Jamie Farr

Superintendent

 COVID Dashboard

	# of student cases	*Change from last report (student)	# of staff cases	Change from last report (staff)	Cases Active	Cases completed/ return to school
Primary School In-Person	14	0	7	0	0	21
Elementary School In-Person	20	0	11	0	0	31
Middle School In-Person	28	0	5	0	1	32
Academy In-Person	64	0	16	0	3	77
CACC In-Person	3	0	0	0	0	3
District Office/ Operations Center Staff	N/A	N/A	6	0	0	6
Virtual (District-Wide)	18	0	0	0	0	18
Students placed Out of District	1	0	N/A	N/A	0	1
	148  Students cases		45 Staff cases		4 Active Cases	189 Completed
Total Number of Cases: 193 Total Cases

 

 

On Monday, March 8, 2021,  the Canandaigua City School District was alerted of a student at Canandaigua Academy who tested positive for COVID-19. The Ontario County Public Health Department has directed a staff member to quarantine due to potential exposure.

As has been our practice, communications are sent out in cases where there may have been an in-school exposure to COVID, otherwise, COVID numbers are updated daily on our website dashboard and in our weekly Friday communications. The dashboard can be found at this link: https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info 

The Canandaigua City School District remains in close communication with the Department of Health. We thank you for your persistence. To reduce COVID transmission, we urge everyone to take the following preventive measures:

• Wear a mask and maintain at least six feet of social distance

• Wash your hands regularly with soap and hot water for about 20 seconds

• Avoid gatherings of people whenever possible

• Stay home from school if you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19

Thank you for your continued efforts and please remain diligent.

Friday, March 5, 2021

Good afternoon,

As we enter March, we look forward to warmer weather and a chance for more people to spend time outside, in the fresh air.  Spring always brings a more positive outlook and a feeling of both hope and energy for so many people and I am certain many of us need that now, more than ever.  Admittedly, this has been a long and difficult year. Today’s communication will address:
 

Mental Health Resources

We have a fantastic mental health team here in the Canandaigua City School District and we also have wonderful community resources and partnerships as well. Please visit the link below if you or your student may be in need of support.  We are here to provide support and connect you with resources:  
Mental Health Resources

Thursday Evening’s Community Forum Recording

Thank you to the many people who took 90 minutes out of their evening and tuned into our Community Forum this past Thursday evening.  We had just under 300 attendees who asked many great questions.  The forum was hosted by me and our incredible Board of Education President, Jeanie Grimm.  Our Director of Communications, Caroline Chapman, facilitated the question and answer segment which helped us move through the over 100 questions asked so that we could respond to all of them (recognizing there were also many repeat questions).  If you weren’t able to watch, you can access a recording of the forum here: 
Community Forum - March 4, 2021


Reminders/ Other Information:

Kindergarten registration is now open for the 2021-2022 school year. Information is linked on our student registration page: Student Registration. The registration period is open until April 16, 2021. Mrs. Robb, Interim Principal at Canandaigua Primary School, will host a Zoom webinar meeting for families in May related to Kindergarten and the 2020-2021 school year. 

On Tuesday, the New York State Education Department released information related to Regents Exams. Currently, the following Regents are still scheduled for June 2021 due to federal requirements - Algebra I, English Language Arts, Living Environment, Physical Setting/ Earth Science

Travel Guidelines Update: New York State released new guidance on travel for those who have had a full vaccination. Governor Cuomo lifted the quarantine and COVID-19 restrictions for domestic travel on people who have been vaccinated within 90 days of their second inoculation.  This is effective for two weeks after your second dose through 90 days. Beyond 90 days travelers are required to quarantine and test out. International travelers must continue to quarantine for 10 days per CDC guidelines. Travelers who have not been vaccinated or have not completed their injections are required to continue to follow the state travel restrictions.

Friday, March 12, 2021, is an in-person school day for the gray cohort/ 4 day CG cohort. This was originally scheduled as a conference day and is no longer a conference day. 

Middle School and High School progress reports will be distributed the afternoon of Friday, March 12 through BravesSquare Secure Documents. 

Now open: Girls Lacrosse Apparel Store

COVID Dashboard

This week we have witnessed a rise in isolation and quarantine cases among our students. Our numbers are still favorable overall but the increase is concerning. Because we help to contact trace with Ontario County Public Health, I can share that a good number of these situations are a result of people not following the safety protocols outside of school. Please, we need to maintain favorable rates so we can continue to show the data demonstrating we are safe and can reopen. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
 

	# of student cases	*Change from last report (student)	# of staff cases	Change from last report (staff)	Cases Active	Cases completed/ return to school
Primary School In-Person	14	0	7	0	0	20
Elementary School In-Person	20	0	11	0	2	27
Middle School In-Person	27	+1	5	0	3	26
Academy In-Person	62	0	16	0	5	71
CACC In-Person	3	0	0	0	0	3
District Office/ Operations Center Staff	N/A	N/A	6	0	0	6
Virtual (District-Wide)	18	0	0	0	2	16
Students placed Out of District	1	0	N/A	N/A	0	1
	145  Students cases		45 Staff cases		12 Active Cases	178 Completed
Total Number of Cases: 190 Total Cases

In Summary

Thank you for your continued involvement and support.  While these times have been difficult and it is easy to be frustrated, maintaining an optimistic and supportive outlook is essential:

“My optimism wears heavy boots and is loud.” - Henry Rollins

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” -Helen Keller

“We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us even in our soundest sleep.” - Henry David Thoreau

Here is to the hope and optimism each new day brings, for improvement, for togetherness, and for wellness.  Even the most incremental progress is indeed progress. Stay safe, be well, and Go Braves!

Sincerely,

Jamie Farr
Superintendent

Friday, February 12, 2021

Good afternoon, 

Thank you to everyone for your flexibility this week. Many of our staff members received their second vaccines this week and due to side effects, needed to stay home from work. The shift to remote learning at the Academy freed up staff from the Academy to support other buildings and to be substitutes so that they could remain open. What a fantastic showing of teamwork, support, and community.  

1, Updated information for travel/ quarantines

2. Fall II Sports Sign Ups

3. COVID Dashboard

Updated information for travel/ quarantines

Many medical experts project an uptick in COVID infection rates after the Winter Break.  They attribute the uptick to a few different reasons.  COVID variants are continuing to spread and may arrive in our area. Additionally, during the break, there is a worry that people may socially gather and not exercise precautions or may even travel to other states and not follow quarantine procedures.

When traveling to restricted areas, the protocol remains the same at this time.  Three days prior to returning to New York State, you must get a COVID test (negative).  Upon return to New York State, you must quarantine and on the fourth day of quarantine, you must get another COVID test (negative).  Additionally, you must fill out the New York State Traveler form as well.  The district must receive both negative COVID tests and the NYS Traveler form release. The only other option is upon return to New York State, a 10 day quarantine occurs. 

Although our COVID related numbers are trending in the right direction overall, this was not a good week as we did see a slight uptick in our isolations and a sizable jump in our quarantines.  This is not the time to let up, remain diligent and keep us on track. 

Fall II Sports Sign Ups

Sign up for Fall II Sports- https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/athletics/registration

Football, Boys' Volleyball, Girls Volleyball, Cheerleading

Varsity/ JV Start Date: Monday, March 1

Modified Start Date: Monday, March 15

Speaking of athletics.  It is incredibly important that all athletes and coaches follow the procedures and protocols we have prescribed.  Because the seasons are shorter than normal and in a condensed fashion, should a team need to quarantine, they would miss about a ⅓ of their season or more and as we saw in the fall in other schools, some teams couldn’t even compete in Sectional Championships due to a quarantine. One of those teams was undefeated and the favorite to win.  Sometimes these things are out of our control but sometimes they are within our control.  Control what we can and be smart and safe. 

COVID Dashboard 

 

	# of student cases	*Change from last report (student)	# of staff cases	Change from last report (staff)	Cases Active	Cases completed/ return to school
Primary School In-Person	12	0	7	0	1	17
Elementary School In-Person	16	+1	11	0	4	20
Middle School In-Person	20	0	5	0	1	24
Academy In-Person	55	0	16	0	0	69
CACC In-Person	3	0	0	0	0	3
District Office/ Operations Center Staff	N/A	N/A	6	0	1	5
Virtual (District-Wide)	16	0	0	0	0	16
Students placed Out of District	1	0	N/A	N/A	0	1
	124  Students cases			45 Staff cases	7 Active Cases	162 Completed
Total Number of Cases: 169 Total Cases

 

In Summary

Enjoy the winter break and I hope you find some time to relax. Please continue to stay diligent with social distancing practices and wearing of a mask. 

 

Have a great break, 

 

Jamie Farr, Superintendent of Schools 

 

Jr. Baseball & Jr. Softball Information - Check out sign up information for this Spring

Canandaigua Area Soccer League Information - Check out the Summer Recreation Soccer Information

Kiwanis Kids Virtual Carnival Information 

 

Good evening,

An automated call just went out to Academy contacts with the following information:

Canandaigua Academy (grades 9-12) will shift to remote learning for hybrid (gray) students and four-day students tomorrow, Friday, February 12, 2021. Again, this shift is only for in-person hybrid students and four-day students. Work will be assigned through Schoology. At this time we are unable to staff the building due to vaccine appointments and reactions to the vaccine by our staff members.

Virtual students, CACC students, and out of district students will proceed with their normal Friday schedules. FLTCC BOCES students report for am or pm programs. Canandaigua Primary, Elementary, and Middle School gray cohort students and four-day cohort students report to school on Friday, February 12. After school activities will continue as scheduled. Our Academy staff should report to work as though it were a typical school day.

Thank you,

The Canandaigua City School District 

February 8, 2021

Good evening,

As has been our practice, communications are sent out in cases where there may have been an in-school exposure to COVID-19. Today we have three incidents to report:

1. On Sunday, February 7, the Canandaigua City School District was notified of a student at Canandaigua Primary School who tested positive for COVID-19. The Ontario County Public Health Department has directed the students and staff in this student’s classroom to quarantine and two additional staff members who had contact with the student.

2. On Monday, February 8, the Canandaigua City School District was notified of a staff member at Canandaigua Elementary School who tested positive for COVID-19. The Ontario County Public Health Department has directed students in the class and staff who work in the classroom with the adult to quarantine.

3. On Monday, February 8, the Canandaigua City School District was notified of a transportation staff member who tested positive for COVID-19. Two other members of our transportation team have been asked to quarantine due to potential exposure.

Our website dashboard is updated daily and is included in our weekly Friday communications. The dashboard can be found at this link: https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info 

Families impacted have been contacted by district personnel. If you have not been contacted, no further action is required. The students in quarantine have shifted to remote learning.

The Canandaigua City School District remains in close communication with the Department of Health. We thank you for your persistence. We urge everyone to take the following preventive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19:
 

• Wear a mask and maintain at least six feet of social distance
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and hot water for about 20 seconds
• Avoid gatherings of people whenever possible
• Stay home from school if you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19

Thank you for your continued efforts and please remain diligent.

 

Friday February 5, 2021

Good afternoon, Braves Family,

I hope you had a nice week and were able to dig out from the snow. Watching our COVID Isolation and Quarantine numbers continue to trend on the decline, it offers hope.  We need to remain diligent so we can flatten these numbers for good, and the sooner we can get back to doing the things we all so desperately want to do.   As we look at the week ahead, we have some important updates in today’s communication. 

1. Staff Receiving 2nd Round of Vaccine 

2. Report Card Distribution

3.  BravesSquare Pure Contact Update 

4. Quarantine Requirements 

5. COVID Dashboard 

Staff Receiving 2nd Round of Vaccine

We would like to share a huge thank you to our community partners at Thompson Hospital and the Department of Public Health.  Because of our combined efforts, we are in a position in which nearly every staff member in the Canandaigua City School District who wanted a COVID vaccine now has an appointment.  This coming week, February 8, 2021, will actually be the second dose for many of our staff.  

I share this information because based on what we are hearing about the day or two after the second dose. There seems to be a greater chance of a person experiencing soreness, perhaps even illness. We are told that most people still will not experience any side effects. However, if these side effects truly do happen with a number of our staff and they are unable to work, as the medical guidance we received today states that if side effects are experienced, the individual should stay home, it may cause us to have to shift to remote for a day or two if we are unable to fully staff a building or a classroom.  

We hope there will be no disruption to in-person instruction but we will need to be ready to shift remote learning for a couple days, just in case. If we do need to make a quick and temporary shift to remote learning for all students, we will communicate it out as soon as we know. We know this is challenging for families but the long term benefit of having our staff vaccinated is important. 

Report Card Distribution

Report cards for students in grades 3-12 will be distributed shortly after this communication and will be found in BravesSquare Secure Documents. Additionally, any Primary-Elementary Academic Intervention progress reports for math and/or reading will be distributed this afternoon. Primary School Report Cards were distributed Wednesday evening through BravesSquare Secure Documents. 

BravesSquare Pure Contact Update 

Changes are being introduced in ParentSquare related to your contact information. A new Contact Verification process will help you view, confirm or suggest corrections to your contact information.

1. Update Apps: Please update your iOS or Android ParentSquare mobile apps to the latest version. 

2. Sign In: Please sign in to ParentSquare at your earliest convenience.

3. Confirm: Next, you will be asked to confirm your contact info as directed. You will see something similar to this screenshot when you log in. 

Combine Existing Accounts: If you receive an invitation email or text, even if you have a ParentSquare account, please click on the invitation email and click the link to "Sign In to Combine Existing Account". You can also combine accounts later in your Account Settings. This is especially important for parents that work at different school districts or staff members with children at other districts who also utilize ParentSquare.

 

This change will roll out for Monday morning, February 8, 2021. If you need any assistance, please contact techhelp@canandaiguaschools.org. This will also update contact information if you did not receive our robocalls on Tuesday and/or Wednesday. 

 

Quarantine Requirements

We continue to follow the Guidance Ontario County Public Health and New York State related to quarantining. With February Break and Spring Break approaching, we continue to ask if there are changes to quarantines and/or travel restrictions so that we can provide you with the most up to date information.  

According to Ontario County Public Health,  New York State DOH has not given guidance about quarantine requirements if someone has been vaccinated with both doses. Studies show COVID vaccines are 95% effective in preventing severe illness but people can still get COVID even if they receive both vaccines. It is also not known if someone can transmit COVID to another person once they have received the COVID vaccines. 

Once a person receives one or two doses of COVID vaccines, they need to continue to follow the guidance of quarantine if exposed. Everyone still needs to wear masks and social distance even if they have received both doses of the vaccine. If this guidance should change, we will let everyone know. We continue to thank you for your patience throughout all of this. 

COVID Dashboard 

 

	# of student cases	*Change from last report (student)	# of staff cases	Change from last report (staff)	Cases Active	Cases completed/ return to school
Primary School In-Person	12	0	7	0	2	17
Elementary School In-Person	15	0	9	0	4	20
Middle School In-Person	19	0	5	0	0	24
Academy In-Person	55	0	16	0	2	69
CACC In-Person	3	0	0	0	0	3
District Office/ Operations Center Staff	N/A	N/A	5	0	0	5
Virtual (District-Wide)	16	0	0	0	1	16
Students placed Out of District	1	0	N/A	N/A	0	1
	121  Students cases			42 Staff cases	8 Active Cases	155 Completed
Total Number of Cases: 163 Total Cases

Updated Friday, January 29, 2021 at 12 p.m. - Link to access the daily dashboard: https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info 

In Summary

 

Watching our COVID Isolation and Quarantine numbers continue to trend on the decline, it offers hope.  Please remain diligent as the sooner we can flatten these numbers for good, the sooner we can get back to doing the things we all so desperately want to do.  

 

Thank you for all you are doing, stay safe, be well, and Go Braves!

 

Sincerely,

 

Jamie Farr

Superintendent

Friday, January 29, 2021,

Dear Braves Family,

Well, we made it through half of the school year. One semester of virtual, hybrid, and remote learning. We know that this continues to be challenging for our students, parents, staff, and families. Thank you for all your hard work you have done to date to keep our students and yourselves healthy which has allowed us to keep our schools open for our in-person hybrid instruction model.
 

1. Start of the Second Semester    
2. Report Card Distribution Schedule
3. COVID Dashboard 
4. Athletics Update
5. Community Information & Fundraisers - Jr. Baseball, CASL Soccer, Current Fundraisers

Start of the Second Semester

The second semester begins this Monday, February 1, 2021. For students in grades 6-12, your schedules are accessible in Infinite Campus. Half-year courses will end and students may have new classes and teachers on their schedule. Students will also receive a paper copy of their schedule on the first day they return for in-person instruction.

The health screening needs to continue to be completed when students attend school in-person. Instructions for the health screening and information about BravesSquare can be found here: BravesSquare Information

If you are returning to in-person instruction at the Primary-Elementary School and plan on picking up your child at school be sure to download the School Dismissal Application and look for information from the PES related to this application.

Report Card Distribution Schedule

Report Cards will be distributed through the Secure Document feature in BravesSquare. The distribution schedule is as follows:
 

• Tuesday, February 2 - Primary-Elementary School Report Card Distribution- Grades UPK-5

 

• Wednesday, February 3 - Primary-Elementary School Intervention Progress Reports for students receiving academic intervention services in reading and/ or math

 

• Friday, February 5 - CMS/ CA 2nd Quarter Report Card Distribution

COVID Dashboard 
 

	# of student cases	*Change from last report (student)	# of staff cases	Change from last report (staff)	Cases Active	Cases completed/ return to school
Primary School In-Person	12	+2	7	0	2	17
Elementary School In-Person	14	+1	9	+1	5	18
Middle School In-Person	19	0	5	0	2	22
Academy In-Person	53	0	16	0	2	67
CACC In-Person	3	0	0	0	0	3
District Office/ Operations Center Staff	N/A	N/A	5	0	0	5
Virtual (District-Wide)	16	0	0	0	1	15
Students placed Out of District	1	0	N/A	N/A	0	1
	118 Students Cases		42 Staff Cases		12 Active Cases	148 Completed
Total Number of Cases: 160 Cases - 2020-2021 School Year

 

Updated Friday, January 29, 2021, at 12 p.m. - Link to access the daily dashboard: https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info

Athletics Update 

On Friday, January 23, 2021, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that high-risk sports are permitted to begin on February 1, 2021, as long as they have been permitted by the local health department. Section V and the local county health departments have been working diligently over the past week to set up timelines and guidelines to start sports.

