ARCHIVED UPDATES (2020-21)

June 6, 2021 - Please refer to the following Letter from Dr. Oldenburg for an update on the status of NYSDOH Guidance

May 27, 2021 - The Erie County Department of Health will hold a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Tonawanda High School Wellness Gym on Thursday, June 3 from 3 to 7 p.m. This clinic is for the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine for anyone age 12 and older, OR the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine for anyone age 18 and older.

Walk-ins are welcome, though registration is preferred.

For more details and to register for the Pfizer vaccine, CLICK HERE.

For the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you may register at erievax.powerappsportals.us. Once there, after entering your birthdate, select "City of Tonawanda."

For any questions, you may call the Erie County Department of Health at (716) 858-2929.

View the flyer for more info.

May 17, 2021 - Please refer to the following letter for COVID District updates:

Letter from Dr. Oldenburg regarding District Updates

May 14, 2021 - Please refer to the following letter for COVID instructional plan updates:

Letter from Dr. Oldenburg regarding updates to the MS/HS Instructional Plan

May 11, 2021 - Please refer to the following letter for COVID instructional plan updates:

Letter to Middle/High School families regarding COVID Instructional Plan Updates

April 23, 2021 - Please see the letter from Dr. Oldenburg for an update on the district's revised instructional plan.

April 14, 2021 - Letter from Dr. Oldenburg regarding the district's revised reopening plan

A message to Tonawanda City School District families: The letter sent on 04/14/21 regarding the return of K-5 students to five days a week applies to students in our hybrid instructional program. The district will continue to offer the Remote Warrior program to students in all grade levels. We apologize for any confusion.

April 10, 2021 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Staff and Families:

As you may be aware, the Governor and the NYSDOH have reissued guidance regarding school requirements and mandates during this pandemic period. This updated NYS guidance is largely based on the recent CDC guidance.

While many people may be eager for the opportunity to bring students and staff together for instruction, programming, and services five days a week in a safe and healthy environment, this new guidance requires numerous considerations, steps, planning actions, and communications.

Our district has been planning and preparing for this opportunity. Now that we have been given the parameters required to consider making changes to our school scheduling, we will work to evaluate and understand this guidance and determine how to effectively incorporate it into our district to the greatest extent possible.

Next week, parents and guardians will be receiving surveys and other communications to assist the district in understanding the support and interest in offering an increased student attendance schedule. This will include input from our hybrid and Remote Warrior families in areas of student attendance and transportation.

Although our district has been planning and awaiting the potential change that would allow students to return to school more regularly, there will still need to be a transition period to effectively and appropriately make such significant changes to our schedule, staffing, programming, and service delivery.

It should be recognized that the district is required to engage with the ECDOH and other stakeholders prior to finalizing or releasing any plans to return students to school with a three-foot distance in classrooms.

The new guidance clearly indicates that counties with a high transmission rate of COVID-19, such as Erie County, have additional restrictions for students that attend our Middle/High School. We are working on evaluating our options and logistics that may be possible while adhering to these new guidance mandates.

Despite the interest many of us share regarding providing the highest quality educational programs and returning students to school on an increased attendance schedule, we are required to follow the guidance, protocols, and requirements established by the Governor and the NYSDOH. You can read the full NYSDOH guidance HERE.

The careful and thoughtful pandemic planning of our district and staff has provided a safe and healthy environment for learning since returning students to school in the hybrid model in September. We will continue to take every precaution and to plan carefully and purposefully for a return to a more traditional school schedule as soon as it is possible, understanding that this work is likely to take more time moving forward.

We will continue to share information as it becomes available.

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

March 26, 2021 - Letter from Dr. Oldenburg regarding the TONA2020 project and district COVID updates

March 19, 2021 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Staff and Families:

As you may be aware, the CDC has changed its guidance of six-foot spacing between students and staff in schools to a three-foot spacing.

While this will allow the district to adjust its hybrid model, it will take a period of time for our district (and many others) to evaluate this guidance, determine additional measures needed to bring more students together, plan for Remote Warriors’ continued instructional program, transition hybrid students to an increased attendance schedule, and address staffing needs for all students in all instructional models. Additionally, we will continue to address the needed schedule and staffing changes to our operations, such as transportation, food service, and other special services.

In addition, despite CDC guidance that allows distancing of three feet in schools, in NYS it will require additional guidance from the Governor and/or the NYSDOH that will allow our schools the ability to modify our programming and student attendance schedule. Until that time, we must remain in our current model.

I wanted you to be aware of our position and processes regarding any upcoming change in school guidance. I am sure many parents will be as eager as we are as educators to have their children have the opportunity to return to school more regularly and as soon as possible.

However, we are required to follow the guidance, protocols, and requirements established by the Governor and the NYSDOH. Additionally, the careful and thoughtful pandemic planning of our district and staff has provided a safe and healthy environment for learning since returning students to school in the hybrid model in September.

We will continue to take every precaution and to plan carefully and purposefully for a return to a more traditional school schedule as soon as it is possible, responsible, and safe for everyone. We will continue to share information as it becomes available.

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

February 19, 2021 - Letter from Dr. Oldenburg regarding COVID updates and information on the TONA2020 project

January 27, 2021 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Staff and Families:

As you may have learned, the Governor has removed the ORANGE designation from Erie County. As of today, Erie County does NOT have a color designation, as per the Micro-Cluster Strategy designed by the Governor.

Effective immediately, and confirmed by the Erie County Department of Health Officials, the required random COVID-19 testing for students and staff in our school buildings is CANCELED.

Despite any recent communication and planning by the District to solicit consent for COVID-19 testing during the month of February, please understand that ALL rapid COVID-19 testing has been canceled. Please disregard any consent that you have already provided or any requests for consent that you have received from the District. Our District will NOT be conducting any COVID-19 rapid testing during the month of February and beyond, under this designation.

If our designation in Erie County changes and testing becomes a requirement in the future, we will immediately communicate these changes and requirements with you.

Our testing program was effective, efficient, and safe. As expected, we realized very few cases of COVID-19 from this random testing requirement. I want to thank our students, parents, and staff for their willingness to participate and support this testing requirement so that schools could remain open for inperson instruction during this period.

Additionally, I want to publicly recognize and thank the many district staff members that worked tirelessly on planning, implementing, and organizing this large task. Special recognition is deserving to Mrs. Ammerman, Mrs. Barone, Ms. Edholm, and Mrs. Hammersmith, our school nurses, and Mrs. Donner and Ms. Edgerton, our Director of Instructional Technology and Director of PPS, respectively.

