Important Information from Dr. Cook- December 22, 2020- Winter Break, Travel Advisory and Celebrating Responsibly

December 22, 2020

Dear Catskill CSD Community:

Happy holidays to you and your family! Please be reminded that Wednesday, December 23, 2020 is a half day of school and the final day before Winter Recess. The District is scheduled to reopen on Monday, January 4, 2021. 

As the District continues to be proactive in a climate of uncertainty, I want to ensure that you are prepared and have backup plans if there is a need for us to shift to remote (virtual) instruction after the break. In addition, I have received correspondence regarding the number of fewer in-person instruction days for Group B students in comparison to Group A students. Please know that this is not intentional. Snow days, school closures due to a positive case and parent-teacher conference days have impacted the number of in-person days for Group B students. 

At the January, 2021 regular Board of Education Meeting, I will make a recommendation to the Board to amend the District’s calendar. Specifically, the April, 2021 Parent-Teacher Conferences will be consolidated from two days (Thursday, April 22, 2021 and Friday, April 23, 2021) to one day (Wednesday, April 21, 2021). The amendment will add two additional days for Group B students. 

Lastly, it is imperative that you continue to communicate with us over the break regarding any quarantines and / or positive COVID cases that may occur in your household. You can convey this information to your child’s principal or school nurse. Their contact information is listed below.  

High School                                        Email                                                          Telephone 

Mr. Junait Shah, Interim Principal    junaitshah@catskillcsd.org                        (518) 943-2300 

Ms. Holly Hebb, Nurse                       hhebb@catskillcsd.org                               (518) 943-2300

Middle School

Ms. Kerry Overbaugh                          koverbau@catskillcsd.org                          (518) 943-5665

Ms. Sue Weber                                     sweber@catskillcsd.org                             (518) 943-5665

Elementary School

Mr. John Rivers                                    jrivers@catskillcsd.org                              (518) 943-0574

Ms. Diane Ashley                                 dashley@catskillcsd.org                            (518) 943-0574

Ms. Meghan Jenkins                           mjenkins@catskillcsd.org                         (518) 943-0574

In closing, I wish everyone a happy and restorative holiday break. Please continue to be responsible and follow CDC protocols with mask wearing, social distancing and hand sanitizing. Please follow the Governor’s Travel Advisory if you plan to travel out of the state. My November 16, 2020 correspondence can be found in the link below. We continue to encourage staff and students to stay home if they are feeling ill and / or have COVID related symptoms. Again, in-person and remote instruction will resume on Monday, January 4, 2021. We ask that you continue to check the District’s website, Facebook and Twitter pages for updates.

As always, I can be reached at (518) 943-4696 for questions as well.

Respectfully submitted,

Dr. Ronel Cook
Superintendent of Schools

Travel Advisory Notification (November 16, 2020)

Posted in District.