At the Canandaigua City School District, the following sports will start their season on February 1, 2021:

• Boys Varsity & Junior Varsity Basketball
• Girls Varsity & Junior Varsity Basketball 
• Varsity Ice Hockey
• Varsity & Junior Varsity Wrestling 

Modified A (Freshmen) and Modified B Basketball and Modified Wrestling will start on Monday, February 8.

Link: All interested athletes can sign up through Family ID  

Section V has determined that our winter high-risk sports season will begin on Monday, February 1, 2021. The regular season must end by Saturday, March 6, 2021, and sectionals will conclude by Sunday, March 14, 2021. Section V is continuing to work on the information and details for the Fall II season for Competitive Cheerleading, Football, and Volleyball, with an anticipated start date in early March. Section V and the Monroe County Public School Athletic Conference continue to be sensitive to Spring sports that have already missed a complete season, plus sectional/ state championships last year due to the pandemic.

We continue to advocate and contact our elected officials related to the distancing guidelines for our music classes and for our theater program. Currently, chorus, band, and the performing arts must be socially distanced 12 feet without masks. Our ask is for performances to be allowed at six feet of distance with masks on.

Check out the Trailer for the Fall Play - Spoon River Anthology- More information to come!

Community Information & Current Fundraisers
 
Jr. Baseball & Jr. Softball Information - Check out the sign up information for this Spring
Canandaigua Area Soccer League Information - Check out the Summer Recreation Soccer Information    
Freshman Class - Luck of the Braves T-Shirts 
Mask Sale - Ends Monday, February 1 - 11:59 p.m.

Thank you for your continued diligence related to the pandemic and have a wonderful weekend.

Go Braves,

Jamie Farr, Superintendent of Schools

Friday, January 22, 2021, 

Dear Braves Family,

I would like to keep this week’s communication brief. As we approach the end of the second marking period, I continue to be proud of our students and staff as they have shown resilience during this challenging time. Our COVID isolations and quarantines continue to trend slowly in the right direction. If we can remain committed to our safety measures both in and out of school, we will keep us on the right track. Thank you for your persistence and diligence and please, do not let your guard down yet. Today’s communication focuses on the following:

1. Health Screening Reminder

2. COVID Dashboard

3. Calendar Reminders

Health Screening Reminder

We continue to utilize BravesSquare for the health screening for days students attend in person. This is an especially important reminder if your child is switching learning models for the second semester, from virtual to hybrid, the health screening must be completed each morning of in-person school attendance. This should be completed before coming to school or getting on the bus for students who ride the bus. For more information, check out this information on BravesSquare or email techhelp@canandaiguascchools.org. 

Students opting to switch learning models , you may see duplicate courses in your Schoology (grades. Please continue to operate out of the course your teacher has been using all school year until your class switch occurs.

COVID Dashboard 

	# of student cases	*Change from last report (student)	# of staff cases	Change from last report (staff)	Cases Active	Cases completed/ return to school
Primary School In-Person	10	0	7	0	2	15
Elementary School In-Person	12	0	7	0	4	15
Middle School In-Person	18	0	5	0	6	17
Academy In-Person	50	0	14	0	2	62
CACC In-Person	2	0	0	0	1	1
District Office/ Operations Center Staff	n/a	n/a	5	0	1	4
Virtual (District-Wide)	16	0	0	0	2	14
Students placed Out of District	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	1
	109 Students cases			38 Staff cases	18 Active Cases	129 Completed
Total Number of Cases: 147

Updated as of 12 p.m. on Friday, January 22. The Dashboard is updated Monday - Friday on our website - https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info

Calendar Reminders

Originally next week was scheduled as Regents week at Canandaigua Academy. The New York State Education Department cancelled the Regents Examinations scheduled for January back in the fall. The Academy will have school and not have Regents Exams next week as we typically have had in the past.

The Class of 2024 is selling St. Patrick’s Day Braves shirts for $12 - Order Here 

We have a mask sale opened until 12 a.m. on Thursday, January 27. Order your Braves mask today!

Thank you staff, students, parents, and the community for all you are doing.  There is no way we would be able to be in the position we are without a collective effort. Hopefully we are nearing a return to the normal we all desire. Have a great weekend, stay safe, be strong, and Go Braves! 

Jamie Farr , Superintendent of Schools
 

Monday, January 18, 2021,

On Monday, January 18, 2021, the Canandaigua City School District was notified of two staff members at Canandaigua Elementary School who tested positive for COVID-19. The Ontario County Public Health Department has directed additional staff who work in the classroom to quarantine. The class has shifted to remote learning. As has been our practice, communications are sent out in cases where there may have been an in-school exposure to COVID, otherwise, COVID numbers are updated daily on our website dashboard and in our weekly Friday communications.

Families impacted have been contacted by district personnel and if you have not been contacted, no further action is required. The class has shifted to remote learning.

The Canandaigua City School District remains in close communication with the Department of Health. We thank you for your persistence. As infection rates continue to climb, we urge everyone to take the following preventive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19:

• Wear a mask and maintain at least six feet of social distance
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and hot water for about 20 seconds
• Avoid gatherings of people whenever possible
• Stay home from school if you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19

Thank you for your continued efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Friday Update Friday, January 15, 2021 Dear Braves Family, What a week this has been. By now, we have learned, based on experience over the last several months, that we need to be ready for absolutely everything. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your continued grace, patience, and understanding. We appreciate your support and need it now, more than ever. Today’s communication includes the following information: Vaccination Information COVID Dashboard Braves Bonus Wednesdays Martin Luther King Jr. Day  Vaccination Information I’m certain you have heard that people who work in the field of education fall in the 1b category and can receive the COVID vaccine now. I’m pleased to report that, after surveying our staff, an overwhelming majority are eager to get the vaccine, nearly 90%. This is clear evidence that our staff wants to keep our community safe and bring a return to normal as quickly as possible. All week we have been working with our community partners such as Thompson Hospital, the Department of Public Health, and pharmacies and they are all ready and willing to support our vaccination process. We appreciate their partnership and support. The issue remains, there is a lack of supply of the vaccine still in our state. In the meantime, however, we have worked closely with our staff and the various vaccination PODS around our region and have been able to help secure vaccination appointments for many of our staff members thus far. Getting the vaccine does not mean we can let our guard down. In fact, we must remain just as committed to our safety measures for the foreseeable future but what it does mean is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and with that comes renewed hope. COVID Dashboard Numbers We continue to monitor the COVID-19 numbers, specifically the number of active cases. The latest information is below:   # of student cases *Change from last report (student) # of staff cases Change from last report (staff) Cases Active Cases completed/ return to school Primary School In-Person 9 +1 6 0 4 11 Elementary School In-Person 11 0 5 0 5 11 Middle School In-Person 17 +1 2 0 4 15 Academy In-Person 49 0 13 0 7 55 CACC In-Person 1 0 0 0 1 0 District Office/ Operations Center Staff N/A N/A 5 0 4 1 Virtual (District-Wide) 13 0 0 0 2 11 Students placed Out of District 1 0 N/A   0 1   101 Student Cases   31  Staff Cases   27 Active Cases  105 Recovered Cases Total Number of Cases: 132 Updated as of 12 p.m. on Friday, January 15. The Dashboard is updated Monday - Friday on our website - https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info Braves Bonus Day Knowing that we are remaining in the same instructional models for the remainder of the school year, our staff sought to find more ways to help students who may be struggling or in need of more structured days per week. Braves Bonus Day, a concept of offering time for on-campus support on Wednesdays for students is one concept we have successfully introduced to help meet this need. At the Middle School and Academy, this Braves Bonus Day has been offered for the last four weeks and attendance has grown each week to the point where almost 200 students took advantage of the opportunity this week. The Primary School and Elementary School are also working on this concept and may have information to share soon. Please stay tuned. Thank you to everyone who thought creatively and brought this concept to life as a way to help students succeed. Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Observed Monday, January 18 Monday, January 18 is a Federal Holiday and a day off in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. There will be no school for students or staff. Each year our Elementary School hosts several events in honor of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. but because that wasn’t possible this year, a team worked very hard to create a high-quality virtual experience. I would recommend everyone take the time to check out our virtual observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and pay respects to all the important work Dr. King caused our nation to come to grips with (and still come to grips with even now). This virtual assembly will be released on our social media platforms on Tuesday, January 19, after both in-person cohorts of students have had an opportunity to watch it. In Summary Following COVID trends daily is part of our lives now in-district office. If our current trends continue, I am again filled with hope. Monroe County infections seem to have plateaued and Dr. Mendoza has confirmed his belief that they have. Locally, here in Ontario County, the latter half of this week, our infections have declined. Even here in the school district, our overall infections/isolations have declined but our quarantines have not. Please continue to practice preventative measures and help move our trend rapidly in the right direction. Now is not a time to let our guard down but rather, a time to double down our efforts and position us much better for spring with fewer restrictions, perhaps. Stay safe, be well, and Go Braves! Sincerely, Jamie Farr Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

On Tuesday, January 12, 2021,  the Canandaigua City School District was alerted of a Canandaigua Academic and Career Center (CACC) student who tested positive for COVID-19. The Ontario County Public Health Department has directed additional students and a staff member to quarantine as a result of the exposure.  As has been our practice, communications are sent out in cases where there may have been an in-school exposure to COVID, otherwise, COVID numbers are updated daily on our website dashboard and in our weekly Friday communications.

Families impacted have been contacted by district personnel and if you have not been contacted, no further action is required. Students who are in quarantine have shifted to remote learning. Due to our safety protocols and the cohorting of students by grade at the CACC, the exposure was limited.

The Canandaigua City School District remains in close communication with the Department of Health. We thank you for your persistence. As infection rates continue to climb, we urge everyone to take the following preventive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19: 

• Wear a mask and maintain at least six feet of social distance

• Wash your hands regularly with soap and hot water for about 20 seconds

• Avoid gatherings of people whenever possible

• Stay home from school if you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19

Thank you for your continued efforts.

 

Friday, January 8, 2021

Dear Braves Family,

While I have processed the national events this week on Capitol Hill, analyzed my own emotions, and discussed the information with members of our community, I have begun to shift my mindset to that of being hopeful. I remain hopeful that perhaps Wednesday’s events in Washington, DC could indeed act as a catalyst for our society. Perhaps now, there will be no more tolerance for hatred and division. Perhaps now, our nation will rejuvenate and truly realize inclusion and togetherness. We have a lot of work to do to achieve these ideals but they remain important goals.

Today’s communication includes:

1. Factors that would cause the District to shift to Remote Learning 
2. Weekly COVID Dashboard
3. Update from last night's communication 
4. Upcoming Events Calendar

Factors that would cause the District to shift to Remote Learning 

We also continue to face the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we move forward in the New Year, I want to be clear on what could lead one or all of our schools to shift to remote learning. While we hope to continue to be able to offer our current models of instruction, I want to share the factors that could lead to the closure of our school buildings.

1. Hospital Capacity 
Governor Cuomo has been communicating that hospital rates are the main factor if a shutdown is to occur. We are watching the Governor’s press conferences closely and continue to seek guidance from the state about infection rates and zone designations. At this time, the Governor has shared that if hospitals project that within two weeks' time, they will be at 90% capacity, that zone will shut down. He has however indicated that it doesn’t mean that schools will have to shut down as well. We expect more detailed guidance on this any day now from the Governor. If we shut down, for this reason, I would anticipate that it would be for a length of time in the 2-4 weeks, or more, range.

2. Department of Health Ordering Closure 
Locally, one county (Cayuga) has asked their schools to close because their department of health is struggling to keep up with contract tracing and reporting of COVID cases. Our department of health has been working closely with the district on reporting isolations and quarantines. However, as our cases continue to rise, this leads to a daunting task for the Department of Public Health and it is something that we must remain mindful of. If we shut down, for this reason, I would anticipate that it would be for a length of time in the 2-4 weeks, or more, range.

3. Staffing
If COVID cases continue to rise, we may not be able to provide coverage for our staff absences due to their quarantine or isolation orders. Our closure of the Academy right before the holiday break was due to a staff shortage. We are constantly analyzing our staff absences, rearranging schedules, thinking creatively, and in search of additional substitutes. Staffing challenges could lead to the entire district, a building, a grade level, or classroom shifting to remote learning. If we shut down, for this reason, I would anticipate that it would be for a length of time in the 1 day to 2 weeks range, perhaps more.

4. Evidence on School-Based Spread 
If we find evidence of school-based spreading of COVID-19, this could also cause us to close our schools (the entire district, a building, a grade level, or a classroom) and a shift to remote learning. At this point, very few COVID cases can be linked back to school-based spread but that doesn’t mean the data might now show otherwise in the near future. It is something we track regularly. If we shut down, for this reason, I would anticipate that it would be for a length of time in the 1 day to 2 weeks range, perhaps more.

While we have shared these before, as a reminder, if we shift to a closure, the graphics below reflect the learning models that will be followed for a short-term closure (less than two weeks) and long-term closure (longer than two weeks).









COVID Dashboard Numbers

We continue to monitor the COVID-19 numbers, specifically the number of active cases. The latest information is below:
 

	# of student cases	*Change from last report (student)	# of staff cases	Change from last report (staff)	Cases Active	Cases completed/ return to school
Primary School In-Person	8	0	4	+1	4	8
Elementary School In-Person	9	+1	4	+1	6	7
Middle School In-Person	13	0	2	0	3	12
Academy In-Person	42	+1	13	0	12	43
CACC In-Person	0	0	0	0	0	0
District Office/ Operations Center Staff	N/A	N/A	2	0	0	2
Virtual (District-Wide)	12	0	0	0	2	10
Students placed Out of District	1	0	N/A		0	1
	85 Student Cases		25 Staff Cases		28 Active Cases	82 Recovered Cases
Total Number of Cases: 110

Updated as of 12 p.m. on Friday, January 8. The Dashboard is updated Monday - Friday on our website - https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info

 

Update on the Potential Elementary School Exposure (BravesSquare Post sent Thursday, January 7, 9 p.m.): 

After contact tracing and a credit to our students and staff following our preventative measures closely, the entire class did not need to quarantine, and rather, it only resulted in one other student needing to quarantine. Thank you to all involved for your patience and understanding as we worked through the process.

Calendar Information & Updates 
Monday, January 11 - Class of 2023 (Current Sophomores) Curriculum Night Zoom Webinar- 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, January 12 - Class of 2025 (Current 8th-graders) Curriculum Night Zoom Webinar - 6:30 p.m.
Monday, January 18 - No School - Observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday
Tuesday, January 19 - Camp IB Webinar - Learn more about the International Baccalaureate Program- 7 p.m.
Friday, February 26- UPK Application Deadline

As we embark on this new year, full of uncertainty that we could have not predicted even a year ago, I continue to return to our character traits as they are fundamental for all of us:
 

Respect leads to Civility

Responsibility leads to Accountability

Honesty leads to Integrity

Kindness leads to Compassion

Effort leads to Perseverance

Healthy Choices lead to Healthy Living

We cannot preserve through these challenges alone. In 2021, we move forward together to help each of our students and our overall community become their best. In order for us to maintain open facilities and in-person instruction, we need a collective effort. We need to flatten the curve and reverse the trend which has been established in our region over the past several weeks. This work is done together as, “One Community, Transforming Lives.”

Sincerely,

Jamie Farr

Monday, January 4, 2021 Dear Braves Family,  Happy New Year and welcome back. I hope you had a relaxing break filled with time to recharge and have experienced a great start to 2021. I know our communications typically come out on a Friday but we thought it would be important to send an update today since we have been on break. In today’s communication, I want to focus on information related to our COVID-19 numbers. This communication includes the following VERY important information.  Please read carefully: Updated COVID Dashboard Analysis of the Dashboard Statistics Reminders about Precautionary Measures, Notification Protocols, and Traveling Restrictions Updated COVID Dashboard Throughout the break, we worked with the department of health and looked at the numbers to confirm the reopening of our schools. Today, as we reopened for our hybrid students and our four-day students, we continue to look at the data and will do so each day. The last dashboard update was on December 30, 2020 (five days ago) therefore the changes reflect data over several days.  We will return to daily updates again now.    # of student cases *Change from last report (student) # of staff cases Change from last report (staff) Cases Active Cases completed/ return to school Primary School In-Person 8 +1 2 0 3 7 Elementary School In-Person 6 +1 3 +2 5 4 Middle School In-Person 11 0 2 0 1 12 Academy In-Person 37 +7 13 +1 11 39 CACC In-Person 0 0 0 0 0 0 District Office/ Operations Center Staff N/A N/A 1 0 0 1 Virtual (District-Wide) 10 0 0 0 3 7 Students placed Out of District 1 0 N/A   0 1   73   21   23 71 Total 94           *Change from last report: # of cases since Thursday, December 30. The dashboard is updated daily, Monday - Friday at this link: https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info Analysis of Dashboard Statistics Our total number of COVID-19 cases (staff and students combined) when we left for break on Wednesday, December 23, 2020, was 60. During the break, the Department of Health notified us of an additional 34 new cases, bringing our total to 94 now. This is a cumulative number and will continue to climb so long as COVID is still present. As predicted across the state, most of our cases began after Thanksgiving through the holiday break when people were more inclined to not socially distance from one another and be indoors. In fact, 89% of our COVID cases have been realized after the Thanksgiving Break. At this time we have 23 active cases (4 staff cases and 19 student cases). Our active cases, for now, have stabilized the last two weeks and remain fairly consistent each day. The cases are spread across the district with 3 active cases at the primary school, 5 at the elementary school, 1 at the middle school, 11 at the Academy, and 3 active virtual student COVID-19 cases. There are no active cases at the CACC, District Office, or Operations Center at this time.  We will continue to analyze these numbers carefully and if there is a surge of cases as a result of gatherings over the holiday break and/or an increase in quarantine orders for staff, we are ready to shift to completely remote again, just as we did at the Academy prior to the holiday break. I know we have used the term “nimble” a lot this past year but we must remain nimble and ready to shift if our capacity is strained or we deem there are safety concerns due to school-based spread.  It is important to note that up until this point, there is little to no evidence of school-based spread, reaffirming statewide and national data that schools are safe places to be.  Reminders about precautionary measures, notification protocols, and traveling restrictions Please remember, should you have any symptoms of COVID, please do not report to school and instead, seek the guidance of your medical professional.  Sometimes people mistake their symptoms for the common cold or a sinus infection when indeed they have COVID.  Out of an abundance of caution, any symptom that is a COVID symptom ought to be treated as such and have a COVID diagnosis ruled out. Any staff member or student, who is placed in isolation for having tested positive for COVID or on quarantine due to potential exposure to COVID, must notify their building principal or direct supervisor immediately as well as Mr. Tenney at tenneyv@canandaiguaschools.org for staff and your building nurses must be notified for students. Sometimes the Department of Public Health may have a delay in notifying us and we want to make sure we have the most up to date and accurate information so we can make informed decisions.  I would like to encourage families to stay safe, remain in New York, and help control the spread of COVID.  If you travel to a restricted state, follow the guidance below: Less than 24 hours in a restricted state - You must take a COVID test on your 4th day back in NYS and receive a negative result. Greater than 24 hours in a restricted state - You must take a COVID test within 3 days of returning to NYS.  Upon return to NYS, you must quarantine and take a COVID test on your 4th days back in NYS and can return to school upon a negative COVID test result.  If you travel to any state other than Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, or Vermont, you must fill out the NYS traveler form and notify your building principal or immediate supervisor (or nurse for students) so that we can properly document the process for a safe return to school. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding of this important detail. Thank you for your continued support and diligence. Our hope is to keep our schools safely open and that is only accomplished through a shared effort. Here is to hoping 2021 realizes a return to the normal we all love and miss and we can put these challenging times behind us. Until then, be well, stay safe, and Go Braves! Sincerely, Jamie Farr Superintendent

On Monday, November 30, the Canandaigua City School District was notified of a COVID-19 exposure. The positive case is a staff member at the Primary-Elementary School. The staff member was last at school on Tuesday, November 24. Due to privacy guidelines, no additional identifying information can be shared. The Department of Health has begun contact tracing and will notify any contacts with potential exposure. Additionally, our administrative team has called each person who needs to quarantine as a result of this exposure. If you have not been contacted, no further action is required at this time.