Thank you for your continued support and patience with our district. Please continue to take necessary precautions, complete the daily health screening before entering a building each day, and continue with recommended healthy actions to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19 in your homes and in our schools. Go Warriors!

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

January 22, 2021 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Staff and Families:

Please continue to be safe and healthy during this challenging time. We are proud to continue to deliver instruction to our students in a sanitized and safe learning environment.

Today we completed our required random COIVD-19 rapid testing for January. We had an incredibly successful month in administering our plan, procedures, and testing protocols. This process was safe, efficient, and effective.

For January, we tested 321 people and returned one (1) positive case. This is a COVID positive rate of only 0.31% (less than 1%).

Our next round of random testing will begin next month, as per the requirements in the new NYSDOH guidance. Your willingness to consent and participate in this testing process supports our efforts to continue to offer an in-person hybrid instructional model.

Soon we will be conducting the random selection for February. Each month we are required to randomly select and test 20% of each building's population, as per the Orange Zone designation requirements from the Governor’s Micro Cluster Strategy. People may be selected to be tested more than once in this random selection of the population each month.

If you are selected to be tested in the future, please consider consenting to this simple procedure.

Thank you for your continued support and patience with our district. Please continue to take necessary precautions and continue with recommended healthy actions to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19 in your homes and in our schools. Go Warriors!

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

January 12, 2021 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Remote Warrior Families:

Thank you for your continued support of our District and instructional programming during the COVID19 pandemic.

We are proud to have been able to assign teachers and staff members to instruct, assist, guide, and support our Remote Warriors. Both our students in the hybrid model and the Remote Warrior model are receiving direct instruction and attention each instructional day. We have successfully balanced our staff and instructional resources to provide effective supports to EVERY student.

While we hope for an opportunity to bring all of our students back to our schools on a full-time and regular basis, we have not reached that point to date. Our goal is to continue to ensure that each student continues to have access to high-quality curriculum and instruction. We anticipate continuing the Remote Warrior program to deliver instruction to your child/children in a fully virtual learning environment through the end of the 2021 school year providing the current restrictions remain in place.

As a follow up to Dr. Oldenburg's letter dated January 7, 2021 , the District is anticipating your continued participation in the Remote Warrior program through the end of the 2020/2021 school year. If you would rather not continue with the Remote Warrior program and would like to enroll in the hybrid instructional model, you will need to contact my office prior to Wednesday, January 20, 2020 at 4:00 pm. After I receive your information and enroll your child/children in the hybrid instructional model, you will receive information on the cohort assignment and classroom teacher assignment for your child(ren).

Please call me at 694-7688 or email me at mscullion@tonacsd.org. You do NOT need to contact my office if you wish to remain a Remote Warrior.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Mary Beth Scullion
Assistant Supt. for Curriculum and Instruction

January 7, 2021 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Staff and Families:

I wish you a Happy New Year and start to 2021. We continue to move forward to best support our students, staff, and families as we navigate the continuing challenges of public education during a global pandemic. However, we continue our resolve and unwavering commitment to our profession which is to best serve ALL of our students to the best of our abilities in a safe, developmentally appropriate, and caring manner which is based on data, science, and research.

As we approach the mid-year point of the academic calendar at the end of January, we will offer another opportunity for current Remote Warrior families to commit to this program for the remainder of the school year. These programs are not interchangeable. Our staffing, curriculum scope and sequence, and other sensitive factors are necessary to plan and implement for the successful and optimal delivery of instruction in these different instructional models. The district will share more information on this topic early next week.

Yesterday we completed our first round of required random COIVD-19 rapid testing for January. We had an incredibly successful day in administering our plan, procedures, and testing protocols. This process was safe, efficient, and effective.

We tested 160 people and returned ZERO positive case.

Our next round of random testing for this month will begin on Thursday, January 21, 2021, as per the requirements in the new NYSDOH guidance. Your willingness to consent and participate in this testing process supports our efforts to continue to offer an in-person hybrid instructional model.

If you are selected to be tested in the future, please consider consenting to this simple procedure.

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

December 22, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Staff and Families:

On behalf of the Board of Education and our entire school system, I wish you and your family a magical holiday season. This year, many traditions and customs are likely modified in many ways. I hope that we can find optimism, hope, and peace in the midst of the stress and frustration that this global health crisis has thrust upon us.

We will continue to operate in a hybrid model when we return to school session on Monday, January 4, 2021. The students in the Remote Warrior program will continue to move forward in the fully remote instructional model.

As we approach the mid-year point of the academic calendar, end of January, we will offer another opportunity for families to commit to the Remote Warrior program or the hybrid program for a further period. These programs are not interchangeable. Our staffing, curriculum scope and sequence, and other sensitive factors are necessary to plan and implement for the successful and optimal delivery of instruction in these different instructional models. The district will share more information on this topic in January.

Each day we continue to learn more about the safety of schools in the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical experts, locally and nationally, continue to use science and data to inform the public that schools are safe for students and staff to learn and work. Despite the concerning community spread that is referred to by news outlets, we continue to experience a miniscule number of positive COVID19 cases from our students and staff. Our district has proven that our planning, procedures, and practices have been effective to provide a safe and healthy learning and work environment for our students and staff since September.

Yesterday we completed our testing for the month of December per the requirement for random COIVD-19 rapid testing for Orange Zone regions. We had an incredibly successful month in administering our plan, procedures, and testing protocols. This process was safe, efficient, and effective.

For the month of December, we randomly tested 328 people with consent and returned two positive cases of COVID-19. This is an infection rate of only 0.6% (less than 1%).

Soon we will be conducting the random selection for January. Each month we are required to randomly select and test 20% of each building's population. People may be selected to be tested more than once in this random selection each month.

If you are selected to be tested in the future, please consider consenting to this simple procedure.

Please contact the building principal if you have any questions or if we can further support our students. Please contact your child(ren)’s teacher if you have any questions or need support regarding the instructional programming of the hybrid model or the fully remote model.

Thank you for your continued support and patience with our district. Please continue to take necessary precautions and continue with recommended healthy protocols to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19 in your homes and in our schools. Go Warriors!

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

December 11, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Staff and Families:

Beginning on Monday, December 14, 2020, our district will return to a hybrid model of instruction for those students that previously participated in this model.

Our district will welcome back hybrid students to their cohort model beginning on Monday. We are excited to have reached this opportunity due to the change in the Governor’s and NYSDOH guidance released last week.

The Governor and many leading and local medical experts have repeatedly stated that schools are safe to open and operate. This is based on science and data. The school districts in Erie County were forced to transition to a fully remote model based on the previous Micro Cluster Strategy requirements of an Orange Zone designation designed by the Governor.

