Dear Warrior Community,
As a direct result of the elevated quarantine and positive cases, the Salamanca City Central School District will pivot to FULL remote instruction on November 8-10. ALL staff are directed to report to assigned buildings.
Food Service deliveries will occur. Students attending out of District IEP based programs WILL be transported as will students attending Ellicottville CTE & Big Picture programs. ALL afterschool activities will be cancelled (11/8-10). The planned BOE retreat on 11/9 will be virtual.
To remain completely transparent in the school district’s status and response to the COVID 19 pandemic, we will begin publishing weekly the number of staff and students who have been quarantined due to close contact or who have tested positive for COVID 19.
The district leadership team has been working closely with the Cattaraugus County Health Department since the beginning of the pandemic. Over the past several weeks, the number of positive cases in our region (Southwest Cattaraugus County) has increased and the number of quarantined and positive students and staff are also increasing. The increased positive designations and quarantined numbers are starting to impact our ability to meet program needs as students and staff are quarantined.
The district is committed to ensuring we are a safe place for students and staff. Most positive cases in our schools were contracted outside of school. The district is continuing to follow all safety practices including masks, cleaning, distancing, and aggressive contact tracing (using SCCSD staff as well as the Cattaraugus County DOH) within 24 hours or less of notification. Given these practices and the data we have available, we believe our schools are a safe place for students and staff.
The number of quarantined and positive staff and students will be published at least once a week. The past two weeks are here for your reference and information.
October 21-27
Quarantined Individuals: 41
Positive Individuals: 9
October 28- November 5
Quarantined Individuals: 91
Positive Individuals: 22
Lastly, while these numbers are elevated, the decision to pivot to remote instruction is a complicated process. These numbers should not serve as an indicator of future decisions to go remote. Like school closures for cold temperatures, this decision involves a multitude of other factors.
Mr. Breidenstein
Superintendent