The Canandaigua City School District remains in close communication with the Department of Health. As infection rates continue to climb, we urge everyone to take the following preventive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19:
 

• Wear a mask and maintain at least six feet of social distance
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and hot water for about 20 seconds
• Avoid gatherings of people whenever possible
• Stay home from school if you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19

   Thank you for your continued efforts and please remain diligent as we enter December.  

Friday,  November 20, 2020

 

Good afternoon,

I hope you are well and staying warm.  As the cooler temperatures roll in, try to find opportunities to get some fresh air and stay active.  Movement and outside air are critical components to getting and remaining healthy. Try going on walks, take up hiking or skiing.  We are fortunate to live in such a beautiful area with opportunities to be outside.  Today’s communication focuses on the following:

1. Yellow Zones

2. COVID Dashboard

3. Reminders

1. Yellow Zones

There has been a change related to yellow zone testing. If we are deemed a yellow zone by the Governor’s Office, we will have two weeks to test 20% of our in-person population. If the results of the testing reveal that the positivity rate among the 20% of those tested is lower than the yellow zone’s current 7-day positivity rate, testing at that school will no longer be required to continue. If the results of the testing over the first two weeks reveal that the positivity rate among in-person students, staff and faculty is higher than the yellow zone’s current 7-day positivity rate, the school will be required to continue to test 20% of the in-person population on a bi-weekly basis. 

Designation as a yellow zone, for Ontario County, is a 3.5% infection rate over a 7-day period.  Currently, our 7-day infection rate is 3.1%. We would only test individuals who opt-in and we have permission forms prepared which would go home if we are designed as a yellow zone. The tests are the shallow nasal swab which only goes in the nose the depth equivalent to a cotton tip of a q-tip. 

It is important that we continue to be diligent about social distancing guidelines, mask wearing, and handwashing. Our decisions and practices over the last two weeks and in the coming two weeks will determine if we can avoid a yellow zone designation prior to the holiday break in December. Efforts by all of us, as a community, will help lead to us remaining a green zone. While we are prepared if we do enter a yellow zone, we hope we are never designated as a yellow zone. 

2. COVID Dashboard

Each week we will report information about COVID cases. If there is an exposure in school, we will communicate immediately. It is important to note, sometimes a student or staff member may be out of school for a few weeks.  Due to privacy and confidentiality concerns, we cannot share why they are absent. It is important to know that there are many people in quarantine as a precaution around the state.  If there was ever an exposure to you, we will notify you as will the Department of Health. 

As of Nov. 20, 2020	Total Cases	Cases Still Active	Cases completed/ returned to school
Staff	1	1	N/A
Students	10	3	7
Total	11	4	7

*Reflects cases from the 2020-2021 School Year, updated at 12 p.m. on Friday, 11/20/20; COVID cases of staff members at the District Office and Operations Center will not be reflected in the NYS Dashboard. 

3. A few important reminders: 

• CA/ CMS Report Cards will be distributed this afternoon through BravesSquare.

• If you are changing your child’s learning preference for the second semester, please complete the survey in BravesSquare Secure Documents by Tuesday, November 24 at 3 p.m. 

• Monday, November 23 is a CHERRY in-person school day and a remote learning day for GRAY students.

• Tuesday, November 24 is a GRAY in-person school day and a remote learning day for CHERRY students. 

• Friday, December 4 is a half-day for the GRAY cohort at the Primary-Elementary School. There is no UPK on December 4. 

• Our Tri-M Music Honor Society is selling apparel. Here is the link: Apparel Sale- Tri M

There will not be a district communication next week unless something significant changes. I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.  For most of us, it will likely look different from years past but we still have so much to be thankful for.  I am thankful for many things but specific to our One Braves Family, I am thankful for your continued diligent efforts to keep us open and safe. No, this school year is not exactly how any of us hoped it would be. We want normal back but despite that, I am thankful for the opportunity each day brings. Each day I am thankful for those of us who commit to leaving our community a better place than it was when we woke up.  And I am thankful to call our community home.  Be well, stay safe, and Go Braves!

Sincerely,

Jamie Farr

Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

 

 

Friday, November 13, 2020 

Greetings, Braves Family,

We are collectively following the COVID situation closely as it is rapidly changing.  By now you have likely heard that much of Monroe County has been designated as a Yellow Zone and the Governor just implemented some statewide gathering and hours of operation restrictions. Dr. Mendoza, who leads Monroe County Public Health, continues to reiterate that schools remaining open is safe and ideal partly because schools have opened properly and it is not the hub of these infections but rather, the infections are happening at community events where social distancing and masks aren’t being applied.  Please, stay safe and follow protective measures to help flatten the curve yet again. In today’s communication you will learn more about:   

1. Yellow Zones

2. COVID Dashboard 

3. Calendar Changes

4. PES Progress Report Distribution & CA/ CMS Report Card Distribution

5. Second Semester Survey

6. Community Forum Link

7. Athletics Update

 

Yellow Zones

Should we be designated a Yellow Zone by New York State, we would be required to test 20% of our in-person population (students and staff) for COVID-19 each week and report the results to the state weekly. The 20% has to be a new 20% sampling each week.  We will not test any student without parent permission nor would we test any staff without their permission.  We will do everything we can to remain safely open if we are designated Yellow but if we can’t test 20% in any given week due to refusal to test, we are then forced to move to strictly remote learning for everyone.  

Please know, the tests we would be giving would be done by a trained individual and the test is the shallow nose swab, not the deep swab.  The shallow swab barely goes inside the nose and looks like a q-tip.  It is a rapid test and the results are known within 15 minutes. We are in the process of preparing a parent permission form and a video to show families and staff what the rapid shallow swab looks like. If we are designated Yellow, we will need the large majority of our staff and students to agree to take the test otherwise we will be forced to close as we wouldn’t be able to test a new 20% each week. A student or staff member can refuse the test and still attend but again, once we hit a point of not being able to test a new 20%, by governmental rule, we would be forced to close.  Please stay tuned for more information and of course, do your part to control the spread so we can hopefully avoid a Yellow Zone designation.

Travel Restrictions

With Thanksgiving and the holidays approaching, I would like to encourage families to stay safe, remain in New York, and help control the spread of COVID.  If you travel to a restricted state, follow the guidance below:

1. Less than 24 hours in a restricted state - You must take a COVID test on your 4th day back in NYS and receive a negative result.

2. Greater than 24 hours in a restricted state - You must take a COVID test within 3 days of returning to NYS.  Upon return to NYS, you must quarantine and take a COVID test on your 4th days back in NYS and can return to school upon a negative COVID test result. 

If you travel to any state other than Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts or Vermont, you must fill out the NYS traveler form and notify your building principal so that we can properly document the process for a safe return to school. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding about this important detail.

COVID Dashboard 

Each week we will report information about COVID cases. If there is an exposure in school, we will communicate immediately. 

As of Nov. 13, 2020	Total Cases	Cases Still Active	Cases completed/ returned to school
Staff	1	1	N/A
Students	7	0	7
Total	8	0	7

*Reflects cases from the 2020-2021 School Year, updated at 12 p.m. on Friday, 11/13/20; COVID cases of staff members at the District Office and Operations Center will not be reflected in the NYS Dashboard. 

Calendar Changes

Just as we did prior to Thanksgiving Break, where we made Monday, November 23rd a Cherry Day and Tuesday, November 24th a Gray Day to help balance the days and to make sure staff worked with students in-person prior to a break, we are making the same adjustment just before the Holiday Break.  

Monday, December 21st is a Cherry Day and Tuesday, December 22nd will now be a Gray Day.  This allows staff and students to interact in-person one last time prior to the extended break.  Although we know it may be a bit of an inconvenience, we are hopeful that the advanced notice is helpful and the fact that this change is academically prudent for our students makes it more palatable and understandable. To be clear, we will disinfect the entire district on both Monday evenings prior to the new cohort coming in on Tuesday as a health and safety precaution. 

 

 

PES Progress Report Distribution & CA/ CMS Report Card Distribution

The District will utilize BravesSquare Secure Documents to distribute Primary-Elementary School progress reports on Monday, November 16. Academy and Middle School first quarter report cards will be distributed Friday, November 20 through BravesSquare. 

Here is a one minute video about how to access Secure Documents: BravesSquare Secure Documents

Second Semester Return to Learn Survey

On Tuesday, November 17 at 3 p.m. we will distribute the Learning Preference Survey for the 2nd Semester. This only needs to be complete if you are changing your preference. The choices are in-person learning or virtual learning exactly as semester one. The second semester starts on Monday, February 1, 2021. We ask that the survey is completed by Tuesday, November 24 at 3 p.m. 

Changing learning preferences at the Primary-Elementary School would lead to a change in classroom teacher. At the secondary level, grades 6-12, there may be a change in teachers of classes due to the learning preference change. For more information, check out last night’s forum and more information is available on our website. 

If you are not changing your learning preference, you do not need to complete the learning preference survey. For directions on how to access the survey, the video is linked here: BravesSquare Secure Documents

Community Forum

If you were unable to watch Thursday night’s Community Forum, you can watch the recording of it here.  There is a lot of very important information in this presentation so I encourage you to watch it closely so that you are informed. 

Community Forum Recording from November 12, 2020

Community Forum Slides from November 12, 2020 

Athletics Update 

We have received direction from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the NYS Governor’s Office that we may begin a Winter Season for moderate and low risk sports. 

The following sports will start practice on Monday, December 7, 2020: 

• Boys/ Girls Varsity Alpine Skiing

• Boys/ Girls Varsity Bowling

• Boys JV/ Varsity Swimming & Diving

The following sport will start practice on Monday, December 14, 2020:

• Boys Modified Swimming & Diving, Grades 7 & 8

We are waiting for Section V Guidance on Indoor Track & Field, and the NYS Department of Health Guidance on Basketball, Cheerleading, Ice Hockey and Wrestling - All these sports are currently ‘ON PAUSE’ until further notice.  

 

A full letter from our Athletic Director, Jim Simmons, is linked here related to athletics: Sports Update- Friday, November 13

 

In Summary

 

Thank you so much for continuing to do your very best to keep us safe and make this a productive and successful year.  It isn’t easy, it isn’t ideal, and it isn’t what any of us want but together we can emerge stronger and closer.  Please, be well, stay safe, and Go Braves!

Sincerely,
 

Jamie Farr

Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District
 

Link to all previous Friday updates

Friday, November 6, 2020 

Greetings, Braves Community,

This week’s update is a little more robust than the last few so please read carefully as it contains very important information. Included this week is information about:
 

1. Webinar- Thursday, November 12 - 6 p.m. 
2. Survey Information 
3. January Regents Exams
4. COVID Dashboard 
5. Community Information: Food Drive, Graduation Gown PPE, Community Food Drive-Thru
6. Apparel sales- Masks, Ugly Sweaters

Webinar- Thursday, November 12 - 6 p.m. 

On Thursday, I will be hosting a webinar to share information related to the second semester, analysis of the survey data, and provide more insight related to cluster mapping. I hope you can join me for this webinar as I will provide important updates. If you cannot attend, the recording will be available on our website.

Click here: Webinar Link- Thursday, November 12 - p.m. 

Survey Information

Thank you for completing our survey related to how things are going and your thoughts moving towards semester two. It was very helpful and as a result, the district now knows where to focus our energy next. As a reminder, the survey was only a “temperature check” to help guide our thinking and efforts, not necessarily an instrument to make decisions with per se. We will be sending a follow-up survey to get to the bottom of the mixed feedback regarding how technology is functioning. We will also start an advertising campaign to make sure people know what mental health services are available here and how to access it. We have an outstanding team that students and staff can utilize.

Additionally, we learned that our learning community is divided on the concept of increasing capacity for semester two.  The fact that infection rates are climbing and the continued uncertainty around the science behind COVID-19 has many still very concerned about health and safety. Those feelings are real and understandable. I’ll explain the survey results in great detail during the forum but a snapshot of the data is below:  




January Regents Examinations

On Thursday, November 5th, the New York State Education Department announced the cancellation of the January Regents Examinations.  That means, for students who were slated to take a January Regents, they will be given credit for the exam so long as their teacher can certify that they have successfully learned the content and passed the course.  If you have specific questions regarding the impact this decision might have on your child, please contact their school counselor.

COVID Dashboard 

Each week we will report information about COVID cases. If there is an exposure in school, we will communicate immediately. There are no new cases to report this week. 
 

As of Nov. 6, 2020	Total Cases	Cases Still Active	Cases completed/ returned to school
Staff	0	0	0
Students	7	0	7
Total	7	0	7

 *Reflects cases from the 2020-2021 School Year, Updated at 12 p.m. on Friday, 11/6/20 

Community Information 

Check out our Community Information page for updates for November. Events in our community include the community food drive-thru, donating graduation gowns for PPE in memory of Sarah Jones CA ‘06, community food drive to benefit Ontario County food pantries and community basketball information. 

Learn more here: Community Information

Apparel Sales

Holiday Ugly Sweaters to Benefit the Alpine Ski Team - ends November 15
CA Braves Red Masks from BSN Sports - sale ends Monday, November 9 at 11:59 p.m. 


In Summary

That is all, and plenty for this week.  As a reminder, Wednesday, November 11th is Veterans Day and although Wednesdays are typically a remote/virtual day for our students, on Veterans Day, it is a day off for everyone.  Enjoy it and thank our Veterans for their honorable and courageous service.  Be well, stay safe, and Go Braves!

Sincerely,

Jamie Farr
Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

 

Friday, December 18, 2020 

 

Dear Braves Family, 

 

It looks like we dodged a fairly massive snowfall which we saw take place just south of us.  Although we do have a lot of skiers and outdoor enthusiasts who were hoping for even more snow (and perhaps a snow day). 

 

When considering snow days, I typically wake up earlier than normal and begin watching radar and weather projections as well as consult with our Director of Facilities to learn how we are doing with clearing our property.  I also consult our Director of Transportation who has traveled about the community and had a first hand experience on the roadways.  Lastly, I communicate with our Highway Superintendents and ask for their input about road conditions and their ability to keep up while I also communicate with every school superintendent who borders the Canandaigua City School District. These decisions are never easy but they are exponentially easier because of the appreciated collaboration with the above mentioned experts.  We are better together.  

 

Today’s communication includes the following: 

 

1. Remote Instruction at the Academy (grades 9-12)

2. Zone designation Update

3. COVID Dashboard Update

4. Calendar Reminders

 

Remote Instruction at the Academy 

 

After carefully reviewing our COVID data at the Academy, specifically the amount of staff either with COVID or in quarantine, I made the difficult decision to shift the Academy to remote learning for Friday, December 18 - Wednesday, December 23, 2020.  Our plan is to return to our standard hybrid / in-person rotation on Monday, January 4 of 2021 by welcoming back the Cherry Cohort and 4-Day Cohort.  This is all predicated on our collective ability to staff the Academy upon return and based on the status of infections in our general population (students).  Please, please, please, be careful and safe over the holiday break. Wear your mask, do not socially gather, wash your hands regularly, and seek medical attention if you have any COVID symptoms. We desperately want to return on January 4, 2021. Shifting to remote was emotional for students and staff alike, demonstrating our strong desire to be together. But we will be unable to do so if we can’t quickly decrease the infections and quarantines related to our school. 

 

Zone Designation Information

 

At this point, our region remains zone designation free.  Governor Cuomo did expand some zone designations in our area.  Specifically Genesee County and the Batavia area are now designated as yellow zones.  We will continue to monitor this closely and if we do become designated a zone, we are prepared and we will host a community forum to roll out information and field questions. 

 

COVID Dashboard 

 

In this communication, each week, we will continue to provide the dashboard of COVID-19 cases related to the Canandaigua City School District. You will see, for the most part, we experienced only a slight increase across the district since last Friday except for in the case of Academy staff infections. What isn’t reflected and what would be difficult to reflect are the amount of quarantines due to exposures in the quarantine.  The list is large across the state and our community is seeing the same impact. In an effort not to overwhelm you with communication, but also to keep everyone informed on this important information, this dashboard on our website will be updated by 3 p.m. each day, Monday - Friday. This information can be found on our website under the COVID-19 Update page- https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info. 