Our district did not transition to a fully remote instructional model due to an outbreak, increase in COVID-19 cases, or concern regarding our safety protocols. Instead, our district has proven that our planning, procedures, and practices have been effective to provide a safe and healthy learning and work environment for our students and staff since September.

Yesterday we completed our first round of required random COIVD-19 rapid testing for Orange Zone regions. We had an incredibly successful day in administering our plan, procedures, and testing protocols. This process was safe, efficient, and effective.

We tested 166 people and returned one positive case. This is an infection rate of only 0.6%. The person that tested positive had been home experiencing symptoms for multiple days and participated in our random sample in a special setting. Due to the circumstances surrounding this special case the required contact tracing was completed and did not require any additional quarantines.

Our next round of random testing for this month will begin on Monday, December 21, 2020, as per the mandated time periods included in the new NYSDOH guidance. Your willingness to consent and participate in this process is a big step in supporting our efforts to continue to offer an in-person hybrid instructional model.

If you are selected to be tested in the future, please consider consenting to this simple procedure.

Some people may question why we are bringing students back for just a few days before a long holiday break or “ping-ponging” students between instructional models. Vast and widespread educational research clearly confirms that the best developmentally appropriate place for a child to learn and have their needs met is in a school. This is the foundation of our profession as educators. Every day a student is in school is a better day for that student, despite the number of days on a calendar.

Furthermore, please recognize that many students struggle and face challenges that our district is designed to support and aid. In addition to our curriculum, our programming supports, provides access to, and cares for student needs in meal service, OT/PT, speech, mental health services, counseling, social work, special education, and many more services that are depended on by other students and families.

We realize that the decisions that need to be made during a global health crisis may not please every member of our school community. Our instructional models are imperfect and are continually improving. However, we continue our resolve and unwavering commitment to our profession which is to best serve ALL of our students to the best of our abilities in a safe, developmentally appropriate, and caring manner which is based on data, science, and research.

Please contact the building principal if you have any questions or if we can further support our students with this transition. Please contact your child(ren)’s teacher if you have any questions or need support regarding the instructional transition to the hybrid model from the fully remote model.

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

December 7, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Staff and Families:

Beginning on Monday, December 14, 2020, our district will return to a hybrid model of instruction for those students that previously participated in this model.

The NYS Department of Health recently released interim guidance for school districts that are in an Orange or Red zone, as defined by the Governor’s Micro Cluster Initiative. This guidance can be found on our website.

This updated guidance allows a school district to operate in a hybrid instructional model while the surrounding region is in an Orange or Red zone, providing the required random COVID-19 testing protocols are followed.

The Tonawanda City School District currently resides in an Orange Zone. This designation requires our schools to randomly test 20% of the people in each building. This includes students and staff. Further, this guidance states that “if the random sampling generates 9 or more positive cases in any school, of one such discrete sample, then the school will be required to close” for in-person instruction.

Our previous planning and communication with our school community has positioned our district to begin administering the Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card. This is a small nasal swab rapid test. We have previously acquired consent from our first random selection of the population in each building. Those people will be contacted soon and testing will begin later this week for our December testing sample. If we remain in an Orange zone designation, we will be contacting the next group of randomly selected people for COVID-19 testing to take place during the month of January.

Please be reminded that our ability to return to a hybrid model will be directly dependent on our ability to secure consent from students (parents/guardians) and staff to participate in the required random COVID-19 testing. In the future, if you are contacted to provide consent to participate in the random testing, please consider consenting to this process so that we may remain in a hybrid model of instruction for our students. Refusing to consent will NOT require a student or staff member to leave the hybrid instructional program. However, each school will need to continue randomly testing the population each month. Failure to have enough consenting participants could jeopardize our ability to operate a hybrid instructional model.

The transition between hybrid and remote instructional models takes time, coordination, and careful preparation among administrators, staff, students, and families both within our district and other districts in Erie County. Please use this time to prepare for a return to the hybrid instructional model beginning on Monday, December 14, 2020.

As we prepare to welcome our students and staff back to a hybrid instructional model, please remember:

Our schools are safe to learn and work. Leading medical experts have deemed public schools safe for students and staff at this time of the pandemic.
The developmental appropriateness of children being in school in an in-person model is largely reported on and supported by overwhelming research as a significant need and value for every student.
Our district continues to collaborate with other districts in Erie County regarding the establishment of consistent policy, procedures, and protocols for the planning and potential return to a hybrid model of in-person instruction.
In Erie County, the local school districts share staff, faculty, programming, and resources. Our decisions have an impact on the other districts in Erie County, and their decisions impact our ability to transition to a hybrid model of in-person instruction.

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

December 5, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Staff and Families:

At this time, our school district will remain in a fully remote instructional model.

Our district continues to plan, prepare, and work towards reintroducing our students to a hybrid model of instruction as soon as possible.

We understand that our students, families, and staff eagerly await more information on our potential transition planning. We just received the new guidance from the Governor or the NYS Department of Health that changes the requirements and depth of random COVID-19 testing for schools in an ORANGE Zone. This information will allow us to finalize, implement, and administer our required actions to return students and staff to a hybrid instructional model.

As we work on understanding this new guidance and the efforts of executing these mandates through the weekend and into early next week, please understand that:

Our schools are safe to learn and work. Leading medical experts have deemed public schools safe for students and staff at this time of the pandemic.
The developmental appropriateness of children being in school in an in-person model is largely reported on and supported by overwhelming research as a significant need and value for every student.
Our district continues to collaborate with other districts in Erie County regarding the establishment of consistent policy, procedures, and protocols for the planning and potential return to a hybrid model of in-person instruction.
In Erie County, the local school districts share staff, faculty, programming, and resources. Our decisions have an impact on the other districts in Erie County, and their decisions impact our ability to transition to a hybrid model of in-person instruction.

We will assess our zone designation and the many factors that will allow us to re-open our hybrid instructional model each week. We will continue to communicate and update our school community with any opportunity to appropriately, safely, and effectively return our students and staff to the hybrid model as soon as possible.

Please be reminded that our ability to return to a hybrid model will be directly dependent on our ability to secure consent from students (parents/guardians) and staff to participate in the required random COVID-19 testing. We have begun to contact those individuals that have been randomly selected to consent to the required COVID-19 test. In the future, if you are contacted to provide consent to participate in the random testing, please consider consenting to this process so that we may return and remain in a hybrid model of instruction for our students.

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

December 2, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Staff and Families:

Due to the recent designation of our community as an ORANGE ZONE, as defined by the Governor’s micro cluster strategy, and the changing guidance regarding operating in a hybrid model in this zone designation, our district will continue to operate in a fully remote instructional program.

