Dear Families, Faculty and Staff,
The health and safety of our children, faculty and staff at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Academy is our top priority. We are committed to ensuring you have the information you need to stay up to date on the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We are writing to inform you that a member of the St. Gregory the Great Catholic Academy community has tested positive for COVID-19.
We are handling this situation with the utmost seriousness. Below you will find background on State and City protocols we are following at this time to ensure the protection of your child and the St. Gregory the Great Catholic Academy community. The affected classes have been notified, and out of an additional abundance of precaution the St. Gregory the Great Catholic Academy Administration has decided to switch ALL Grades to remote instruction beginning tomorrow January 7th until return to in-person instruction on January 19th.
Please know we respect the privacy of everyone in our school community and cannot share specific information. At this time, no additional close contacts have been identified.
In accordance with New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) requirements and the health and safety protocols established by the Office of the Superintendent of Schools, when a child or staff member has a confirmed COVID-19 positive test result, our administration initiates a series of steps, including:
- The Principal notifies the Superintendent, Office of the Superintendent of Schools
- The Office of the Superintendent of Schools notifies the NYC DOHMH to initiate the NYC Contact and Trace investigation
- NYC DOHMH then conducts interviews to determine if there were any other additional close contacts and verifies levels of contact with the individual who tested positive.
St. Gregory the Great Catholic Academy regularly cleans and disinfect the classroom(s) and spaces. All disinfection follows Hygiene, Cleaning, and Disinfection protocols that comply with both Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NYC DOHMH guidelines. A child or staff member with a positive case of COVID-19 cannot return to the program until they are in accordance with approved guidance.
In addition, children, faculty or staff who are feeling well but taking care of, or sharing a home with, an individual who tested positive for COVID-19, must not come to school and must follow precautionary quarantine instructions from City Health officials.
You can help keep your school community safe and healthy by following these important “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:
- Stay home if sick: Monitor your health and stay home if you are sick except for getting essential medical care (including COVID-19 testing) and other essential needs.
- Physical distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.
- Wear a face covering: Protect those around you. Wearing a face covering helps reduce the spread of COVID-19, especially if you are sick and don’t have symptoms. For more information about face coverings, visit nyc.gov/health/coronavirus and look for “FAQ About Face Coverings.”
- Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available; clean frequently touched surfaces regularly; avoid touching your face with unwashed hands; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands.
In the coming days and weeks, we will closely follow all directions of the public health experts and proactively communicate updates about any measures we are taking via email and hard copy letters. Please do not hesitate to contact the Academy Principal. For additional information on COVID-19, visit schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus or call 311.
Sincerely,
Lynn M. Alaimo & Thomas F. VanBuskirk
Principal and Board Chairperson