 

	# of student cases	Change from last report (student)	# of staff cases	Change from last report (staff)	Cases Active	Cases completed/ return to school
Primary School In-Person	5	0	1	0	1	5
Elementary School In-Person	2	0	0	0	1	1
Middle School In-Person	6	0	0	0	2	4
Academy/CACC In-Person	17	+3	7	0	13	11
District Office/ Operations Center Staff	N/A	N/A	1	0	0	1
Virtual (District-Wide)	5	0	0	0	3	2
Students placed Out of District	1	0	N/A		0	1
Totals:	Student Cases: 34		Staff Cases: 9		Total Cases: 43

 

Information as of 12 p.m. on Friday, December 18. District Office/ Operations Center employees are not reflected in the NYS Dashboard. 

Calendar Reminders

• Monday, December 21- In-Person Day for Cherry students- CMS/ PES/ CACC - B-Day

• Tuesday, December 22- In-Person day for Gray students- CMS/ PES/ CACC - A-Day 

• Wednesday, December 23- Asynchronous Remote Learning for all students - B-Day 

 

Upcoming Events 

 

• Last evening our incredible music department revamped their beautiful 23 year tradition, The Prism Concert and released a fully virtual experience on our YouTube channel.  I know I speak for the hundreds who watch, Thank You to our music department, a department which is second to none, for bringing such joy despite the hefty restrictions we are operating under.  If you didn’t have a chance to check it out, we hope to keep it available on our YouTube channel for a few more days.  Check it out:

 

Prism Concert on the District YouTube Channel

 

• The Light Up Canandaigua Academy event scheduled for today and tomorrow is canceled.

 

• Baseball Ornament Sale- CA Ornaments- $10 - More information

• Meal Pick

 

 

In Summary

 

Please continue to practice safe, preventative habits. COVID numbers continue to rise and our ability to remain open has a direct correlation with flattening the curve and changing our trajectory for the better. Unless there are significant changes during the holiday break, we will reduce our communications during that time period and there will not be a communication next week. I’d like to formally thank all of you for your support, patience, and understanding as we navigate a reality that none of us are thrilled with.  Please enjoy a restful, peaceful, enjoyable, and safe holiday break.  Be well Braves Family!  

 

Sincerely,

 

Jamie Farr

Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

 

Dear Braves Family, 

We are sending you an important message specific to the Academy (grades 9-12). Due to staffing issues resulting primarily from quarantines, and also some COVID positive cases specifically and recently at the Academy, we have made the decision to shift Canandaigua Academy to remote learning starting Friday, December 18, 2020, and continuing through Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

In-person students will receive remote learning materials through Schoology and virtual classes will continue to follow their schedule. At this point, we anticipate our Academy in-person students returning to school on Monday, January 4, 2021.

Remember, we are following the visual below which we have previously communicated.  At this time, this is a short term closure of fewer than two weeks for Academy students:

• Instruction for Canandaigua Academy students who attend Finger Lakes Technical and Career Center will continue as normal 

• Out of district special education placements also continue 

• The Canandaigua Academic and Career Center (CACC) will remain open 

• Bowling, Alpine Skiing, and Boys’ Swimming and Diving can continue to operate

• Other extracurricular activities may only continue in a virtual format

• The Light Up Canandaigua Academy event has been canceled

• Braves Bonus Wednesday will not meet at the Academy on Wednesday, December 23, 2020 

• If materials need to be picked up from Canandaigua Academy, please contact Mrs. Logue at Canandaigua Academy

In-person learning at Canandaigua Primary-Elementary School and Canandaigua Middle School will continue. Gray students attend on Friday, December 18, 2020, and Tuesday, December 22, 2020. Cherry students attend in-person on Monday, December 21, 2020. Students who attend four days (4-Day Cohort) attend in-person on Friday, Monday, and Tuesday. Wednesday, December 23 is an asynchronous remote learning day for all cohorts (virtual, cherry, gray, 4-day). 

Meal pick up continues for all K-12 students. Grab and go pick up is available at the Primary-Elementary School off of Gibson Street from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. on school days. 

We have discussed this with Ontario County Public Health and they support the shift to remote learning at Canandaigua Academy and think it is a prudent decision to make. A robocall will also come tonight with this information. I thank you for your understanding and support.  Please stay safe and be well.

Sincerely,

Jamie Farr

Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

As has been our practice, communications are sent out in cases where there may have been an in-school exposure to COVID, otherwise, COVID numbers are updated daily on our website dashboard and in our weekly Friday communications. On Tuesday, December 15, the Canandaigua City School District was notified of a potential COVID-19 exposure involving staff. The positive case is a staff member at Canandaigua Academy, who was last in school on Friday, December 11. Due to privacy guidelines, no additional identifying information can be shared.

The Department of Health has performed contact tracing and will notify any contacts with potential exposure. Additionally, our administrative team has called each person who needs to quarantine as a result of this exposure per the Department of Health request. No Canandaigua Academy students had to quarantine as a result of the exposure. However, the staff members in quarantine work predominately in one classroom, and because of the staffing implications, the students in that classroom will shift to remote learning until after the holiday break. Those families have been contacted. If you have not been contacted, no further action is required at this time.

The Canandaigua City School District remains in close communication with the Department of Health. Due to our continued and diligent attention adhering to safety protocols and preventative measures, the impact of quarantine orders continues to be minimized. We thank you for your persistence. As infection rates continue to climb, we urge everyone to take the following preventive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19:
 

• Wear a mask and maintain at least six feet of social distance
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and hot water for about 20 seconds
• Avoid gatherings of people whenever possible
• Stay home from school if you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19

Thank you for your continued efforts and please remain diligent through the holiday break. 

 

Friday, December 11, 2020 

 

Dear Braves Family, 

Another week down! That takes us to 14 weeks so far this school year, but who's counting? I have a newfound appreciation for each day and I thank each of you for getting us to this point. Please, stay safe out there.

Today, two very important announcements were made. One was from the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) and the other was from Governor Cuomo.  

Announcement 1:

Governor Cuomo - Over the weekend the Governor and his team will be looking at infection data and announcing on Monday various zone (yellow, orange, and red) designations. He shared concerns over growing infection and hospitalization rates and forecasted both growing zone designations and changes to zone restrictions.  Please stay tuned on Monday should there be important updates for our region.

Announcement 2:

Athletics Update- NYSPHSAA - Winter State Championships for athletics have been cancelled and all high risk sports have been postponed until authorization can be obtained from state officials. 

The Association’s decision to postpone all high-risk sports until authorization is granted was reinforced by the increase in infection and hospitalization rates across the State. The New York State Department of Health has determined the following NYSPHSAA-endorsed sports to be high risk: basketball, competitive cheerleading, ice hockey, and wrestling. These sports were scheduled to begin early in January but that is now on hold and not happening in the previously suggested timeframe. The entire statement from NYSPHSAA is available here: December 11, 2020 Statement

Today’s communication includes the following: 

1. Zone designation Update

2. COVID Dashboard Update

3. Upcoming Events: Prism Concert, Canned Food Drive, Spirit Weeks

 

Zone Designation Information

As a district, we continue to closely watch and evaluate information from the Governor’s press conferences and briefings from Ontario County Public Health. If a cluster zone designation is announced, we are prepared to send out information about testing and I will host a community forum. Please stay diligent with mask wearing, social distancing, hand washing, and limiting gatherings in homes. Small gatherings in homes is the leading cause of the spread of COVID-19 and through contact tracing, it is estimated to be the cause of over 70% of the positive COVID cases across the state. As the vaccines start to be distributed around the nation, I hope the end of this challenging time is in sight. I continue to thank you for your patience and grace as we navigate this together.

COVID Dashboard 

In this communication, each week, we will continue to provide the dashboard of COVID-19 cases related to the Canandaigua City School District. In an effort not to overwhelm you with communication, but also to keep everyone informed on this important information, this dashboard on our website will be updated by 3 p.m. each day, Monday - Friday. This information can be found on our website under the COVID-19 Update page- https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info. 

	# of student cases	Change from last report (student)	# of staff cases	Change from last report (staff)	Cases Active	Cases completed/ return to school
Primary School In-Person	5	1	1	0	2	5
Elementary School In-Person	1	0	0	0	0	1
Middle School In-Person	6	0	0	0	2	4
Academy/CACC In-Person	13	1	1	0	5	9
District Office/ Operations Center Staff	N/A	N/A	1	0	0	1
Virtual (District-Wide)	3	0	0	0	1	2
Students placed Out of District	1	0	N/A		1	0
Totals:	Student Cases: 29		Staff Cases:3		Total Cases: 32

 

Information as of 12 p.m. on Friday, December 11. District Office/ Operations Center employees are not reflected in the NYS Dashboard. 

Upcoming Events 

• Holiday Prism Concert - Thursday, December 17- 7 p.m. Join the watch party on our YouTube Channel

• Food Drive sponsored by Tri-M Music Honor Society - December 14-18 

• Spirit Weeks - Each of the buildings will communicate about their spirit weeks! 

• Baseball Ornament Sale- CA Ornaments- $10 - More information

• CA Student Government Light Up Canandaigua Academy - Friday, December 18 and Saturday, December 19 - 6 - 8 p.m. at Canandaigua Academy 

 

 

In Summary

 

Please continue to practice safe, preventative habits.  Because governmental restrictions are the result of area-wide infection rates and hospital capacity, the only way we stay open is if we can control the spread.  Thanks for your support and all you do.  We appreciate our One Braves Family!

 

Sincerely,

 

Jamie Farr

Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District 

Friday, December 4, 2020  Good afternoon, I hope everyone enjoyed a safe and relaxing Thanksgiving.  It is great to have students and staff back on campus and we continue to work diligently to keep us safely open. Please help by doing your part as well, wear a mask, socially distance, wash your hands frequently, and stay home when sick, seeking the attention of your medical provider. Infection rates and hospitalization rates continue to rise at an alarming rate and we need to combat this trend together and immediately.  Today’s communication focuses on the following:   Orange and Red Zones, etc. COVID Dashboard Community Events / Holiday Events 1. Orange and Red Zones, etc. Governor Cuomo unveiled a new Five-Point Winter Plan to combat the spread of COVID during his press conference on Monday. Specifically, he is adding hospital capacity to the metrics being tracked which will designate areas in certain zones and thus, restrictions, to combat overwhelming our healthcare systems.  Specific to schools, originally if we were deemed an orange or red zone, we had to close for four days and then test everyone prior to returning on campus.  That guidance has changed, in part because of yellow zone testing across the state demonstrating that spread of COVID hasn’t been happening in schools and they are indeed open safely. If we are deemed an orange zone, we would need to test 20% of all students and staff over a month timeframe. If we are deemed a red zone, we would need to test 30% of all students and staff over the course of a month.  If you are following along closely, based on this latest guidance and the most recent changes to the yellow zone designation, having to test 20% of all students and staff over a two-week period, a yellow zone designation is more restrictive than an orange and red zone.  We’ve posed this curiosity to state officials and have yet to receive clarity.  Please stay tuned.  Below is a link outlining the Governor’s Five-Point Winter Plan to combat COVID: NYS COVID-19 Winter Plan 2. COVID Dashboard Updated December 4, 2020  Each week we will report information about COVID cases. If there is an exposure in school, we will communicate immediately. Otherwise, if there has not been a school exposure, as to not inundate you with communications, we will update you here, in the Friday communications as well as, launching this coming Monday, there will be a COVID Tracker Dashboard, updated daily, on our website so that you can see the daily COVID numbers. Please also know, since our last Friday Communication, it has been two weeks, due to Thanksgiving Break therefore, the increases you see below are taking into account two weeks' worth of new cases. It is important to note, sometimes a student or staff member may be out of school for a few weeks. Due to privacy and confidentiality concerns, we cannot share why they are absent. It is important to know that there are many people in quarantine as a precaution around the state. If there was ever an exposure to you, we will notify you as will the Department of Health.   As of Dec. 4, 2020  Total Cases Cases Still Active Cases completed/ returned to school Staff 2 1 0* see below Students 24 10 14 Total 26 11 14 *Reflects cases from the 2020-2021 School Year, updated at 12 p.m. on Friday, 12/4/20; COVID cases of staff members at the District Office and Operations Center will not be reflected in the NYS Dashboard.  One adult case was not connected to a school building so they are not listed as returning to school. This will not appear on the NYSDOH Dashboard. 3. Holiday Information  I continue to be impressed with the generosity of our community. When our closure started in the spring, we received over 1,000 gift cards to share with families during meal pick up. During this holiday season, our school community has many opportunities to share and give back to the community. Some of these opportunities are highlighted below:    Salvation Army Angel Tree - The Canandaigua City School District has supported the Canandaigua Salvation Army for many years by hanging gift tags on our Angel Trees. Students and their parents usually shop and bring gifts to the school. This year will be a little different but we would like to invite you all to GO SHOPPING online through Wal-Mart at this link: Angel Tree of Canandaigua. You and your child can buy any of the suggested gifts and Walmart will deliver them directly to the Salvation Army making this year's holiday season special for families in need. Please consider doing this kind gesture for our kids. Any questions? Contact Kelly Smith smithke@canandaiguaschools.org.    Canned Food Drive sponsored by Tri-M - For the past few years, our Tri-M Music Honor Society has collected canned goods during the holiday Prism Concert. Since this is unable to happen this year, Tri-M is organizing a district-wide canned food drive event to benefit the food pantry through Canandaigua Churches in Action.    Save the Date - 2020 Holiday Prism Concert - This concert will be live-streamed on Thursday, December 17 at 7 p.m. through the District Youtube channel. Mark your calendars! You do not want to miss these performances. All performances are pre-recorded following our safety guidelines and protocols.    UPK Registration is open for the 2021-2022 school year. More information is available here: Canandaigua Schools UPK Registration In Summary I can’t emphasize this enough, we truly want to keep our schools safely open but in order to do that, we must reverse the infection rate trends. If the rates and hospitalizations continue to climb, we will certainly be risking our ability to remain open and more importantly, we will be risking the wellbeing of members of our One Braves Family. Thank you for doing your part.  Be well, stay safe, and Go Braves! Sincerely, Jamie Farr

Good afternoon, Braves Family,

As the Halloween weekend is upon us, I hope that everyone is safe and diligent in taking proactive measures to remain safe and keep us progressing in a positive manner. This week’s communication focuses on the following items:
 

1. Mental Health Resources
2. Facilities Access
3. Parent Data Dashboard from NYSED
4. Chromebooks: Hard Reset
5. Apparel / Mask Sales

Mental Health Resources

At the Canandaigua City School, we have an outstanding mental health team that supports our students and families and we thank them for all their tremendous work and support which they provide our community. This team is composed of school counselors, school psychologists, social workers, prevention specialists, and family services facilitators. For more information and for a complete listing of our mental health team, please check out this page on our website: Mental Health Resources. 

Facilities Access (Athletics, etc.)

As our district faces the many challenges surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic, we have taken a measured and careful approach to opening our district facilities outside of school hours. We have been diligent in our approach to using our trained and certified staff to work with athletes and other school groups at the secondary level, implementing proper screening and cleaning protocols while keeping in mind the need for students to be active and engaged with their peers to positively impact their physical and emotional health.
While we wish we could open our facilities to all of the public as we have prior to recent events, we are not yet confident that we could do so safely while providing proper screening, contact tracing, supervision, and cleaning that would be required by the New York State Department of Health. We will continue to review a phased-in opening of school facilities as we learn more from Governor Cuomo and the NYSDOH in the coming weeks. Prior to any further decisions being made regarding more access to facilities, we must first learn what the Governor determines for winter athletics and we anticipate this information being announced at some point in November. We thank you for your understanding and patience as we do our best to get it right.

Parent Data Dashboard from NYSED

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) has developed a parent data dashboard located at the following address: https://data.nysed.gov/parents/.  
Parents have the ability to give feedback via this online form. For additional information about the parent data dashboard and the press release letter from the New York State Education Department, click here: Parent Dashboard Letter

Chromebook: Hard Reset

Each week, it is important to fully restart your Chromebook. Chromebooks operate with the Google Chrome browser and Google is constantly updating Chrome. In order for the device to update, the Chromebook needs to be restarted. Here is a brief video about how to restart a Chromebook: Video Restart Chromebook. This is the first step the technology department takes to repair a Chromebook and a restart fixes many issues with devices. 

Apparel / Mask Sales

Check out these apparel sales that are currently open:

Class of 2022 Apparel Sale - Password: Classof2022 - deadline November 13, 2020
CA Baseball - Open through November 5
Red CA Braves Masks are BACK!- Sale ends Friday, November 6 at 11:59 p.m.

In Summary

Thank you to everyone for your persistent and focused attention to all the restrictions we are operating within.  We know it isn’t easy but we appreciate your collective efforts. As we see numbers of infection on a bit of an incline, it is even more important to keep each other safe and follow the guidelines. Be forthcoming about symptoms, stay home when you are not well. I’d like to also acknowledge the herculean efforts of our staff, students, and families.  No matter how we look at it, these times are challenging and downright exhausting. I am grateful for your efforts and sense of togetherness. 

Sincerely,

Jamie Farr
Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

Good evening, 

I apologize for the late evening communication however, this evening we received new information related to the case we communicated about earlier today through BravesSquare at 3 p.m. Based on further contact tracing, Ontario County Public Health (OCPH) is requiring four students from the Gray Cohort at the Academy to be excluded from school until further notice, while contact tracing continues. The reason these students need to remain home is out of an abundance of caution. The students were in one room with their masks on and distanced at six feet apart however it was longer than sixty minutes and they were seated next to the student who has now tested positive for COVID-19. The students impacted, and their parents, have already been notified.

To the best of our knowledge, this case originated outside of school because it has now been determined, this student was in close contact with an infected person. The individual who tested positive was not symptomatic when they came to school. However, the individual showed symptoms within 48 hours of being in school; therefore, the New York State Contact Tracers needed to investigate the potential exposure at school and elsewhere.                  

Because of our safety measures and the diligence of our students and staff, the potential risk of exposure has been minimized.  This serves as a reminder of the importance of our focus on preventative safety measures and our ongoing need to remain vigilant and cautious.

This is an evolving situation and the Health Department is monitoring it closely. If you have any specific questions related to this issue, please contact the department of health at 585-396-4803.

Sincerely,


Jamie Farr
Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

 

Friday, October 23, 2020,

Happy Friday, everyone.  I hope you are still well and remaining safe.  It is important to note that in our region, infection rates are climbing slightly.  Please continue to do your part and follow precautionary guidelines so that we can keep progressing towards a full reopening. Avoiding large social gatherings, wearing masks, and washing hands is a small price to pay to keep us on track.