To date, we have NOT received the new guidance from the Governor or the NYSDOH for ORANGE Zones regarding the changing parameters, COVID-19 testing requirements, and other regulations. We continue to prepare for this guidance, determine our capacity to implement these mandates, and plan to return our students to a hybrid model of in-person instruction. The transition between hybrid and remote instructional models takes time, coordination, and careful preparation among administrators, staff, students, and families.

Public schools have been deemed safe and healthy places for students and staff during this pandemic. Recently, state and local medical experts have clearly stated that there has been very little evidence that COVID-19 infections have been transmitted or traced to schools. The Governor said today “schools have a very low infection rate in students and staff. This shows that schools are safer than their surrounding communities for students and teachers.”

While there are many factors that influence our ability to return to a hybrid model, including COVID-19 community spread concerns, challenges with staffing and student attendance due to quarantines, and other related issues, we are optimistic that we will be returning to a hybrid model in the near future.

The decision to extend this fully remote instructional model is necessitated by our understanding of the challenges, complications, and needs of our families and community. We realize the diverse situations facing our families and we are working to make decisions that best meet the needs of all students during these unprecedented times in public education.

We will continue to prepare to welcome our students back to our schools at the first possible opportunity. We will work to be best prepared to administer the random COVID-19 testing to our school population under the parameters of the micro cluster strategy, as soon as these new standards are established and received by school districts.

Please continue to communicate with your child’s building principal and teachers should you have questions or concerns regarding this transition. We are committed to serving you and meeting the needs of ALL our students.

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

November 20, 2020 - Due to the shift to full remote instruction for ALL students, the Tonawanda City School District's Food Service Department will also shift to full remote distribution. The district is pleased to announce that with the recent point of sale (POS) system upgrade with MOSAIC, families may now pick up meals at any location regardless of the school their child attends. Meals will be distributed for students in grades K-12 beginning Monday, November 23, 2020. Learn more...

November 18, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Staff and Families:

Effective Monday, November 23, 2020, ALL students will be participating in a fully remote instructional program.

Due to the recent designation of our community as an ORANGE ZONE, as defined by the Governor’s micro cluster strategy, other COVID-19 community spread concerns, and challenges with staffing and student attendance due to quarantines and other related issues, our district will shift to a fully remote instructional mode AFTER the completion of the school day on Friday, November 20, 2020.

The EARLIEST return to the hybrid instructional model will be Monday, December 7, 2020. We will assess our zone designation and the many factors that will allow us to re-open our hybrid instructional model each week.

Cohort A and B students will meet with teachers over the next two day to prepare for this transition. Parents/Guardians will be hearing from teachers and building principals very soon regarding schedules, virtual meetings/Google Meets, technology concerns, and other supports that we can offer to best engage with our students. Should your child need access to the building for items that have been left behind, please contact the building principal.

As educators, we are deeply disappointed that our district, and many others in our region, cannot feasibly comply and administer the requirements necessary to operate in this zone designation. We are fully aware and understand the frustration, scheduling conflicts, economic hardships and instructional challenges that a pivot to a fully remote program for ALL students presents to our families and school community.

Please know that we will continue to work to improve our instructional programs and remote models to deliver the highest level of education possible to our students during this global pandemic and national health crisis. We will continue to prepare to welcome our students back to our schools at the first possible opportunity. We will work to be best prepared to administer the random COVID testing to our school population under the parameters of the Yellow Zone as soon as our color designation changes in our city or region.

The exact factors of our move to remote learning, and the difficulty in returning to in-person learning in a Red/Orange Zone, are important. Being declared an Orange Zone brings with it rigorous testing requirements, placing a significant public health mandate on schools. In order to reopen while a school is in an Orange Zone, schools are required to:

Test 100% of all in-person students and staff during the first week of in-person learning, and
Test 25% of all in-person students and staff each week until the school is no longer in an Orange Zone.
Require all who test positive for COVID or refuse to be tested to remain in a fully remote instructional model.

We are a public school district and not a public health institution. Even with the state providing the testing kits, because of this mandate and its associated costs, while also educating children without substantial federal, state and local assistance, it is simply not possible to fulfill the current requirements of an Orange or Red zone designation.

It is important that I recognize our students, staff, and parents that have faithfully and successfully adhered to the health and safety protocols and requirements at our schools each day. I am grateful for your support and efforts to best support our students while providing a hybrid instructional model during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Our ability to return to a hybrid or in-person instructional model will depend upon the actions and efforts of our entire city, community and region. I am optimistic that we will realize reductions in COVID infection rates and prompt adjustments can be made to the Governor’s micro cluster strategy, and associated requirements, that will allow our students to return to school as soon as possible.

Please continue to communicate with your child’s building principal and teachers should you have questions or concerns regarding this transition. No concern is too big or too small. We are committed to serving you and meeting the needs of ALL our students.

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

November 17, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Staff and Families:

Due to our designation as a YELLOW ZONE, our district is required to randomly select and test 20% of the in-person population of each of our schools. This process is CRITICALLY important for our district to continue to offer a hybrid instructional model.

Our district is in the final stages of being approved as a NYS Limited Site Laboratory. This will allow our district to administer the random COVID-19 rapid tests to our population. Our district will offer COVID-19 rapid tests at each school site to those randomly selected to participate in the required YELLOW ZONE testing.

Those people that are randomly selected will be notified soon to provide consent to be tested. Only those people selected will receive the electronic consent form via email/text message. Testing will be conducted by medical professions (School Nurse, Tonawanda Paramedics/EMT’s). Parent consent will be required to be tested. Parent presence is NOT required during the rapid test but will be accommodated upon request in the consent form.

The participation of our school community that is randomly selected is very important to our continued hybrid operations.

Please note:

Only those who have been randomly selected to be tested will receive an electronic consent form via email/text message, soon to be released. This form MUST be completed by Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at 2pm. The consent form will be electronically sent to the district upon completion.
If you have difficulty in completing the electronic consent form, please contact Jessi Donner, Director of Instructional Technology, at jdonner@tonacsd.org or 716-694-7685.
The test is free.
The Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card is a small nasal swab. Please see this video link that shows the administration of a rapid test.
The attached link explains more about the rapid test.
It is possible that we will transition to a fully remote instructional program due to many reasons associated with the increased infection rate, Yellow Zone designation, ability to deliver quality instruction, student and staff attendance/quarantines, and other challenging reasons.
As we wait for additional information and guidance, we will continue to move forward with our hybrid program in our buildings.
We will continue to share information with our school community as soon as it becomes available.

