COUNTY EXEC LATIMER ON WVOX THIS MORNING: FEDERAL GOVT RELOCATION OF IMMIGRANT YOUTHS WILL CONTINUE NO INFORMATION ON WHEN FLIGHTS ARE COMING IN. YOUTHS HE IS TOLD ARE VACCINATED. HE HAS NO POWER TO STOP THE FLIGHTS

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From County Executive George Latimer’s appearance on WVOX 1460 this morning. August 17, 2021:

In his regular Tuesday morning appearance on WVOX radio’s Dennis and Tonny Good Morning Westchester,  County Executive George Latimer shared what federal officials supervising the immigrant flights into Westchester which apparently started last Thursday and Friday, August 12 and 13.

Latimer said Federal Officials told him flights would continue and he had no power to stop the flights, because the Federal Government has “superior” authority He repeated he did not know of the immigrant “resettlement” flights as of Wednesday.

After immigrants got off the planes, Latimer said  the youths who were “unaccompanied” were put on  buses to go to “foster families” homes  in New York City, Westchester, New Jersey, Connecticut and upstate.

Latimer was informed the youths were from camps at the U.S. southern border and was told by federal officials, the youths were vaccinated (apparently while being detained).

He said the flights would continue.

He said  the federal officials would not tell where the immigrant youth would be housed or specifically where they are now.

He said they would not say how many more flights would be coming in or dates flights were coming in.

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8 MONTHS AFTER VACCINES ARRIVED, 166,700 NYS HEALTHCARE WORKERS NOT VACCINATED (ONE SHOT OR NO SHOT, WE DO NOT KNOW). STATE HEALTH DEPT ORDERS — GET VAXED BY SEPT 27–OR BE TESTED WEEKLY.

 WPCNR COVID DEVELOPMENTS. From Assemblyman Tom Abinanti. August 16, 2021:

 All healthcare workers in New York State, including staff at hospitals and long-term care facilities [LTCF] (Nursing homes, adult care, and other congregate care settings) will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Monday, September 27. 

The State Department of Health will issue orders requiring all such facilities to develop and implement a policy mandating employee vaccinations, with limited exceptions for those with religious or medical reasons.  State employees who choose to remain unvaccinated will be required to undergo weekly COVID testing.

               The Department of Health has authorized a third COVID-19 vaccine dose for New Yorkers with compromised immune systems, following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation last week. 

Eligible New Yorkers can receive their third dose 28 days after the completion of their two-dose vaccine series. New Yorkers should contact their healthcare provider about whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them at this time.

                To date, 75% of the state’s ~450,000 hospital workers, 74% of the state’s ~30,000 adult care facility workers, and 68% of the state’s ~145,500 nursing home workers have completed their vaccine series.

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INSIDE THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT GUIDE TO REOPENING SCHOOLS

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From the New York State Education Department August 16, 2021:

The Official News release announcing the Guidelines for Reopening Schools issued last Thursday, the news release describes the contents of the report this way:

“At a time when schools are preparing to reopen and the COVID positivity rate is increasing, we must ensure our schools and districts have the most up-to-date resources and mitigation strategies available to keep our children and school staff safe,” said Commissioner Betty A. Rosa. “Reopening amidst a pandemic for the second consecutive year is truly a daunting task. Our hope is that this guide, coupled with the input of local health officials will help the state’s education community as they prepare for September.”

The guide provides strategies, based on information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics, to position schools and districts to manage the risks for students and staff from COVID-19 while supporting engaged learning for all students.

This guide is designed to be used in conjunction with the numerous other local, state, and national resources available to schools.  Administrators are strongly encouraged to partner with their local department(s) of health, director of school health services, and other health professionals when developing their policies and responding to health and safety concerns that may arise during the school year.

The Department’s health and safety guide addresses questions related to: COVID-19 vaccinations, monitoring community transmission, wearing of masks, physical distancing, sports and extracurricular activities, COVID-19 screening, health questionnaire screenings, contact tracing, COVID-19 related facilities projects, remote instruction, and funding sources available to schools and districts that may help with preparing for the upcoming school year and beyond.

The health and safety guide, as well as other back to school resources, are available on the Department’s Back to School website.

WPCNR asked the SED press office if the guide contained the definitive regulations school districts must follow, or whether the guide was a preliminary release prior to the “hard” regulations schools have to put in place by September 7, (3 weeks away). I also asked if contact sports would be suspended as they were last fall. Last fall we had no performing arts concerts, no drama productions, either. I wait those clarifications.

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STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WILL ISSUE GUIDELINES FOR REOPENING OF SCHOOLS.

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From the New York State Education Department. August 16, 2021:

The New York State Education Department Commissioner, Betty Rosa in a memorandum last week announced with the Health Department of New York State turning over school opening policy to individual school districts, that the State Education Department would take over that responsibiliy. Here is the Commissioner’s announcement:

Dear Parents and Families,
Commissioner Rosa
As we continue to confront the unique challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) is committed to the health and safety of students, educators, families, and communities.

This week, NYSED issued a Health and Safety Guide to aid schools and districts as they prepare for the 2021-2022 school year. The guide is a result of close collaboration with a wide variety of stakeholders at the local, state, and national levels to enable New York’s schools to continue to safely educate their students this fall. The guide is available on NYSED’s Back to School web page.

The overall goals for the 2021-2022 school year are to keep students and staff healthy and safe, be responsive to student needs, and maximize in-person teaching and learning. The guide describes important considerations and strategies for schools and districts to manage the risks for students and staff from COVID-19 while supporting robust and engaging learning experiences for students.

We are proceeding with the understanding that the recommendations put forth in this guide are based on the best health and safety information available to us at this time. As the start of the school year grows nearer and then gets underway, NYSED will be mindful of the many uncertainties faced statewide. We will continuously monitor the situation, and the guide will be updated as public health conditions change.

To help ease the burden on schools and districts, federal funding is available to support a safe return to school. The U.S. Department of Education recently announced its approval of New York’s American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) State Plan and released the remaining $3 billion of New York’s $8.9 billion total ARP ESSER funds. The funds will be used to help meet the vast array of additional needs brought about by COVID-19, including the safe opening and operation of schools this September. With input from stakeholders, we have developed a plan to best disperse these funds to benefit all students.

In addition, NYSED recently announced that more than $6.2 million in federal funds are available to help libraries and other cultural institutions across the state address the digital divide, increase access to the state’s cultural history, and expand student access to digital learning materials. These funds will support collaborative efforts to find real and sustainable solutions to address the digital divide in New York State. This significant investment represents meaningful progress in achieving our vision of digital equity and inclusion for students and families. Our libraries will continue to develop bold, creative, and critical ways to serve communities.

The State Library, State Museum, and State Archives will also use $700,000 to improve and expand access to the Office of Cultural Education’s services for all New Yorkers through a range of collaborative initiatives.

These initiatives include: supporting the implementation of collaborative digital inclusion solutions statewide; conducting a broadband infrastructure needs assessment for New York’s small and rural public libraries; creating a diversity, equity, and inclusion framework and toolkit for libraries, museums, and cultural institutions; making core collections from the State Library, State Archives, and State Museum available online for increased public access; developing collaborative online Museum exhibits; and expanding New York’s online summer reading program tools.

I appreciate all you do to support your schools and communities. Please continue to check our COVID-19 web page, our Back to School web page, and our social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn) frequently for all the latest updates.
Sincerely,
Betty A. Rosa Commissioner
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