Today’s communication covers two very important items. Please read carefully: 

1. Survey

2. Calendar Changes 

 

Survey

Now that we are in a bit of a rhythm and thinking about how things are going at this moment as well as how things might be structured for semester two, we really need your input and feedback.  We shared a survey with staff yesterday and parents and students also received this survey last evening with the Open House message in BravesSquare. We are also sharing it again here in case you didn’t see it.  Please click the link below and take the survey.  It should only take a couple of minutes and the feedback is critically important in helping us determine our direction.  Staff, please access the survey in the communication from yesterday. The surveys close at 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 29. 

 

Parent & Student Survey

 

Calendar Changes

After reviewing the calendar, we have decided to make a few slight changes to balance the number of in-person school days for our cherry and gray cohorts of students. Please pay close attention as this does impact most of our students and families.

The half day scheduled for the purpose of parent-teacher conferences on Friday, November 20 for grades UPK-5 has been switched to Tuesday, November 17. 

Tuesday, November 17 will be a half day for UPK - 5. Teachers are scheduling parent conferences for the afternoon of Tuesday, November 17. The December 4 half day remains the same and is the other scheduled half day. The Primary-Elementary School will provide more information on the expectations for those days and parent conference information. 

Tuesday, November 24 is now gray cohort in-person day. 

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, we have decided to switch Tuesday, November 24th to a gray day. Cherry students will not have an in-person day on Tuesday, November 24. This change addresses two important issues. The schedule will now allow our teachers to connect with their gray students in-person before the break otherwise there would have been a large span (12 days) without teachers being able to connect with gray students in-person.  This change also helps better balance the number of in-person days for the cherry cohort and the gray cohort. If your child attends school four days a week, this change will not affect their in-person days. 

 

In Summary

As we have been saying since March, this situation remains very fluid and we need to be flexible enough to monitor and adjust when it makes sense and is appropriate.  The changes listed above are far in advance such that we hope the hardship it may cause families will be mitigated.  Programmatically, the changes make sense and are both done after hearing feedback from families and staff, with an eye on fairness and equity.  

 

Thank you for your support, enjoy your weekend, stay safe, be strong, and Go Braves!

 

Sincerely, 

 

Jamie Farr

Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

Tuesday, October 20, 2020, 

Dear Braves Family, 

Minutes after we communicated yesterday afternoon, we confirmed that an additional Canandaigua Primary School student tested positive for COVID-19. The student last attended school on Tuesday, October 13. The family has now been placed on home quarantine. Given the timing of this case and the onset of symptoms, OCPH has confirmed that there was no exposure at school. The District cannot release any further details due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).  Per privacy guidelines, no additional identifying information can be shared. 

The District has collaborated with the Ontario County Public Health and contact tracing is ongoing. If you and your child(ren) have not been contacted, there is no exposure and nothing further you need to do at this time. If the OCPH indicates there is anything further that needs to occur, we will keep you updated.

Numbers in our area have been on the rise and as a school community we need to continue to take precautionary measures. Please continue to wear masks, social distance, and wash your hands.

If you have any questions regarding this or other COVID-19 related concerns, please contact the Department of Health or your physician. You also will find helpful resources posted on the COVID-19 Reopening section of our website: https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info.

Thank you for continuing to focus on healthy practices with your children,

Jamie Farr
Superintendent, Canandaigua City School District

Dear Braves Family,

The Ontario County Public Health (OCPH) informed us this morning that a Canandaigua Primary School student tested positive for COVID-19 and a second Canandaigua Primary student is presumed positive.
 

• One student attends in-person and the student last attended school on Tuesday, October 13. The family has now been placed on home quarantine. Given the timing of this case and the onset of symptoms, OCPH has confirmed that there was no exposure at school.

 

• The second student is a virtual student and is a presumed positive case. The student has not been in our school buildings this school year. 

The District cannot release any further details due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Per privacy guidelines, no additional identifying information can be shared.

The District has collaborated with the Ontario County Public Health and contact tracing is ongoing. If you and your child(ren) have not been contacted, there is no exposure and nothing further you need to do at this time. If the OCPH indicates there is anything further that needs to occur, we will keep you updated.
Statewide, and here at home, it is clear that the COVID-19 exposure risk at school has proven quite low and in fact, in each of our cases thus far, COVID was contracted outside of school. Further lending support for our safety guidelines which our staff and students continue to do a great job with. As we continue to operate out of an abundance of caution, we want to impress upon you the importance of closely following our safety protocols and practices both in school and outside of school.

If you have any questions regarding this or other COVID-19 related concerns, please contact the Department of Health or your physician. You also will find helpful resources posted on the COVID-19 Reopening section of our website: https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info.

Thank you for continuing to focus on healthy practices with your children,

Jamie Farr
Superintendent, Canandaigua City School District 

Friday, October 16, 2020 

Good afternoon, Braves Family,

Our Friday update is brief today and I hope we have a beautiful fall weekend here in Upstate New York. 

1. Community Forum Recap
2. Open House - Thursday, October 22 
3. October 23 - Superintendent Conference Day Cancelled 

Community Forum Recap

Last night, I hosted a reopening forum with Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Matt Schrage and our Director of Student and Administrative Services/ COVID Liaison, Vern Tenney.  During the forum, we outlined information related to second-semester information, updates from the Governor, short term closing plans if necessary, closing plans if we are forced to close for longer than two weeks, health protocols and flowsheets, and instructional updates. There is a lot of important information and I strongly encourage you to watch the recorded forum if you were unable to do so last evening. 

• Slides from Reopening Forum - October 15, 2020 
• Recording from Reopening Forum - October 15, 2020 
• Flowcharts from the New York State Department of Health 

We plan on holding forums in the future to share relevant information.  

Open House - Thursday, October 22

Since we were not able to host our traditional open houses this school year, we are releasing open house videos from our teachers on Thursday, October 22. At 6 p.m., the District will send a message and all the teacher videos will be posted in BravesSquare at that time. As a reminder, sixth grade already had Open House. 

Friday, October 23 is a School Day

Our original calendar had Friday, October 23 as a Superintendent’s Conference Day. The conference day was moved to the start of the year. Friday, October 23 is now a school day.

That is all for today.  Stay safe, be strong, and Go Braves!

Sincerely, 

Jamie Farr, Superintendent

Canandaigua City School District 
 

Important Information - 10/15/2020 at 3 p.m. Thursday, October 15, 2020  Dear Braves Family, The Ontario County Public Health (OCPH) informed us this morning that a Canandaigua Academy student has tested positive for COVID-19. The student last attended school on Thursday, October 8. The OCPH has indicated that there has been no risk of exposure at school due to the timing of the onset of symptoms and the last day on campus for this student. The family has now been placed on home quarantine. Per privacy guidelines, no additional identifying information can be shared. The District cannot release any further details due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The District has collaborated with the Ontario County Public Health and contact tracing is ongoing. If you and your child(ren) have not been contacted, there is no exposure and nothing further you need to do at this time. If the OCPH indicates there is anything further that needs to occur, we will keep you updated. Although this is the first known case of COVID-19 where the student has actually been on campus this school year, we can expect that it won't be our last. As we continue to operate out of an abundance of caution, we want to impress upon you the importance of closely following our safety protocols and practices. If you have any questions regarding this or other COVID-19 related concerns, please contact the Department of Health or your physician. You also will find helpful resources posted on the COVID-19 Reopening section of our website: https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info. Thank you for continuing to focus on healthy practices with your children. Be well, stay strong, and Go Braves! Sincerely, Jamie Farr Superintendent, Canandaigua City School District

Dear Braves Family,

We are now officially four weeks into the school year for students and five weeks in for staff.  My pride continues to be high as I recognize our collective perseverance and persistence.  Although I acknowledge that there are many things out of our control, let's remain vigilant to control the things which we can as to keep everyone safe and in order to continue progressing towards a return to an actual normal. 

Today’s communication includes:
 

1. Forum - Thursday, October 15 - 6 p.m. 
2. Tech Help Desk at Canandaigua Academy for all students 
3. Five-week progress report cards 
4. Helpful Resources
5. Community Page - Google Sites 

Forum - Thursday, October 15th at 6 p.m.

You may recall that during the closure last spring, we held frequent Zoom Community Forums where we could share our current status, provide any updates, and reserve time to answer questions.  We will host our first forum since August this coming week and it is open to all students, staff, and parents/guardians.  During the forum, we will share instructional updates, return to learn / work protocol, and share new information provided from the Governor’s Office specific to COVID hotspots and what that would mean for us if we were deemed a hotspot. You can join the forum by following the link below.  I will be joined by two panelists, Matt Schrage our Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction as well as Vern Tenney our Director of Student and Administrative Services / COVID Liaison. I hope you can make it! If you cannot, a link to the recording will be shared on our website the next day.

Zoom Link for Thursday, October 15 - 6 p.m.
Passcode: HXRP82




Tech Help Desk at Canandaigua Academy for all students

In order to help respond to the many technology-related help desk tickets, we have designed a walk-up help desk that parents and students can access during the hours of operation. The help desk is for both Hybrid and Virtual students and can even be accessed by families on days in which students are not on campus for in-person learning.  Please refer to the visual for the hours, how to set up an appointment, and how to access the help desk. The HelpDesk opens for virtual and in-person students on remote days starting Tuesday, October 13. 





Five-week Progress Reports

It is progress report time.  Canandaigua Middle School and Canandaigua Academy parents/guardians will receive the progress reports on Friday, October 16th through BravesSquare in a secure document share.  

Helpful Resources

The Parents page on our website has information about Schoology, BravesSquare, Infinite Campus, and more! 
https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/parents Check it out! If you have technology-related questions, please email techhelp@canandaiguaschools.org. 

Community Page 

Each month we will share information from our community partners related to youth events in our community through the site linked below which can also be found on our webpage. This page is also on the LINK section of BravesSquare if you need to reference it in the future.

Click here: Canandaigua Community Information 

In Summary

Please enjoy your three-day weekend, keeping in mind that there is no school for any of our staff or students in observance of Columbus Day on Monday, October 12.  Stay safe, be strong, and Go Braves!

Sincerely,

Jamie Farr
Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

Friday Reopening Communication - 10/2/2020 at 3 p.m. Good afternoon, I hope you enjoyed the week and together we can celebrate the fact that we have made it to October! Let's keep taking it one day at a time, following our safety protocol, and remaining diligent as to keep everyone safe and progressing towards a full return to normal. Today’s communication focuses on the following important information:   Health Protocol Updates Safety Week - October 5-9 Half-Day - Friday, October 9 Reopening of Athletics/ Out of Season Training Meal Pick Up Information  Health Protocol Updates/ Return to School Procedures The New York State Department of Health updated the COVID-19 medical algorithm for students and staff. It is important to note the following adjustments: If you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, the guidance from the Department of Health states you must have a Healthcare Provider Evaluation for COVID-19. This can be in-person or by video/telephone as determined by the Health Care Provider. Healthcare Providers can make an alternative diagnosis and/or recommend a COVID test for students or staff to return to school. If you are symptomatic, you will need a Healthcare Provider Evaluation indicating a negative COVID test result OR a copy of a negative test result. The Healthcare Provider could also provide an alternative diagnosis if the student or staff has a chronic condition or a confirmed acute illness. If you or a household member test positive for COVID-19, the Ontario County Department of Health will determine when you are released from quarantine.   We will be updating the Daily Health Questionnaire for Monday to reflect the new guidance from the Department of Health. It is important to remember if you answer YES to any of the questions, you need to remain home. If you answer No, you can go to school. Make sure you wear a face mask, practice social distancing, and wash your hands frequently.   We ask that you continue to contact our schools to report absences, symptoms, and positive COVID-19 test results. If you are ordered to stay home, please do not return to school prior to confirming that we have received all the necessary clearances.     We encourage you to read the attached documents provided by the NYSDOH. These are the COVID-19 Screening Flowsheet for Students or Staff and a COVID-19 Flowsheet for Students or Staff with COVID-19 Symptoms. COVID Screening Flowsheet from NYS Department of Health Student or Staff with Symptoms Flowsheet from NYS Department of Health Safety Week - October 5-9 Next week, our schools will be practicing important drills and procedures. Students will review evacuation procedures but will not evacuate to off-campus locations like they have done in the past due to our need to maintain social distancing. In preparation for safety week, teachers will discuss with students the various drills and procedures the school has in place. Drills are announced to the staff in advance so they can prepare and discuss the procedures with our students.    Students will practice the following drills: Shelter in Place Hold in Place Lock Out Lockdown Fire drills   The Canandaigua City School District is committed to protecting the safety, health, and well-being of our students and employees. In the event that virtual students return to school at some point this year, we will review safety procedures and practices upon the full return to in-person learning. Thank you for your cooperation with safety week. Half-Day Schedule - Friday, October 9, 2020 Friday, October 9 is a half-day for all of our gray students and virtual students. Cherry students will continue to have assignments in SeeSaw and Schoology. Friday, October 9 is a go home early drill as required by state law.  Primary-Elementary  No UPK on Friday, October 9 Gray cohort of students attend school for half-day- dismissal at 11:40 a.m. Virtual students attend school for a half-day and follow the directions from their classroom teacher Cherry students login to Seesaw (UPK-2) or Schoology (3-5) and follow teacher instructions Canandaigua Middle School Gray cohort students will attend periods 1-4 with pick up at 10:40 a.m. Virtual students attend period 1-4 online Cherry students login to Schoology and follow teacher instructions Canandaigua Academy - Academy Schedule for October 9, 2020  Gray cohort students will attend periods 1-9 in the adjusted schedule above with dismissal at 10:55 Virtual students attend periods 1-9 online based on the adjusted schedule above Cherry students login to Schoology and follow teacher instructions  FLTCC continues as scheduled Athletics Update The reopening of sports and out of season training began this past Monday, September 28th.  So far our coaches and athletes have been fantastic, following all our screening and safety protocols every afternoon.  Please know, at this time, all plans to do anything athletic related on our campus must run through our athletic office and be approved by our Director of Athletics, Jim Simmons.  Anything permitted to run on our campus must involve only our student-athletes and have direct oversight provided by our own certified and board-approved coaches. Meal Pick Up Meals are available to students on school days that they are remote or virtual learning. On Friday, October 9, meals will be available from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. The time change is due to dismissal at the Primary-Elementary School on the half day. There will be no meal pick up on Monday, October 12 due to Columbus Day.  In Summary Thank you for your continued support and patience.  This is very challenging for all of us but we are doing our best, working together, staying collaborative, and demonstrating creativity.  There is a saying if you want to go fast, go alone but if you want to go far, go together. Together, we will go far! Stay safe, be well, and Go Braves! Sincerely, Jamie Farr Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

Greetings, Braves Family,

I trust this email finds you well while remaining safe.  Each day, up until this point at least, there is a growing sense of a feeling of normalcy and settling into a rhythm although admittedly, there is still work to be done and this isn’t the “normal” which any of us truly want.

Today’s Communication will include:

1. Current Symptom Algorithm (Updated by DOH)
2. Foodlink Information
3. Technology Update
4. Virtual/ Remote Learning For Success
5. Athletics/ Clubs/ Co-Curriculars
6. Academic Rigor

Current Symptom Algorithm (Updated by DOH)

As predicted last week, the algorithm has changed and will likely change again in the future but this is the current process for returning to learn and/or work if someone had COVID or symptoms of COVID. 

Students: Return to Learn - Department of Health 

Employee: Return to Work - Department of Health

Foodlink Information

The SPOT, Canandaigua Churches in Action, and Foodlink have teamed up to supply families with a bag of non-perishable foods for long weekends.  If you would like to participate in this program and receive a bag of non-perishable food for holiday weekends, please submit this form to sign up by October 2: 

Foodlink Monthly Food Distribution Sign up 

Technology Update

We continue to hear about difficulties students are having with their devices when they are working remotely/ virtually.  We believe we have isolated the issue. Our filtering system, iBoss, needs an adjustment to the filtering process.  Our IT team is working tirelessly responding to literally thousands of work order tickets and late in the day Thursday were finally able to speak with representatives from iBoss to update their filtering protocol in a more streamlined manner so that sites can be authenticated and approved in a more efficient manner. Ideally, this switch can be fully executed by the end of next week. We understand your frustration and we thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through these issues which many districts are struggling with right now as well. 

Virtual/ Remote Learning For Success

Virtual and remote learning is new territory for all of us.  There is a lot of research out there that suggests approaching home learning in the same manner as a person would approach in-person learning has a positive impact on success.  Getting up, eating a healthy breakfast, taking care of your personal hygiene, and getting into your outfit for the day puts a person in the right mindset for accomplishing work. The following suggestions appeared on Today.com and may be of help to students and parents alike:
(https://www.today.com/parents/when-your-child-learning-online-mind-your-manners-t191092)
 

1. Everyone who might appear on camera needs to be fully and appropriately clothed.
2. Let your child be the student.  Teachers are great at wait time and engaging students.
3. Be aware of mics that are on as to not capture any adult conversations in a nearby room.
4. Remain at your computer and engaged in the lesson instead of multi-tasking and/or doing chores, etc. Similarly, if a parent is going to sit with their child while the lesson is happening, be on the camera and make yourself known in case the teacher does want to request your assistance. 

Athletics/ Clubs/ Co-Curriculars

Clubs, activities, and athletics are able to start on Monday, September 28th.  Be on the lookout for details specific to any club or activity your child might be interested in.  Following our safety protocol strictly is an absolute requirement and if there are any violations of the safety guidelines, activities will be shut down. Let's do our part to keep moving in the right direction with our reopening progress.

Academic Rigor

We’ve heard from a few parents that they believe the academic expectations on remote or virtual days are not lofty enough.  We’ve also heard from a few parents that the expectations are too much.  Recognizing that every family and child’s capacity is different at this time is an important distinction now more than ever. Our staff is working so hard, carrying a great burden of worry and concern that they are doing things right.  The reality is, we are all brand new at this.  It is a work in progress but in order to make this work, we need to stick together, as a community.  Supporting one another, encouraging one another, and offering feedback in a kind and compassionate way is how a high-quality community such as ours operates. 

In Summary

I may be dating myself here but there is a famous episode from the television show The Brady Bunch in which sibling Jan Brady expresses frustration (and perhaps jealousy) over all the attention her sister, Marcia, is receiving and she insists that all she hears all day long is “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.”  For whatever reason, this visual was conjured up when I think about how often everyone seems to be using the word “nimble” these days.  I often wonder if all the other words say “All I hear all day is nimble, nimble, nimble!” 