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

November 13, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Staff and Families:

I wanted to update you with information regarding the Governor’s designation of our community and surrounding areas as a YELLOW ZONE.

THIS MESSAGE IS NOT A DECLARATION OF A SHIFT TO A FULLY REMOTE INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL FOR ALL STUDENTS.

Our district continues to engage in our hybrid and Remote Warrior instructional models. Additionally, we are planning and preparing for the requirements of the YELLOW ZONE designation and the potential future designation as an ORANGE or RED ZONE, as defined by the Governor’s micro cluster strategic plan.

To date, we have not received any official documentation or guidance from the Governor, NYSDOH, or ECDOH that includes a timeline for testing, procedural recommendations, or logistical support or guidance.

For our district to continue to offer an in-person, hybrid instructional model we will need to have the consent of parents (for their children) and staff to be COVID tested if they are randomly selected during any of the weeks that we remain in a YELLOW ZONE. A timeline to begin testing has NOT been established.

As we continue to request information regarding the procedures and mandates of a Yellow Zone designation, I wanted to share additional information that we are beginning to understand.

These are some updated points, as we understand them at this time:

~~A person that does not give consent to be tested would not be allowed to participate in hybrid instruction. Students would be transitioned to a fully remote program.~~
Students that do not receive consent from the parent/guardian, upon being randomly selected to be tested, will NOT be required to transition to a fully remote instructional program, due to new guidance received by the district.
Testing locations have not been determined. It is likely that testing will take place by appointment at our schools.
Parents will be notified for formal consent if their child(ren) is randomly selected.
An appointment time would be scheduled and include the parent. Testing will NOT take place in classrooms or without parent advance notice and parent consent.
Parents will be welcome to attend the testing appointment with their child(ren) but their presence will not be required. This decision and notification to the district will be part of the consent form.
We are evaluating options and partners to assist in test administration. This will be in close contact and supervision of our school physician. It is possible that Paramedics, EMT’s, and other medical professionals will be administering these tests at our testing sites.
As we wait for additional information and guidance, we will continue to move forward with our hybrid program in our buildings.
We will continue to share information with our school community as soon as it becomes available.

Please be aware that our community color designation can change at any time. Our WNY and Erie County infection rate continues to rise. If our region or community is designated as ORANGE or RED ZONE, it is possible that we will immediately transition to a fully remote instructional program.

The decision to transition to a fully remote program for all students would be made due to many reasons associated with the increased infection rate, color zone designation, ability to deliver quality instruction, student and staff attendance/quarantines, and other challenging reasons

A decision of this magnitude is not taken lightly. We want to provide the highest quality program and services to meet the needs of ALL students. Unfortunately, we continue to experience pandemic related challenges, restrictions, limitations, and requirements that prevent us from engaging with our students in a traditional program and regular scheduling that meets the expectations of everyone.

All students, parents, guardians, siblings, and staff should continue to monitor their health for symptoms of COVID-19 and follow the guidelines listed on the District website with regard to daily temperature screening and completion of the health questionnaire prior to arriving at the school or district facility. Please remember, if you are ill or experiencing any of the symptoms of COVID19, stay at home and contact your medical provider for assistance.

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

November 10, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students and Families:

I wanted to update you with information regarding the Governor’s designation of our community and surrounding areas as a YELLOW ZONE.

THIS MESSAGE IS NOT A DECLARATION OF A SHIFT TO A FULLY REMOTE INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL FOR ALL STUDENTS.

A designated YELLOW ZONE has many restrictions for a community. For schools to remain in the hybrid model, this designation requires schools to randomly COVID test 20% of the each school’s population every week.

As we continue to request information regarding the procedures and mandates of a Yellow Zone designation, I wanted to share additional information that we are beginning to understand. To date, we have not received any official documentation or guidance from the Governor, NYSDOH, or ECDOH.

These are some points, as we understand them at this time:

A Yellow Zone requires a random testing of 20% of the school's population each week. Each week will be a new random selection. This means a person could be randomly selected multiple times.
Students whose parent does not give consent to be tested would not be allowed to participate in hybrid instruction. Students would be transitioned to a fully remote program.
The test is free.
The test is a small nasal swab.
The test is called the Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card.
The attached video link shows the administration of a rapid test.
The attached link explains more about the rapid test.
Testing locations have not been determined. They may be community-based or schoolbased.
Parents will be notified for formal consent if their child(ren) is randomly selected.
An appointment time would be scheduled and include the parent. Testing will NOT take place in classrooms or without parent advance notice, parent consent, and parent participation.
Erie County is no longer offering preference for students and staff for rapid tests. Selected individuals would be subject to participate in this rapid testing program.
We are evaluating options and partners to assist in test administration. This will be in close contact and supervision of our school physician.
It is possible that we will transition to a fully remote instructional program due to many reasons associated with the increased infection rate, Yellow Zone designation, ability to deliver quality instruction, student and staff attendance/quarantines, and other challenging reasons.
As we wait for additional information and guidance, we will continue to move forward with our hybrid program in our buildings.
We will continue to share information with our school community as soon as it becomes available.

The survey shared yesterday was a simple gauge of possible participation and community support required by the Governor’s Yellow Zone designation for schools to remain in the hybrid model. This survey is NOT your formal consent to testing. Your response is NOT a final or binding commitment to have your child(ren) tested. Instead, your response will help us determine whether investing in the mandated testing is the appropriate decision for our future instructional programming.

If learning of this new testing information changes your position and response previously submitted to the survey, you can take the survey again. Please use the indicator “2” after your last name (Ex. Oldenburg2). The survey can be taken by clicking the link.

All students, parents, guardians, and siblings should continue to monitor their health for symptoms of COVID-19 and follow the guidelines listed on the District website with regard to daily temperature screening and completion of the health questionnaire prior to arriving at the school or district facility. Please remember, if you are ill or experiencing any of the symptoms of COVID-19, stay at home and contact your medical provider for assistance.

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

November 9, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Staff and Families:

I wanted to update you with information regarding the Governor’s designation of our community and surrounding areas as a YELLOW ZONE.

THIS MESSAGE IS NOT A DECLARATION OF A SHIFT TO A FULLY REMOTE INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL FOR ALL STUDENTS.

Please look for a district survey to be shared very soon. This survey will gauge your intent as a parent of your child(ren) as it relates to providing consent to be randomly tested. While our primary objective remains maintaining a safe and healthy environment for in-person instruction, it may be necessary to transition into a fully remote program for all students based on our participation rates in the random COVID testing requirement. Students that do not participate in the free random COVID testing will NOT be allowed to continue in the hybrid model and will be directed to the fully remote instructional program, as per the NYS Department of Health and the Erie County Department of Health.