I know, it is a silly reference and I suppose it is perhaps how I bring a little levity to the situation we are in, and just when I feel I’ve reached a point of hearing the word “nimble” more than I can possibly take, I relent and find both the humor and parallels.  

To be nimble means, by definition, to be quick and light in movement or action; agile. Given our circumstances, staying nimble is actually the perfect word to describe what we must be as a staff, as students, as a learning community, and as a greater community. Guidance changes regularly and we must be nimble. Schools near us have already had to shift to completely remote because of quarantine and being unable to fully staff the operation. It is for these very reasons, I continue to say, we must follow our protocol cautiously but be ready to be quick and light in movement in a moment's notice or as some might say, be nimble, nimble, nimble!

Have a great weekend everyone and thanks for all you do! Stay safe, be well, and Go Braves!


Sincerely,


Jamie Farr

Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

Canandaigua City School District 
Information Release - 9/27/20 

Dear Braves Family:

The Canandaigua City School District was notified by the Ontario County Department of Health that two of our students have tested positive for COVID-19. The origin of these positive cases occurred outside of school as neither of these two students have been in school during this school year. They have been following the guidance of the Ontario County Health Department since just before school started.

As a school community , we need to continue to stay diligent and proceed with caution. Please continue to monitor your child for symptoms and have him/her stay home if they are sick. In addition, please contact your child’s healthcare provider if they develop symptoms or if you have any additional questions or concerns. We will continue to do everything we can to minimize the impact COVID-19 has on our community. Thank you to everyone for your efforts to impress upon your family the importance of ongoing healthy practices.

Sincerely,
Jamie Farr
Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District
 
Vern Tenney
Director of Student and Administrative Services, COVID 19 District Liaison

Dear Braves Family,

It felt great to have our students and staff back in our halls and classrooms this week. The recurring theme was that so far it is going much better than anticipated and that everyone was eager to learn and be back together. I was also able to check out teachers leading virtual classes. Watching them bring energy and enthusiasm to their students through Zoom was fun to see. The past few months have been challenging preparing for the reopening, but this week gave us continuous reminders of why we love what we do.

We had some challenges with traffic and technology. There is room for improvement and many people are working hard to create systems and structures that support our students and families. A special thank you to our staff for being nimble and showing grace throughout this week.

Today’s communication includes important information about the following:
 

1. Health Information & Protocols- Updated 
2. Tech Information 
3. Open Houses - CMS & Academy Rescheduled 
4. Athletics Sign Up Reminder
5. Apparel Sales
6. Smiles 

Health Information & Protocols - Updated 

The Ontario County and NYS Department of Health adjusted their Symptomatic guidelines for students and staff. This is a mandated process for New York State.

Please review the linked document for the specific details. The critical takeaway is this: if anyone shows a COVID 19 symptom, they cannot be in school until they are symptom-free, have a release from a medical care provider, AND a negative COVID test. The only other way to return is to be out of school for 10 calendar days and symptom-free.

We have received questions on what to do when there is a household member that has tested positive for COVID 19 or a household member who is symptomatic. These charts will guide you on what needs to occur for a student or staff member to return to school in those situations.

The slides have been updated- See 9/25 Communication 

Thank you to everyone for completing the daily health screening. We will continue to push out reminders each morning at 7 a.m.

Technology Update 

We are aware that this week did include technology glitches for some students and staff. Our IT team has been working tirelessly trying to respond to the many help desk tickets and what they have discovered so far is that some of the issues are vendor dependent and we are at the mercy of the vendor making the update/fix. We continue to press our vendors to make these adjustments. The other issues are very much individualized and there doesn’t seem to be a large scale fix at this point and instead, it takes time to individually solve each issue. Please keep in mind, we are one week in and we knew there would be issues in the opening week or two. We appreciate your understanding, patience, and communication as we work through ironing out these wrinkles.

Open Houses

Open House at the Academy and the Middle School are being rescheduled for dates in October. Stay tuned!

Athletics - Sign Up Reminder 

Junior varsity and varsity fall athletics begin on September 28th and modified fall athletics begin on October 5th.  Approved fall sports include boys and girls soccer, boys and girls cross country, girls swimming, and girls tennis.  Please be sure to sign up if your child wishes to participate.  Public Schools have been granted leniency on sports physical deadlines due to the COVID crisis.  Here is the link to sign up through Family ID:  https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/athletics/registration

Apparel Sales

The Spot/ PTSA: https://stores.inksoft.com/canandaigua_school_store/shop/home
Questions? Contact Sarah Chilson- TheSpotCanandaigua@gmail.com

CA Student Government: https://canandaigua-2020.itemorder.com/sale
Questions? Contact Roberta Bittel- bittelr@canandaiguaschools.org 

CA Soccer: https://m3apparel.com/product-category/cdgasoc_fanwear2020/
Questions: Contact Lisa Cooke- cookel@canandaiguaschools.org 

Smiles

Check out a few pictures from the first days of in-person school.
First Day- Cherry Cohort
First Day- Gray Cohort


Thank you for all you do, together we CANandaigua! Have a great weekend, stay safe, be well, and Go Braves!

Sincerely,


Jamie Farr
Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

We have been working with the NYSPHSAA and the Monroe County League to determine how we will move forward with our fall sports season. The state has provided very strict guidelines that will need to be followed and were developed by the New York State Department of Health for practices and contests to ensure the safety of all of our athletes and coaches. Specifics regarding mask use, screening, and social distancing will be shared prior to the start of the season. Football, girls and boys volleyball, and competitive cheerleading have been rescheduled to start on March 1, 2021. 

 

Varsity & JV Sports

 

Low and moderate risk varsity and junior varsity sports (girls swimming and diving, boys and girls soccer, girls tennis, and boys and girls cross country) will begin practice on Monday, September 28.  Registration through Family ID for varsity and junior varsity sports are open now. 

 

Modified (7th & 8th Grade) Sports

 

Modified sports (girls swimming and diving, boys and girls soccer, girls tennis, and boys and girls cross country) will begin practice on Monday, October 5th. Registration through Family ID for modified sports will begin on Monday, September 14.

 

Registering for Sports

 

Instruction to complete the registration process using FamilyID on the school district website is located below. Due to the restricted access to physicians by families, NYS has waived the requirement for athletes to have a new health screening on file. To register for any of the fall sports listed above please click the link.

 

• Again, if your son or daughter had a physical for school for the 2018-2019 or 2019-2020 school year, you do NOT need to have a physical for fall 2020 athletics.

• First day of practice for the varsity and junior varsity sports above is Monday, September 28th.

• First day of practice for modified sports will be Monday October 5th

• Students can participate in athletics whether they are hybrid or virtual learners.

• Families are responsible to transport athletes who are not participating in in-person classes to campus for practices or to campus to ride the bus to games. If parents are unable to provide transportation for their athletes to practices, please contact your son or daughter’s coach or the Athletic Office at (585) 396-3825 in advance.  Practice times for all sports and levels are still to be determined.

• Practices and games are not open to the general public.

• Per NYS Department of Health Guidance, players, coaches, officials, event personnel and only two spectators per player are allowed in attendance for contests.  Canandaigua CSD, in conjunction with Monroe County Public High School Athletic Conference and Section V Athletics will develop procedures to assure that only two spectators per player are in attendance.  These procedures will be communicated through our athletic department and coaches.  The two spectators per player will be strictly enforced.

• In order to alleviate the burden on families and friends of not being able to attend games, the district is considering live-streaming more junior varsity and varsity contests than a typical year.

• Sport specific rules and guidelines will be shared with those who register for the sport. 

If you need assistance with registration, contact FamilyID at support@familyid.com or call 888-800-5583 x1.

Thank you!

James Simmons

Director of Athletics

 

Friday, at 8 a.m.  Good morning, Today, September 11th marks a solemn day for obvious reasons. As the anniversary of a tragic terrorist attack on our nation's soil, I know many of us will never forget that day. I can still remember the entire day vividly and as the towers were struck, I was actually a classroom teacher and had a study hall full of students at the time. I recall gathering around my radio with the students as we listened in disbelief. What I choose to remember the most is how we, as a nation, came together in the wake of such tragedy. That sense of cohesion, care, and support was palpable. Let us collectively remember and strive for such unity every day and pay respect to those lost on this day. Turning our attention to school, many exciting things are happening and we look forward to students returning to our buildings on Monday and beginning synchronous virtual learning on Monday as well. Our entire staff has been working very hard to return to school under these circumstances. I know I have said it before, but thank you to everyone who has made our return possible and thank you to everyone for the patience as we have worked through the closure, drafting reopening plans, reorganizing schedules, and much more. We have called ourselves the One Braves Family and during the past 6 months (and it has been almost exactly six months), this family has supported each other in many ways. Our work is not over and we need to continue to work on following the social distancing guidance and do our best to keep our infection rate low. Additionally, there will still be wrinkles to iron out. Many districts who have already started the year have experienced extreme congestion at drop off and pick up as more parents are driving their children to school. The first few weeks will be a challenge in all likelihood as we work through logistics and we ask for your understanding, patience, and cooperation as we work hard to get it right. Regardless, I am looking forward to the 2020-2021 school year and making it our best one yet! After all, that is what we do! Today’s post includes Information on today’s remote learning day BravesSquare info video  Health Screening App - Reminder School Picture Information (Update) Athletics Remote Learning- September 11, 2020  Today is the first official school day for students and the virtual learning activities are accessible. For students in Grades UPK-2, please log in to BravesLink and follow the directions Seesaw. For students in grades 3-12, please access Schoology through BravesLink and follow the directions there. Friday, September 11th Virtual Learning Directions BravesSquare Information  Each week, classroom teachers will be sending week at a glance updates at 5 p.m. on Sundays through BravesSquare. This video gives directions about messages and also how to set up your notifications. BravesSquare will continue to be our central communication platform. BravesSquare App & Website Video Daily Health Screening Reminder As part of our return to school process, please remember that the daily health screening must be completed for each student before they get on the school bus or enter school. The health screening is found in BravesSquare and can be accessed on a smartphone or web browser. Please complete this screening and if you answer yes to any question, please keep your child home from school. It takes less than ten seconds to submit the screening once you become familiar with the process and we really need your help because, for every person who forgets to submit it, we have to find them and screen them in school which becomes an inefficient use of time. These screenings only need to be done for your child (or as a staff) on the days you are physically on campus (for academics and/or extracurricular activities). School Picture Summary (update) CA/ CMS Cherry Cohort- Monday, September 14 & Tuesday, September 15 during PE CA/ CMS Gray Cohort- Thursday, September 24 & Friday, September 25 during PE PES Cherry Cohort- Monday, October 26 & Tuesday, October 27 PES Gray Cohort- Thursday, October 29 & Friday, October 30 Virtual students: Clix will be photographing those students who have chosen to learn 100% virtual from home at Canandaigua Academy (in the Field House) on 9/15 and 9/24 from 2:45 pm to 4 pm. Please make your appointment and be certain your child is camera ready when you arrive. Virtual students will have to complete the required health screening before having their picture taken at the field house. All picture information can be found here: https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/school-photos Athletics Wednesday evening, the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) announced the statewide decision to delay football, cheerleading, and volleyball (fall sports) until 3/1/2021. Winter sports start and end time and spring sports start and end time are being adjusted to accommodate this change. More information is to follow in the coming days and weeks. Late today, students and parents of students in grades 7-12 will receive a message regarding the decision our league has made about modified, junior varsity, and varsity fall sports, not listed above and delayed by the state, and what their status will be for this fall season. Please be on the lookout for that information and prepare to register your student if he or she wishes to participate in any of the other fall sports which we are still able to offer as they are deemed to be lower risk sports by both state and national standards, involving less contact. In Summary Thank you so much for your support, grace, understanding, and togetherness. Our motto remains the same and it is a sentiment I hear over and over again from staff, students, and parents, because as a community, “we’ve still got this!” Stay well, be safe, and GO BRAVES! Sincerely, Jamie Farr Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

Food Service Update

On August 31, 2020, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) extended a program allowing us to offer free breakfast and lunch to all Canandaigua City School District students. Students will be able to eat meals at no cost. This program is currently scheduled to run until December 31, 2020 or until federal funding is not available. At this time, this program is temporary. We ask that families who qualify for free and reduced meals still complete the forms and the information is used for different grants for the District and because this program is temporary. 

 

During this school year, students will eat meals in various locations in our buildings due to social distancing guidelines. Only meals will be available this year and students will not have the opportunity for ala carte items. 

 

Meal pick up is grab and go breakfast and lunch. This is available to students on school days they are not attending in our building. Virtual students can pick up meals on all school days, hybrid students can pick up meals on days they are remote learning, and students attending school four days during the week can pick meals up on Wednesdays. 

 

Meal pick up will begin on Friday, September 11th from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Primary Entrance of the PES complex. Please enter off of Gibson Street. Meal pick up will continue each school day from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. When picking up meals, we will need your student’s meal ID# or first and last name.

Any questions, please contact 585.396.3700 or email foodservice@canandaiguaschools.org

 

Good afternoon,

 

We are excited to welcome our students back to school. Our first day of school is Friday, September 11 for all students in the Canandaigua City School District. While school will not be in person on this day, all students will engage in activities remotely. These activities are intended to provide students with helpful information to start the school year and is applicable to both students attending in-person or virtually. The activities will not take the entire day to complete and students can complete them at their own pace.  Students will find these activities located in Seesaw for grades UPK-2 and Schoology for Grades 3-12.

Directions for Students on Friday, September 11th

On Friday, students will need to login to their district issued device and will engage in self-directed activities designed by our staff.  Student login information will be used to take attendance.

All UPK-12 students will need to:

• Login to their device

• Access BravesLink - Click here for BravesLink Click here: BravesLink Intro Video

Once logged in:

All Students in Grades UPK - 2 will:

• Click here to access a video tutorial for how to use Seesaw.

• Click on the Seesaw icon on your device in BravesLink.

• Activities will be available for students to begin working on starting Friday morning at 8 am. The Seesaw activities for students to complete intend to help prepare them for the start of the school year. 

All Students in Grades 3-12 will:

• Click on the Schoology icon

 

• Once logged in, look for the course: Welcome Back! The course will look like this: 

• On Friday, students will follow the directions to complete the activities that are organized inside the course. This will include videos, graphics, and activities intended to help prepare students for the start of the school year. Activities will be available for students to begin working on starting Friday morning at 8 am.

Ipad/Chromebook Pick up/ Exchange- See Technology Schedule for device exchange information

Pick up and drop off is located at the District Office, 143 North Pearl Street 

Wednesday, September 10- 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

Thursday, September 11- 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Friday, September 12- 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Tech Support

If you have any questions, please email techhelp@canandaiguaschools.org or call (585) 396-5790. 

As a reminder, we begin our hybrid and virtual learning in earnest on Monday, September 14. The cherry cohort reports in-person for the first time on Monday, September 14 and the gray cohort reports in person on Thursday, September 17. On the days in which either cohort is not in person, they will engage in learning remotely on either Schoology for grades 3-12 or SeeSaw for grades UPK-2.

Back to School Health & Safety Update - Including Daily Health Screening Information   Wednesday, September 2, 2020, Good afternoon, The main purpose of communication is to provide information on our health and safety plans for the 2020-2021 school year. Schedules/ placement information was distributed yesterday through BravesSquare and last week a transportation survey was sent to any family that indicated they would need transportation for the 2020-2021 school year. If you have questions about transportation, please call the transportation department (585) 396-3740. This week- Building Forums Click here: PES Forum Recording (from last night!) Click here: Middle School: Thursday, September 3, 2020 - 7:15 - 8:15 p.m. Click here: Canandaigua Academy: Thursday, September 3, 2020 - 6 - 7 p.m Below is health and safety information about the following topics: IMPORTANT: Daily Health Screening Face Covering Information & Resources Updated Cleaning Protocols  Positive COVID Test Protocols Daily Health Screening Each morning before a student or staff member reports to one of our facilities, a daily health screening is required. This is set up through BravesSquare and needs to be completed by the student or parent prior to getting on the bus and/or arriving at school. The health screening needs to be completed only on days the student attends in person. On the web app, the daily health screening will appear at the bottom of the mobile device. The district will have a process for screening those who did not complete the health screening. The district will follow up with families to encourage and support completion at home. The health screening tool is available on both the phone application and the BravesSquare website through ParentSquare. For directions on how to complete the daily health screening, please view this video: Daily Health Screening Video.  This feature in BravesSquare is now open and available for you to view. Please start using this for the daily health screening starting Tuesday, September 8 if you are coming to one of our buildings. Face Covering Information Students will be required to wear a face-covering for most of the day. They will remove it while eating breakfast or lunch. There will be mask relief areas where people are appropriately distanced and supervised. Students need to wear a face-covering when entering school each morning. Additionally, please pack an extra mask/ face covering. If they do not come to school with a mask/ face covering, one will be provided. Masks: The Finger Lakes Reopening Schools Safely Task Force ruled on Monday, August 31, 2020, that the following face coverings are not allowed in schools: Masks with exhalation valves Gaiters Bandanas Golisano Children's Hospital Mask Resources Click here: Mask Tool Kit- English Click here: Mask Tool Kit - Spanish (Note, Parent Square can translate posts into 105 languages) Cleaning Protocols - 2020 - 2021 School Year  Classrooms Each classroom will be provided with a cleaning solution in a squirt bottle and cloths to wipe down surfaces after student or staff use Common Areas Building custodians will clean high touch surface areas in hallways such as doorknobs, railings, hallway bathrooms three times a day Restrooms Each restroom will be checked three times per day while school is in session to prevent garbage overflow, lack of soap, paper towels, toilet paper, or sanitary napkin dispenser overflow. Toilets, sinks, and shower areas will be disinfected three times a day, wearing proper PPE to avoid splashes High Touch Areas  Cleaned & Disinfected, three times per day Sinks Faucets Soap dispensers Drinking fountains Door handles and push plates Light switches Handrails Other Cleaning Procedures All trash receptacles emptied and trash removed from the room Floors full mopped Doors and partitions in restrooms and locker rooms cleaned Walls are spot cleaned Check that toilets, faucets, and drains are working Check and empty sanitary napkin boxes Clean exterior of dispensers Make sure all windows are locked Re-stock all paper and soap products WEDNESDAYS & SATURDAYS - DEEP CLEANING = ELECTROSTATIC DISINFECTION  Positive Screening/UPK – 12 Staff and Students  Staff/Student has a temperature > 100 OR Exhibits symptoms of COVID-19: Fever, chills, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of taste/smell, headache, cough, nasal congestions, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, fatigue, muscle aches, or body aches. Staff member and/or Student will remain home or be sent home and referred to primary care or other health care provider. HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FINDS ALTERNATIVE DIAGNOSIS: Alternative diagnosis such as strep, allergies, asthma, etc. Provider needs to write a note stating the alternative diagnosis and they believe it is appropriate for child to return to school Child needs to be fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing meds and symptoms improving HEALTH CARE PROVIDER DOES NOT FIND ALTERNATIVE CAUSE FOR SYMPTOMS AND NO COVID TEST DONE: Child must be out of school for at least 10 days from first day symptoms appeared and 72 hours (days 8, 9, and 10) without fever-reducing meds Need note from healthcare provider stating that child can return to school TESTED FOR COVID, TEST IS NEGATIVE: Return to school in 24 hours if symptoms improve with no fever and no usage of fever reducing medications in that 24 hour period Need note from healthcare provider stating that child can return to school CONFIRMED POSITIVE COVID-19 TEST RESULT: Ontario County Public Health will place student in isolation, which lasts a minimum of 10 days. Need note from healthcare provider stating that child can return to school Prior to returning to school for any of the above scenarios, please contact the school nurse Find a COVID testing site:  https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/find-test-site-near-you   Click here: Graphics in this slideshow and more: Health & Safety Protocols 2020-2021 Other info:  Apparel Sale: Canandaigua Academy Student Government Apparel Sale Closes Sunday, September 27 Mask Sale: Mask Sale Closes Tuesday, September 8 Join PTSA: For just $5 you can join our Canandaigua Parent Teacher Association: Visit https://canandaigua.memberhub.store/ or email canandaiguaptsa@gmail.com for more information. Thank you for your continued patience and cooperation. We look forward to welcoming our staff back to school next week and starting the school year with our students. Caroline Chapman Director of Communications & Advisement

Canandaigua City School District Students, Parents, and Staff: 

Join our building leaders for an informational meeting about the start of the 2020-2021 school year. The meetings will be a Zoom webinar format and only the district panelists are visible on the screen. The forums will be recorded and posted to the website the following morning: https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info/re-opening-2020-2021.

Building Forum: Primary-Elementary School: Tuesday, September 1, 2020 - 6 to 7 p.m.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83978298327?pwd=d1EzY0RNd3ZwRzk0U1F6aGtuUXd2UT09

Passcode: 0P6fMB

 

Building Forum: Middle School: Thursday, September 3, 2020 - 7:15 - 8:15 p.m.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84749445127?pwd=RVZYRTVudFM0K0pudmp2SjhtcGdsdz09

Passcode: W6jP9N

 

Building Forum: Canandaigua Academy: Thursday, September 3, 2020 - 6 - 7 p.m.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83632078536?pwd=U3BrcEhtT2F4d3JlRWs5Rzc4SjN5QT09

Passcode: 3GR4jq

 

School Picture Day Information
 

In-Person Students
Click here for flyer: Canandaigua Academy 
Dates: In PE on September 14, 15, 24, 25

Click here for flyer: Canandaigua Middle School 
Dates: In PE on September 14, 15, 24, 25

Click here for flyer: Canandaigua Primary-Elementary School
Dates: October 26, 27, 29, 30 

Virtual Students
Clix Sign up Virtual Student Sign Up Information

Just because your child may not be in the classroom doesn't mean they should miss out on having their picture in the yearbook, class composites, and that photographic memory to share with family and friends. CLIX wants every child represented in the yearbook, class composites, etc. so for those families that have selected on-line learning CLIX is offering to have their students' images taken at our location at no cost. It's simple, fast and Clix will be certain the school receives your child's image to be included in all the photographic keepsakes that the school provides- Sign up Link *

*If virtual students are unable to work out a time with Clix, we will reevaluate at the school year progresses how we can include the virtual students who did not sign up through Clix.

Note: The links listed here are through Clix Portrait Studios and not the Canandaigua City School District. We are not responsible for the content of their site.  Clix Portrait Studio - (585) 338-2521; we encourage orders to be placed online. Thank you!
 

Today's Communication includes information on two important items:
1. An adjustment to the opening week of school
2. Governor Cuomo's announcement regarding athletics

Good afternoon,

I hope this email finds you well and that you are enjoying these beautiful August days.

An Adjustment to the Opening Week of School

I am writing to update you on a change to our Superintendent Conference Days and the first days of school. Wednesday, September 9, and Thursday, September 10 will now be Superintendent Conference Days. Friday, September 11 is a remote/virtual learning day for all students in the District and the first official day of school. Students will report in person, for the first time on Monday, September 14 for the cherry cohort. Students will report in person for the first time on Thursday, September 17 for the gray cohort.

Due to the continued preparation for the start of the school year and the readjustments to lesson planning caused by the hybrid model, the conference days were reallocated from October and March to allow the two additional conference days at the start of the year. Therefore, the originally planned Superintendent Conference Days on October 23rd and on March 12th are switched to instructional school days.

Students attending either the BOCES FLTCC program begin on Wednesday, September 9. Students who attend an out of district special education program will begin on the start date that has been communicated to families. Hybrid students who are participating in our 8:1:1 or 12:1:1 special classes, English Language Learners (ELL), and students who attend the Canandaigua Academic and Career Center will begin in-person learning on Monday, September 14.

 

Cherry Cohort- Generally students with last names A-K

Gray Cohort- Generally students with last names L-Z

*Those who requested special cohort adjustments will be notified if we were able to accommodate your request shortly.

I know this change may pose a challenge for some but we simply needed to make the decision to fully prepare for an effective reopening and provide our staff with sufficient training and support. Ultimately, because we moved conference days, no instructional time was lost and many may realize that approaching it this way, instructional time will be maximized as staff will have been afforded sufficient time to prepare. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

Governor Cuomo's Announcement Regarding Athletics

Governor Cuomo announced today that lower-risk sports may begin to practice and compete beginning September 21st in all regions across New York State while sports which are considered higher-risk with full physical contact may only begin practicing on September 21st. We are still awaiting much greater detail about this decision (including the comprehensive classification of higher-risk versus lower-risk sports) and hope to be able to share further information with you in the coming days.  

In Summary

As we've said all along, information changes continually and we need to remain positioned to be nimble so we can monitor and adjust as more information is made available. Be well and remain safe.

Thank you,

Jamie Farr
Superintendent of Schools
Canandaigua City School District

Tuesday, August 18, 2020 

 

As the Canandaigua City School District continues to plan for the start of the 2020-2021 school year, we wanted to update you on some important information and answer some more questions we have heard from our school community. Please continue to refer to our website for additional information.

Today’s updates include: 

 

1. Schedules & Placement for the 2020-2021 school year 

2. Calendar Information

3. The First Day of School

4. School Supplies Lists

5. School Hours 

6. Transportation

7. Athletics

8. PTSA Meeting- Tuesday, August 25

9. Questions? Where to look, who to ask

 

Schedules & Placement 

 

Thank you for completing the preference survey. Our building administrative teams and counselors are reworking the master schedules to set up the virtual classes and to rebalance the hybrid classes. We anticipate that schedules and teacher assignments will be released electronically around Tuesday, September 1. While we realize this is later than ever, many factors go into making our schedule and require the reworking and evaluation of learning plans for over 3,000 students. We appreciate your patience as we work through the changes.

 

Calendar Information

 

The District paper calendar is at the printer and should be in mailboxes at the end of next week. The calendar also includes important information related to school policies and the free/ reduced lunch application. We tried to leave as many events as possible scheduled on the calendar. Based on current guidance from the Department of Health, some of these events will not take place. However, if the guidance changes, we want to have our important school events and traditions scheduled. All the events are tentative and subject to change. The most updated calendar will be available on our website’s calendar page: https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/calendar

 

A few major events that will not be able to happen this year and are not listed on the calendar:

 

• The 8th grade Washington, DC Trip- Due to the current social distancing concerns and the need to collect money in advance for the trip, we have decided to cancel the 8th grade Washington, DC trip 

 

• Homecoming- Due to the large crowds that gather at all our Homecoming events and the fact that athletics are delayed until at least September 21st, we are unable to have Homecoming this year. We have an outstanding Canandaigua Athletics Hall of Fame class to induct and that will be pushed back to the fall of 2021. This includes not hosting pep rallies and homecoming dance. We realize this is disappointing news for our students and school community. We are disappointed that we cannot celebrate Homecoming and look forward to when we can hold events to celebrate our school and our students.  

See the August 24 Communication for this update

The First Day of School 

 

The First Day of School is Wednesday, September 9. Since Wednesdays are days which no students report in person, all students in Grades 1- 12  will have remote instruction related to the start of the school year on Wednesday, September 9.  The first day of school for students in Grades UPK, K is Thursday, September 10. 

 

The first-day students who chose the Hybrid model report are as follows: 

 

• Cohort 1- We are going to call this the Cherry Cohort- The first day they report in person is Monday, September 14. Generally, these are students with the last name A-K. 

 

• Cohort 2- We are going to call this the Gray Cohort- The first day they report in person is Thursday, September 10. Generally, these are students with the last name L-Z

 

Virtual learners will go through an orientation on Wednesday, September 9 and synchronous virtual learning will begin on Thursday, September 10.

 

 

School Supplies Lists 

 

While there may be some slight variation in supplies, our teachers are trying to stick to the lists that were distributed regardless if a student is doing hybrid or virtual learning. The lists can be found on our website: School Supplies Lists 2020-2021

 

School Hours 

 

As we start back to school, we just want to remind families of our school hours. School hours have not changed from last year. 

 

Canandaigua Primary-Elementary School: 

8:40 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. 

 Arrival Window: 8:30-9 a.m / Dismissal: 3:05-3:30 p.m.

 

Canandaigua Middle School: 

7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. 

The building is open at 7 a.m. for drop off/ All students leave the building at dismissal

 

Canandaigua Academy: 

7:35 a.m. - 2:24 p.m. 

The building is open at 7 a.m. for drop off/ All students leave the building at dismissal

 

Canandaigua Academic & Career Center: 

7:35 a.m. - 2:24 p.m.

 

We continue to work out traffic patterns and please look for communications from buildings related to drop off/ pick up procedures. 

Transportation

 

For those who requested transportation as part of the learning preference survey, you will receive the transportation form this week through email. If you have any questions specifically related to transportation, please contact the bus garage directly at (585) 396-3740. 

 

Athletics

 

All Fall 2020 interscholastic athletics are on 'PAUSE' until at least 9/21/2020.  When we receive more information related to resuming athletics, we will update our registration process and you will be notified via BravesSquare. Thank you for your patience. Here is the statement related to Fall Sports Registration from our league: MCPSAC Fall 2020 Information 

 

Canandaigua Parent - Teacher - Student Association 

 

The first meeting of the Canandaigua PTSA is Tuesday, August 25 at 6 p.m. through Zoom- Click here to join the Zoom on August 25; Passcode: 9EULeF

 

This meeting will be centered around the PTSA’s role for the coming school year and officers will be elected. If you have any questions related to the PTSA meeting, please contact our current PTSA president, Leslie Mast: tetonius@gmail.com. Thank you to the PTSA for supporting our school community!

 

Questions? 

 

If you have specific questions related to the return to school, please contact your child’s school directly. All information related to reopening can be found on our website: Reopening Page. This page is continuously updated and includes: 

• Frequently Asked Questions

• The District’s Reopening Handbook

• Building reopening plans that were submitted to New York State

• Links to all COVID 19 Communications, Mental Health Resources, and the 2020-2021 school calendar 

 

Additionally, all past communications can be searched in the toolbar at the top of the BravesSquare app or website. On the app click the magnifying glass to search. On the website, there is a search box in the black bar at the top of the window. You can search by keyword, the date of a post, the name of the sender, etc. Check out this feature of BravesSquare and download the app today. 

 

Have a great day,

 

Caroline Chapman

Director of Communications & Advisement 

Canandaigua City School District 

(585) 396-3714

 

Click here for the recording of Parent/Guardian Forum #3 - 8/18/20

Click here for the recording of Parent/Guardian Forum #2 - 8/13/20

Click here for the recording of Parent/Guardian Forum #1 - 8/11/20

Monday, August 10, 2020, 

Good afternoon,

I hope everyone enjoyed the nice weather over the weekend. Thank you to the families who have completed the return to learn preference survey. This information is very important as we schedule our students and staff for the fall semester. If you have not completed the survey, please try to do so by Wednesday, August 12 at 1 p.m. 

In today’s communication you will find the following information:

1. Links to Staff & Community Forums 

2. Reminder about resources available

3. Return to Learn Survey- Please complete by Wednesday, August 12 at 1 p.m. 

Forum Links & Information: 

Staff Forum: Tuesday, August 11 - 3 p.m.

Parent/ Community Forum: Tuesday, August 11 - 6 p.m. 

Parent/ Community Forum: Thursday, August 13 - 3 p.m.

Parent/ Community Forum: Tuesday, August 18- 12 p.m.

For both forums on Tuesday, August 11, Superintendent Jamie Farr will be joined by:

• Emily Bonadonna, Canandaigua Primary School Principal

• Brian Amesbury, Canandaigua Elementary School Principal

• John Arthur, Canandaigua Middle School Principal

• Marissa Logue, Canandaigua Academy Principal

• Stephanie Knapp, Director of Special Programs

• Matt Schrage, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction

Each of these forums will be recorded and linked to our website. During the forum, the panelists will address frequently asked questions and answer questions from the audience.

Resources Available: 

Our website is being continuously updated with resources. Check out our reopening page for more information including the frequently asked questions document and the return to learn handbook. If you have any questions related to reopening, please direct them to this form. Sending questions to this form allows us to update the FAQ and direct questions to the building administrators. 

Return to Learn Survey: 

It is important that we have the reply for the return to learn survey for each of your children by Wednesday, August 12 at 1 p.m. As we plan to reopen schools in about a month, this information is needed to create schedules and for placement.  The survey was sent directly to your email on Friday, August 7 and can be accessed through BravesSquare (directions are below).

 

Thank you for your patience as we continue to follow the guidelines from NYSED and the Department of Health. We look forward to supporting our students in September.

 

Sincerely, 

 

Caroline Chapman

Director of Communications & Advisement

Canandaigua City School District

 

 

---

 

Directions for accessing the preference survey:

 

●  You will receive a survey for each of your children.

●  The easiest way to access the survey is to click on the link that was sent by email.

●  BravesSquare will ask you to re-authenticate your login information when you click on the link to the secure survey.

●  If you are looking at the survey on a mobile phone, the survey will be listed under “More and Student Notices” for each of your students.

●  If you are looking at the survey on a laptop, Chromebook, or desktop via the website, the survey will be listed under “Secure Docs” for each of your students. It is important you are on the homepage to view the survey. Click home to get back to the home screen in BravesSquare.

●  Please make sure to complete the survey for each of your children that attend the Canandaigua City School District by 1 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12. This information is very important as we plan the 2020-2021 school year.

●  If you have any questions or trouble accessing the survey, please contact portalhelp@canandaiguaschools.org.

Friday, August 7, 2020,

Good afternoon Braves Families,

I trust this message finds you well, having enjoyed such a beautiful week filled with blue skies and comfortable temperatures.  Today’s communication will be fairly straightforward and will include:

1. The Canandaigua City School District Reopening Handbook
2. 20-21 Preference Survey Information
3. Required Forums per Governor Cuomo

Handbook

Thank you to the many contributors who created this document. There have been many iterations and adjustments made throughout the planning process.  In all, we have taken the feedback from hundreds of stakeholders (staff, student, parents, and community members) and created a plan which best meets the needs of our community while simultaneously adhering to the NYS Department of Health and the NYS Education Department Guidance documents.

The Canandaigua City School District Reopening Handbook can be found by clicking here and it is also available on our website now as well. Please keep in mind that while comprehensive, we are aware that the handbook probably does not answer each and every question you may have.  There are so many details associated with the work ahead.  As we learn more, we will update the document and we will also update our FAQ which can also be found on our website.

Making Your Selection

Please spend time reviewing the handbook and FAQ document so you can make the most informed and best decision for your family and each of your children.  You will receive a separate email (similar to the survey you took previously about reopening which helped to guide our decisions) with a survey for each of your children.  You will need to fill out the survey for each child.  Some of the questions are a repeat from the previous survey but now that the decision is more formal, we need to solidify our data.

Directions for accessing the preference survey:

●  You will receive a survey for each of your children.

●  The easiest way to access the survey is to click on the link that was sent by email.

●  BravesSquare will ask you to re-authenticate your login information when you click on the link to the secure survey.

●  If you are looking at the survey on a mobile phone, the survey will be listed under “More and Student Notices” for each of your students.

●  If you are looking at the survey on a laptop, Chromebook, or desktop via the website, the survey will be listed under “Secure Docs” for each of your students. It is important you are on the homepage to view the survey. Click home to get back to the home screen in BravesSquare.

●  Please make sure to complete the survey for each of your children that attend the Canandaigua City School District by 1 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12. This information is very important as we plan the 2020-2021 school year.

●  If you have any questions or trouble accessing the survey, please contact portalhelp@canandaiguaschools.org.

Remember, you are selecting between fully virtual learning for the first semester of the school year or in-person for that same timespan.  In-person could be fully in-person five days a week, or a hybrid with two days of in-person instruction and three days of remote instruction per week, or fully remote five days a week all depending on the guidance documents we must adhere to.  Currently if you select in-person, we will be opening the school year in a hybrid model.  This could change throughout the course of the semester if the guidance information from the state changes and becomes less or more restrictive. Our goal for the in-person selection is to return students fully as soon as safe and possible.

We ask that you make your selections by Wednesday, August 12th at 1 p.m..  This is important to give our team enough time to make staffing and scheduling adjustments prior to the start of the school year. If we do not hear from you and your selections, we will continue to reach out in other formats however, if we are unsuccessful in reaching you, the default selection will be in-person. Thank you for understanding.   