It is possible that our ability to continue offering in-person hybrid instruction will change due to increased COVID-19 cases, consent of students and staff to be randomly tested, and our ability to administer COVID testing within the parameters established by the Governor.

If there would be a time that our district is required or determines that a transition to a fully remote program for ALL students and staff is necessary, you will receive specific notice from the district. Parents and guardians should consider planning for the challenges that may arise and supports that would be needed if our district transitioned to a fully remote program for all students each school day that our community is designated a YELLOW ZONE (or ORANGE and RED).

One additional note, it was announced earlier this week that New York State has canceled the administration of January Regents Exams. No decisions have been made regarding any other state testing scheduled for later in the year. If you have any specific questions regarding the cancellation of the January Regents, please contact your child’s counselor or principal.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership with our district. Please continue to take necessary precautions and continue with recommended healthy actions to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19 in your homes and in our schools. Go Warriors!

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

November 6, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Staff and Families:

As we conclude the 9th week of student instruction, it is important to recognize the efforts and careful attention regarding the health, safety, and welfare of each member of our school community. We are proud to have successfully delivered instruction, special services, mental health support, and other meaningful activities and events for our students to engage in during this pandemic period.

For sure, this academic year is non-traditional, challenging, and unusual. Students, parents, and staff have dealt with uncertainty, new instructional delivery methods, and limitations regarding our planned and desired programming. At this time, there appears to be no change in the Governor’s restrictions and limitations regarding our ability to increase student attendance at schools. Our district will continue to follow every COVID-19 guideline and recommendation to protect our students, families, and staff members.

As we approach the winter and holiday season, our entire school community should be aware and consider the following:

It is extremely important that we continue our awareness, diligence, and thoughtful approach to making decisions that best align with procedures and recommendations that will best prevent the potential spread of COVID-19 in our homes and schools. This includes decisions and planning regarding travel outside of NYS.
Our ability to remain operational in a hybrid model will continue to depend on the careful and deliberate actions of all of us.
Please be aware of the Governor's new travel restrictions for every non-neighboring state. Additionally, the Erie County Department of Health is strongly recommending that any student or staff member that returns to NYS should quarantine or follow the protocols of the Governors travel restrictions. Your travel decisions will likely impact the ability of your child(ren) to attend school in the hybrid model upon their return.
Please be aware of the Governor's color-coded micro cluster designations. If our zip code is designated a RED, ORANGE, or YELLOW zone, due to increasing COVID infection rates, it is possible that a building(s) in our district will be required to immediately transition to a fully remote program during this period.
- RED and ORANGE zone designations require 100% of staff and students to be tested for COVID-19. After the results of these tests are obtained, those who test negative for COVID-19 can return to the hybrid model of instruction.
- A YELLOW zone designation will require that 20% of a building(s) population be randomly selected to be tested for COVID-19 infection. The Erie County Department of Health has required that those randomly selected students who do not receive consent to be tested will be required to transition to a fully remote program during this period.

As nearly all local school districts continue to experience cases of COVID-19 infection among their students and staff, it is important to understand the role that each of us continue to plan in maintaining a safe and healthy school environment.

The travel restrictions and micro cluster designations are important items to understand. Our district wanted to be proactive and transparent in sharing these details with you. It is possible that our ability to continue offering in-person hybrid instruction will change due to increased COVID-19 cases.

If there would be a time that our district is required or determines that a transition to a fully remote program for ALL students and staff is necessary, you will receive specific notice from the district. More details regarding the expectations, processes, and procedures for a transition to a fully remote instructional program would be shared by each building principal.

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

September 25, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Families:

Our district has completed the third week of student instruction in the hybrid and Remote Warrior program. Our support staff, instructional staff, and administrators have done an excellent job in delivering instruction, support, and services to our students under these circumstances.

We acknowledge the challenges and hardships that our current model of public education places on all of us. Our hope is that the future will provide opportunities to expand our educational program, increase student attendance, and continue to deliver the supports and services at the highest level. When the Governor adjusts the current restrictions and limitations, our district will be prepared to modify our programming. To accomplish this we will need to continue to operate in a safe and healthy manner in our schools and in our community.

In the meantime, it is critically important that parents, students, and staff consistently and correctly adhere to the daily self-screening questionnaire PRIOR to entering any school building, especially as it relates to potential COVID-19 symptoms. Parents and students need to clearly understand that arriving to school with COVID-19 symptoms OR after taking fever and symptom-reducing medication is a threat to our safe and healthy environment in the school district. Please continue to talk with your child(ren) each morning regarding their current health.

If your child exhibits COVID-19 symptoms, please keep him/her home from school. Please call the school to announce the absence by leaving the student name, teacher, and reason for absence. No student should be sent to school with a fever or after taking fever/symptom-reducing medication. According to the Erie County Department of Health website, COVID-19 symptoms include, but are not limited to, fever (100.4 degrees or higher), cough, chills, shortness of breath, headache, sore throat, and new loss of taste or smell. Although these symptoms may align with other common illnesses during this time of the year, without notification from a physician stating these symptoms are due to a diagnosis other than COVID-19 or a negative COVID-19 test result, our staff has no way to determine the definite reason for these symptoms.

When a child is sent home from school by the nurse with COVID-19 symptoms it is required that the student be seen by a physician and receive documentation that they have a diagnosis other than COVID-19 OR present a negative COVID-19 test result prior to being readmitted to school. After a student is sent home with COVID-19 symptoms, the building operations and efficiencies are impacted as we begin significant protocols and procedures to sanitize, protect, and maintain a safe environment for all others. It is very important that we all understand the magnitude of our shared responsibilities in safely interacting with and attending school together.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership with our district. Please contact your building principal for additional information or to answer any questions that you may have. Go Warriors!

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

September 15, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Staff and Families:

We have received information regarding a confirmed case of COVID-19 of a person participating in the Remote Warrior program. Please remember that for reasons of confidentiality of personal health records, we cannot legally provide the name or any other personally identifiable information regarding the individual who tested positive.

Although the person that tested positive for COVID-19 has not and will not be on campus or interacting with others in the school community during the school day, the district wanted to share this information out of an abundance of caution and transparency within our school community.

Be assured, however, that the District is taking all appropriate steps in light of this information. We have contacted the Erie County Department of Health who will be conducting contact tracing. The County will contact all individuals who may have been in contact off campus and within our community with the individual who has tested positive. Please remember that all individuals who are contacted are expected to comply with all directives and instructions issued by the Department of Health, including any requirement to self-quarantine for any designated period.

The District put in place infectious disease health and safety protocols to minimize the spread of the virus and any other illnesses. This includes additional and repeated sanitation of our buildings and equipment along with appropriate measures to ensure social distancing. Please review our website for more information about our re-opening plan and the precautions taken by the District. You may also visit the Erie County Department of Health website at www.erie.gov for additional information and links.

All students, parents, guardians, siblings, and staff should continue to monitor their health for symptoms of COVID-19 and follow the guidelines listed on the District website with regard to daily temperature screening and completion of the health questionnaire prior to arriving at the school or district facility. Please remember, if you are ill or experiencing any of the symptoms of COVID-19, stay at home and contact your medical provider for assistance.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership with our district. Please contact your building principal for additional information or to answer any questions that you may have. Go Warriors!

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

September 3, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students and Families:

One of the many required protocols and procedures to create and maintain a safe and healthy environment for our school community is the remote screening process. This process is required to be completed EVERY school day and PRIOR to any individual entering a district facility.

The remote screening process requires that three questions are answered prior to entering a district facility. These questions and the processes for remote screening can be found in our “Updated Hybrid FAQ” document on our website in the “View Reopening Plan Information…” link on the front page.

The opening week of student attendance will have three days of hybrid instruction. Depending on student cohort assignments, students will begin participating in face to face instruction on Tuesday, September 8th or Thursday, September 10th. Friday, September 11th, will conclude the first week of school in the hybrid model.

During this first week of student attendance, the district will communicate with families by phone call, text, and email to share the required information regarding the remote screening process. These calls, texts, and email messages will be sent at approximately 7 am on September 8, 10, and 11. Beginning on the week of September 13th, the phone calls will ONLY occur on Sunday evenings at approximately 6 pm. This will be a weekly reminder regarding this remote screening process and our required daily text and email messages that will be sent on student attendance days at approximately 7 am. Please note that we will text and email all parents and guardians each day due to the various cohort configurations and other reasons that students and parents may have the need to visit a district facility on any given day.

Parents/Guardians can update their personal contact information by calling the main office of the building that your child attends. If you would prefer to continue to receive the daily phone calls at 7 am regarding the remote screening process, please contact Jessi Donner at jdonner@tonacsd.org.

As students begin to attend school next week it will be important that each student is prepared to interact with others while wearing a mask. Masks are required for all students who will be boarding and riding a school bus. All students and staff are required to wear a facemask while arriving, attending, and departing the school building. Mask breaks will be provided to students every class period (secondary schools) or 45-minute block of time (elementary schools) throughout each day. Mask breaks will be 10 minutes in duration and will be administered by the teacher.

Parents may consider having their child(ren) wear a mask for periods of time at home as we approach the start of the school year. Children will likely be more comfortable and be in a better position to tolerate the wearing of a facemask if they begin sensitizing their face/ears/head to this practice. The proper wearing of a facemask is one of the leading mitigating strategies that has effectively prevented the spread of virus.

Our top priority is to make sure that our school environment is safe, secure, and sound in practice to welcome back our students and ensure that our staff is best prepared to meet the needs of all our students in practice, protocol and programming.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership with our district. Please contact your building principal for additional information or to answer any questions that you may have. Go Warriors!

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

August 31, 2020 - Dear Parents/Guardians:

The Tonawanda City School District’s Food & Nutrition Department has announced a plan for students to have access to meals when not learning on campus. For the 2020-21 school year, we will continue to offer breakfast and lunch to all students each day including Cohorts A, B, and C as well as our Remote Warriors.

Off-Campus Meal Pick-Up
Effective Tuesday, September 8, 2020, the Tonawanda City School District will offer meal pick-up for all cohort groups and total remote learning students. Meals will be accessible daily. At pick-up, both breakfast and lunch will be distributed. Meal distribution times and locations are as follows:

SCHOOL	Middle/High School & Fletcher Elementary School	Mullen Elementary School	Riverview Elementary School
TIME	10:30a-12:00p	10:30a-12:00p	10:30a-12:00p
DOOR PICK-UP	@ MS/HS Door # 3	@ Mullen Door # 2	@ Riverview Door # 6

MySchoolBucks.com
Individual student accounts will still be active and maintained through MySchoolBucks to purchase additional meals, à la carte items, snacks, milk, etc. (i.e., items beyond standard breakfast/lunch). Please see our MySchoolBucks overview page for more information. For further questions about MySchoolBucks.com, you can reach out to MySchoolBucks support either by phone at 1-855-832-5226 (7a-7p EST) or via e-mail at parentsupport@myschoolbucks.com.

Food Service Survey
In an effort to prepare for meal distribution, please complete the survey sent out by the district. Your responses will help to ensure proper planning and hope to reduce excess waste. This food survey is new and during its initial trial period, the district will consistently analyze its value and monitor feedback to improve and/or continue. Menus will continue to be posted monthly on the school district website under Food Service.

Thank you for your continued support of our Food Service program!

Sincerely,
Donna L. Hill
Director of Business & Finance

August 26, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Students, Families, Staff and Community:

Thank you for your continued support of our district and programming. This includes our reopening plans that will begin the school year in the hybrid model.

Our planning and commitment to delivering a quality program to all students continues to evolve each day. We are working with thought and purpose to utilize our staff, supports, and facilities to offer the highest quality program to our hybrid students and remote warriors.

These updates and changes to services required that the district make a change to the student calendar during the first week of school. In an effort to provide the most support, guidance, and meaningful program design for students and staff, the first day of student attendance will be on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 (for cohort B and C only). Wednesday, September 9, 2020 will be a planned virtual school day for all students (students do not report to school), and Thursday, September 10, 2020 will be the first in-person attendance day for cohort A. Please click HERE to view the new student calendar.

Cohort C (kindergarten, grade 1, all ELL students, and all self-contained special education classes) will report to school on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday beginning Tuesday, September 8, 2020. All students will participate in virtual instruction from home on each Wednesday throughout the year.

We understand that this change may cause inconveniences to our school community. This decision was not made lightly. Instead, this decision was made out of ongoing concern and care for our students and staff as they prepare to re-enter our schools during a global pandemic and experience a new way of educational programming.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership with our district. Please contact your building principal for additional information or to answer any questions that you may have. Go Warriors!

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

August 21, 2020 - The Erie County Childcare Taskforce is working with all districts in Erie County to gather information about childcare needs as hybrid learning scheduling begins.

If you may be in need of childcare support, please complete the survey. The data that is collected will be used by the Erie County Childcare Taskforce to create opportunities to meet the needs of our community. Survey responses are due by Friday, August 28, 2020.