Required Forums

Today, August 7th, of 2020, Governor Cuomo announced that we are now required to host three parent/guardian forums and one staff forum to explain our reopening plans and field questions.  Even though we have already hosted several forums, we will schedule more as per his requirement.  We will advertise the links to join the forums widely next week but so you can mark your calendars, our forums will take place over Zoom, as we have in the past, at these times and dates:

●  Staff Forum - 8/11/2020 at 3 p.m.

●  Parent/Guardian Forum #1 - 8/11/2020 at 6 p.m.

●  Parent/Guardian Forum #2 - 8/13/2020 at 3 p.m.

●  Parent/Guardian Forum #3 - 8/18/2020 at noon

In Summary

We fully acknowledge that none of this is ideal.  Ideal would be the safe and complete return to the old normal.  Sadly, that is not yet our reality so it is on us, as a community, to make the very best of this challenging situation.  My years of experience reveals that the experience children have largely depends on the attitude, perspective, and approach which the adults around the children display towards the situation. Learning happens in many ways.  Sometimes it is through explicit, direct teaching and sometimes it is through observation.  We have a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate to our students and your children, how a community can overcome adversity, find avenues to improve, and work together with intent, understanding, and compassion even during a difficult and stressful time in our lives.  These lessons, perhaps more valuable than most, will be carried with our learners into adulthood. What a great opportunity and responsibility we have. 

Go Braves, with Sincerity and the Utmost Respect,

Jamie Farr

Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

 

Tuesday, August 4, 2020 

 

Dear Braves Family, 

 

As we continue to work through the many parts of our back to school planning, we have decided to push back the survey asking for your preference of virtual learning vs. in-person learning. This survey will now be distributed on Friday, August 7 and we ask that it is completed by Wednesday, August 12 at 1 p.m. Governor Cuomo is scheduled to release more information this week related to the reopening of schools and since that information could impact a family's decision, we have decided to wait to ask for your preference. A handbook with further information about reopening schools will be distributed with the survey on Friday. At this time, our in-person learning option is the hybrid structure we have previously communicated. This is based on our current interpretation of the Department of Health and New York State Education Department Reopening Guidelines. If you choose the in-person model, students report to school two days a week and learn remotely three days a week until further notice. 

 

Based on feedback from last Friday’s communication and snapshots of our plans, we have developed the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document that is now included on the reopening page of the district’s website. This document will be updated daily when new questions are asked. If you have questions related to reopening, please direct them to this form: Reopening Questions Form. 

 

Thank you for your continued patience as we work to safely reopen schools for our community. 

 

Jamie Farr, Superintendent of Schools

Canandaigua City School District

 

Friday, July 31, 2020

Dear Braves Family, 

As we look forward to the weekend and the start of August, I hope this communication finds you well. I’m certain you are aware, much work is happening as we prepare for reopening despite regularly changing guidance interpretations.  We will continue to give careful consideration and evaluate the provided guidance information from both the New York State Department of Health / Office of the Governor and the New York State Education Department.  Making decisions and keeping an eye on doing what is best for our students, the staff, and our community is our priority.  

This afternoon we want to distribute information that will help you make an informed decision related to your preference for your child’s return to learning in September. The District continues to review guidelines from New York State and develop plans to help our students return to learning. This communication includes a great deal of important information, so please review carefully.   

Included in today’s communication: 

1. Reopening Plans

2. Snapshots of what these models will look like for each of our buildings

3. Information about the upcoming preference survey - the survey will be distributed on August 4 and preferences need to be completed by Tuesday, August 11 and an even more detailed Reopening Handbook will be distributed with the survey on August 4.

 

Reopening Plans

Today, the Canandaigua City School District submitted our reopening plans to New York State. The detailed plans can be found here: https://www.canandaiguaschools.org/district/coronavirus-info/re-opening-2020-2021

Our families will have the opportunity to pick one of two preferences for each of their children for the first semester of the 2020-2021 school year. The first semester ends on January 29, 2021. The first preference choice is virtual learning. The other preference choice is in person learning, which based on current guidelines is a hybrid model. In the hybrid model, students will come to our school buildings two days each week to learn. The students will learn remotely the other three days each week. Both of these preference choices are outlined in the documents below for each building. Remember, the in person option could be a full return, Monday-Friday for students, a hybrid, or fully remote and this is entirely based on the guidance we must follow coming out of Albany.  Again, based on current guidance, if you choose the in person model, it will be hybrid until further notice. 

If you have questions about the terminology used in the documents, please refer to these definitions. 

Commonly used Terms in our Reopening Plans

 

Snapshots of Reopening Plans

In an effort to streamline the information, we have created a snapshot of how virtual learning and hybrid learning will be structured in each building. Our hope is that this information helps you select a preference that is right for your child. Click on the link to learn more about the two preference choices in each of our buildings: 

Canandaigua Primary-Elementary School

Canandaigua Middle School

Canandaigua Academy 

 

Preference Survey

The survey will be distributed on Tuesday, August 4 through BravesSquare. A detailed reopening handbook will be distributed with the survey which will provide even more information to assist in selecting your preference. Preferences need to be completed by Tuesday, August 11. This deadline is very important as our team will need to relook at placement and student schedules before school starts.  

If you should have any questions related to the plans, please submit them through this form: 

Reopening 2020 - 2021 Question Form. 

I hope you have a great weekend, Braves family. 

 

Sincerely, 

Jamie Farr 

Superintendent of Schools, Canandaigua City School District

 

Tuesday, July 28, 2020 

Dear Braves Family,

At our staff and community forums yesterday I shared the status of our draft reopening plans and fielded questions for the nearly 900 people who attended. Our administrative team continues to review the guidance from New York State and adjust our plans to create a learning environment both in compliance with the guidance documents while at the same time, trying to make a plan which is responsible for our students, families, and staff. Included in today’s post:

 

1. Draft Reopening Plan

2. Option 1- Virtual Learning

3. Option 2- In-Person Learning

4. More information & Future Updates

 

Draft Reopening Plans

 

 

Last night, we released our initial draft plan to our school community and while I wish we could all return in person, based on how our district can meet the guidelines provided by New York State, that is not possible at this time. In the graphic above you will see that families have two choices. Below are explanations about these choices. At the end of the week, we will release more information to help you make your choice for the 2020-2021 school year and we will ask you to make your choice next week through a separate communication. Families can choose which option will work best for each of their children. 

Option 1: Virtual Learning 

In the Virtual Learning Model, a student opts into online learning for the first semester of the 2020-2021 school year. The semester ends on Friday, January 29, 2021.  In this model, 100% of instruction is done remotely and there will be increased rigor from remote learning during the COVID closure last spring. Any student/family that selects this option will have the same expectations for daily attendance, assignment deadlines, grading, and assessments aligned with in-person instruction as those selecting the in-person option. Our plan is to reallocate teaching staff to facilitate learning in a virtual environment.  This will include a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning for students. 

*Students/families selecting this option may not have the same course offerings available to them, as those that choose the in-person learning option. Students who choose a virtual option can participate in extracurricular activities, provided they occur.*

Option 2: In-Person Learning 

Option 2, In-Person Learning, represents a range of options for families that are intended to be responsive to changes related to the status of COVID-19 in NYS.  While our goal is to provide students with daily instruction in person, the current Department of Health (DOH) and New York State Department of Education (NYSED) guidelines call for the use of masks for students and staff and social distancing measures or barriers in all buildings.  

In order to meet the guidance provided to us by DOH and NYSED,  we need to engage in a hybrid model of attendance and instruction to ensure that we are meeting these expectations (area highlighted in yellow in the above graphic). In this model, students will attend school on set days of the week and engage in remote learning on the other days of the week and will be divided into cohorts.

Students will be divided into cohorts and will attend school and engage in learning as outlined below:

UPK-12 students last name A-K: 

Attend school on Monday and Tuesday each week and will engage remotely Wednesday-Friday

UPK-12 students last name L-Z: 

Attend school on Thursday and Friday each week and will engage remotely Monday-Wednesday

When learning remotely on specified days, students will engage with teachers and peers using a combination of asynchronous and synchronous activities and will access learning from home.

For those selecting the in-person learning option, our model will change if guidance changes at the state level.  For example, we could return to daily in-person instruction if expectations for mask-wearing and social distancing are relaxed.  However, much like last spring, the Governor may direct school buildings to close as a result of increased infection rates.  

*NYSED has indicated that districts make special accommodations to support certain populations of students.  Specifically, those in self-contained models of Special Education and students designated as English Language Learners will attend in person more frequently than those students without these specific designations.*

More Information & Future Updates 

We will continue to communicate through BravesSquare and update the reopening page on our website. At the end of this week, we will share more information about what virtual learning and in-person learning will look like when we return in September.

Slides from Last Night’s Draft Reopening Plan Presentation- July 27, 2020 

Community Forum Zoom Recording from Draft Reopening Plan Presentation- July 27, 2020

If you have any specific questions related to our reopening plans and would like them answered during tonight’s board meeting which you can watch on our Youtube channel, please email: TalktotheBoard@canandaiguaschools.org in advance. The Board of Education is having a special meeting today, Tuesday, July 28 at 4:30 p.m. During this meeting, the Board of Education will answer questions submitted through to the email address. For the meeting link and more information, please visit: 

Canandaigua City School District Board of Education Webpage

In Conclusion

Please know that while this plan is a draft and we will need to be nimble moving through the different models of in-person learning, We will provide more information about the two options later this week that will help families learn more information to help them reach an informed decision for each of their children. I know this plan provides challenges and your continued patience, feedback, and support are greatly appreciated. 

Thank you, be well, stay safe, and Go Braves!

Jamie Farr

Superintendent, Canandaigua City School District 

Thursday, July 23, 2020
 

Greetings, Braves Family, 

I hope this email finds you well and remaining safe. We wanted to share important updates with you. This email contains important information as the Canandaigua City School District continues to plan for the 2020-2021 school year. Included in today’s email: 

1. Survey Information- Please complete for each of your children who attend CCSD by 12 p.m. on Monday, July 27, 2020
2. Community & Staff Forum Links for Monday, July 27, 2020
3. Mask / Neck Gaiter order link
4. Commencement video release information - Thursday, July 30 at 7 p.m. 

Survey

Over the past week, our Canandaigua City School District administrative team has been reviewing documents from the New York State Education Department and the Department of Health-related to reopening school for the 2020-2021 school year. As we continue to determine the plans for our school community, we need your input on a survey related to some important topics. The surveys will be distributed in a separate email through BravesSquare Secure Docs. Please complete the survey for each of your children that attend the Canandaigua City School District by noon on Monday, July 27. 

Directions for accessing the survey: 

• You will receive a survey for each of your children
• BravesSquare will ask you to re-authenticate your login information when you click on the link to the secure survey
• If you are looking at the survey on a mobile phone, the survey will be listed under “More and Student Notices” for each of your students. 
• If you are looking at the survey on a laptop, Chromebook, or desktop via the website, the survey will be listed under “Secure Docs” for each of your students. 
• Please make sure to complete the survey for each of your children that attend the Canandaigua City School District. 

The first question asks about your preference for the first semester of the 2020-2021 school year related to your child’s return to learning. We understand that you will have questions about what in-person learning and virtual learning look like.  However, at this time we just need to know what you would be leaning toward if you were given the opportunity to choose. Please know that you are not making this decision nor committing to it at this time for the fall, we are simply looking to gauge where the community stands on this topic should we be able to provide a choice. Additionally, our opening plans will be directly related to the guidance from Governor Cuomo, the New York State Department of Health, and the New York State Department of Education. As I have noted before, this guidance continues to change.  

Our goal is to see where our school community stands overall to help guide our planning. Additionally, we are asking important questions related to transportation and technology/connectivity as well. Thank you in advance for completing this important survey.

Community Forums

On Monday, July 27, I will host two forums related to reopening in which I will share the information I have about the 2020-2021 school year. 

Staff Forum Link - Monday, July 27 - 3 p.m. 

Community Forum Link - Monday, July 27 - 7 p.m.

Mask / Gaiter Orders

Lastly, we had many requests about ordering masks and neck gaiters therefore, the store has been reopened until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, July 27. Neck gaiters may be preferred by some as when not in use, they go around a person’s neck and are much easier to keep track of and not easily lost.  

CA Masks/ Neck Gaiters Link

If you have questions about the masks, please direct them to the vendor, BSN Sports, orders@fastlaneaa.com. Please allow four to five weeks for delivery due to high demand. 

Commencement Video

In other exciting news, our graduation video will be released Thursday, July 30 at 7 p.m. on the District’s YouTube Channel. I look forward to sharing more images and a video of our celebrations for the Class of 2020 with our school community. 

Thank you for your continued support, patience, and flexibility as we plan for the upcoming school year. Be well, stay safe, and Go Braves!

Sincerely,

Jamie Farr, Superintendent of Schools

Canandaigua City School District

July 16, 2020 

Dear Braves Family, 

I write today to give an update related to fall sports. We learned just this afternoon that the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) officers announced plans to prepare for condensed fall athletic seasons beginning on September 21st of 2020 and cancelled all fall regional and state championships. Here is a link to the press release from NYSPHSAA:

July 16- NYSPHSAA To Delay Fall Sports Start Date & Cancel Fall Championships

I share in the disappointment which this news brings many of you and I remain hopeful for the day we can safely return to play and competition. A sure sign of the new school year, and a highlight for me, is taking in all the wonderful competitions which occur in late August / early September along with the excitement associated with the return of our student-athletes, coaching staff, and parents. The Canandaigua City School District has long stood for educating the whole-child and a large part of that also includes extracurricular activities.

Our athletic director, Jim Simmons, also shares in the disappointment related to this news, “Our student-athletes and coaches have worked tirelessly to prepare for the fall season. We are hopeful that our coaches and athletes can begin training and competing as soon as possible. We continue to follow the guidance from NYSPHSAA and the Governor and will keep you posted on any changes.” 

Although our facilities remain closed for athletics and extracurricular activities, including organized outside groups, we evaluate, on an ongoing basis, our plans based on guidance and recommendations which come to us from the Governor’s office. 

We continue to seek guidance and develop draft plans on the reopening of school in September. This process includes Zoom meetings with hundreds of district stakeholders occurring this week.  A presentation of our draft plans to the community and staff will occur on Monday, July 27th. Please stay tuned for information specific to how you can watch the forum presentation.

We thank you for your patience and understanding during these challenging and emotional times.  Until our next communication, stay safe, be well, and Go Braves!

Sincerely,

Jamie Farr

Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District

 

 

Greetings, Braves Family,

I trust this communication finds you well and staying safe.  I wanted to communicate with you to provide an update specific to the developments associated with our reopening planning for the fall of 2020.  You may have recently heard Governor Cuomo state that he has asked school districts to submit their reopening plans for approval. Like many events of the past few months, I learned about the submission of plans during the Governor's press conference. At this point, what was stated at the Governor's press conference is all I know. We have received no guidance on where to submit plans and what should be included in these plans to this point. 

Regardless, we have been compiling thoughts specific to reopening plans. As you may recall, in early June, we sent all students, staff, and parents a Thoughtexchange and asked for your feedback specific to what went well during the closure, what challenges you faced during the closure, and what ideas you might have to improve upon should we need to operate in a remote learning environment again in the future.  We had thousands of thoughts shared and well over twenty thousand interactions with those thoughts which provided valuable and useful information.  

From there, our leadership team has begun to brainstorm reopening plans, concepts, thoughts, and concerns based on four contingency levels:

 

Contingency Plan 1 - Full reopening with in-person instruction 

 

Contingency Plan 2 - Full reopening with in-person instruction with provisions for immunocompromised students and staff 

 

Contingency Plan 3 - A hybrid model with a combination of in-person and remote learning with a reduced capacity of people in our school buildings 

 

Contingency Plan 4 - Remote learning

 

In theory, our movement between each of these contingency plans would be nimble and based on data specific to hospitalization and infection rates.  Not having any direction from the Governor’s office specific to what he may or may not be looking for in reopening plans caused us to want to cover all possible scenarios.  In fact, this approach, developed by the Canandaigua City School District, has now been adopted by the entire Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES region consisting of 26 school districts. 

With each of these contingency plans, we must analyze all parts of our programming, along with adding additional cleaning and safety protocols plus much more (transportation, extracurricular activities, food service, etc.).  Our current planning is nothing more than brainstorming as we were hopeful we would be given guidance. We will need your help as we understand that our plans for the fall will have a significant impact on our community.  We learned yesterday that on Monday, July 13th, we will receive some state-level guidance and we will have until July 31st to create and submit our plans.  As you might guess, this does not leave us much time so we will need to move quickly yet thoughtfully. To that point, the following is our planning process in chronological order:  

1. The Board of Education reviews ThoughtExchange feedback and provides input on draft contingency thoughts created by the administrative team.

 

2. The central office management team meets with union leadership to review what we have at this point to receive their feedback.

 

3. Focus groups will be set up to provide input on the plans (staff, students, parents, community members) Click here to sign up for a focus group. 

 

Staff: If you signed up for the Return to Learn committee through Matt Schrage, you are already signed up to participate. If you are a staff member who is interested in participating in a focus group and did not sign up for the Return to Learn committee, please click the link above. Students, parents, and community members can sign up using the link above as well.

 

4. Administrative leadership team creates a draft plan based on feedback from steps 1-3. 

 

5. Community forum presentations on draft plans through Zoom Webinar.

 

6. Finalize and submit plans to New York State by July 31st.

 

The Governor’s office did also announce that they plan on giving specific communication about if schools are reopening by the week of August 7. At that time, we will use his announcement and our plans to move forward for the 2020 -  2021 school year. 

We are aware that other school districts are sending detailed surveys.  We have held off a little because we want to be certain we are asking the right questions.  As you can see, there will be opportunities for input.  Please stay tuned to BravesSquare as that is how we will be communicating this additional information. 

Please also understand that this is a very heavy lift during unusual circumstances.  No matter what decisions are made, it will be nearly impossible to please everyone. For example, if we return to school fully, someone will be upset.  If we don’t return to school, someone will be upset.  If we are required to wear masks, someone will be upset.  If we are not required to wear masks, someone will be upset.  Regardless, it is important to know that we continue to listen intently, make decisions with care, and always do what is best for our students given the information we have.

 

Until our next communication, be well, stay safe, and Go Braves!

 

Sincerely,
 

Jamie Farr

Superintendent of the Canandaigua City School District 

 

Welcome Kindergarten & UPK Families- be sure to download the BravesSquare to your phone. Contact portalhelp@canandaiguaschools.org if you have any questions.