August 19, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Families:

Thank you for considering the hybrid plan and the remote warrior plan for school reopening. Nearly 80% of our students will be returning to school in a hybrid model. We are in the final stages of creating our cohort A (last name beginning with A-L) and cohort B (last name beginning with M-Z) students, developing teacher assignments/class schedules, and furthering our planning for remote warriors. Parents that have special circumstances for cohort assignment based on children in the same household and other associated reasons should have contacted their building principal. We expect these cohort assignments to be finalized this week and released later next week.

Transportation assignments will be developed in the coming week. Thank you to those parents/guardians that removed their child from the bus routing to support the mitigation of virus spread by reducing the student density on buses. Today is the final day to complete the transportation form on our website.

The health, safety, and welfare of our entire school community remains our primary focus. We respect that everyone has differing opinions and perspectives about COVID-19 and the requirements necessary for schools to reopen in a hybrid model. Our district must follow the guidance, mandates, and precautions established by the Governor, NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH), and the NYS Education Department (NYSED).

It should be recognized that our district will take every precaution and action possible to prevent the potential spread of virus and to create a safe and healthy environment for all parties in our school community. It is strongly recommended in the guidance from NYSDOH, NYSED, and Dr. Burstein, Commissioner of Health of Erie County, that students wear a mask at all times and as much as possible. Wearing a mask is the most widely held successful means of preventing potential spread of virus.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership with our district. Go Warriors!

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

August 14, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Families:

Thank you for participating in any of the three meetings held for our school community. These meetings were designed to allow our parents/guardians an opportunity to learn about our hybrid plan, consider options regarding Fall instruction, and pose questions for the administrative team to answer. We fielded hundreds of questions from you. Our answers were based on our planning, current guidance and mandates, and the resources that appear on our website.

Please note that all three meetings were recorded and have been posted on our website. Additionally, you will find the slide presentations that were used in each of the meetings. We encourage you to continue to ask questions and communicate with our administrative team. Please contact your building principal or appropriate district administrator to support your needs.

Please be reminded:

The enrollment form to participate in the remote learning experience for every day of the week is required to be completed by 4 p.m. on Monday, August 17, 2020. Completing this form will enroll your child(ren) in a 10-week commitment to a fully remote instructional program that will be largely self-directed and independently completed by the students. Our current plan will have educators communicating with each student every school day. This form is located on our website.
The transportation form is due on Wednesday, August 19, 2020. This form is located on our website. By completing this form, a parent of a student that is currently eligible for district transportation will be removed from our current bus routing for the first 10-weeks of school. Parents choosing to provide their own transportation will be assisting the district with the reduction of student density on each bus as a mitigation strategy to prevent the potential spread of virus.

Our protocols will be further developed in the coming days. It should be noted that students will be provided mask breaks while in the classroom and while maintaining social distancing. The situations regarding masking and safety protocols continue to change and remain a fluid process for districts to administer.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership with our district. Go Warriors!

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

August 11, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Families:

Yesterday you received information regarding our hybrid plan for student instruction in the Fall. This plan is located on our website with many other documents and important information. Please note the information and enrollment form released yesterday will solicit interest from families that have underlying medical issues or families that are not comfortable with a return to school. This form must be submitted by interested parties before Monday, August 17, 2020 at 4 p.m.

Later today, the District will release a transportation form. ONLY those who regularly receive district transportation, and now desire to provide their own transportation to reduce the student density on our buses to support our mitigation efforts, should complete this form.

Tomorrow begins the first of three scheduled parent meetings with the administrative team. The goal of these meetings will be to present the hybrid plan and offer an opportunity for parents to submit questions for the team to answer. Parents are invited to attend any or all of the meetings. Each meeting has been assigned a focus to drive discussion and equally provide opportunity for questions. It should be understood that some questions might not have firm and defined answers at this time. We will do our best to answer every question or gather necessary information to provide an appropriate response.

In an effort to best communicate and provide consistency in an ever-changing climate, it should be noted that the questions posed during these meetings will be added to our Hybrid Plan FAQ document on our website. This document will continue to be updated to best share the questions and concerns that have been brought to our attention for all to see.

We recognize that parents/guardians may be unable to attend these meetings and have questions. We also respect those who may not feel comfortable asking questions in a forum setting or that may have questions of a personal nature. These meetings are not the only means of communicating with our district. We encourage all parents and guardians to contact your building principal or the appropriate district administrator. Contact information for all building principals was shared in the message you received yesterday.

Our district is committed to our continued communication and timely responses to our parents/guardians. We have been, and will continue to reply, call, and communicate with everyone who calls on us.

These meeting will be held on the Zoom platform. Log in information is included below. Please be respectful in protecting this log in information so that we avoid the challenges that can occur with hosting virtual meetings.

Wednesday, August 12, 2020, at 2pm – High school hybrid model focus
Topic: Reopening Hybrid Plan Meeting - Parents (High School Focus)
Time: Aug 12, 2020 02:00 PM Eastern Time
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 910 0734 0268
Passcode: 4esj80
Thursday, August 13, 2020, at 10am – Elementary school hybrid model focus
Topic: Reopening Hybrid Plan Meeting - Parents (Elementary School Focus)
Time: Aug 13, 2020 10:00 AM Eastern Time
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 962 5024 4445
Passcode: T12a4s
Thursday, August 13, 2020, at 5pm – Middle school hybrid model focus
Topic: Reopening Hybrid Plan Meeting - Parents (Middle School Focus)
Time: Aug 13, 2020 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 959 0160 5568
Passcode: xKw94w

The health, safety, and welfare of our entire school community remains our primary focus. Please call on us or schedule a time with a member of our administrative team to discuss your questions and concerns as they emerge. We are committed to supporting our school community. We respect the various and diverse concerns that exist within Warrior Nation regarding the reopening of our schools. There will be questions that will occur in the future and we will be there for you to support your needs.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership with our district. Go Warriors!

Sincerely,
Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

August 10, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Families:

Thank you for your support and flexibility during this unusual time regarding the preparation for student instruction and programming to start the 2020-2021 school year.

We received notice from the Governor this past Friday afternoon authorizing school to reopen under the guidance and mandates established. This decision allowed the District to immediately move forward with our hybrid planning and preparing for meaningful communication with our school community. The District has been committed to making decisions with thought and purpose based on the needs of all members of our school community and within the financial and human resource parameters of the district.

Our plan and path forward is outlined in our hybrid plan. This document and other important information can be found on our website and will be referenced in this and future correspondence. Upcoming information will include our approved reopening plan for the hybrid model. Additionally, you can find our virtual model that could go into effect for all students in the future. We have improved and addressed equity issues in this model as compared to the previous virtual instruction that ended in the 2019-2020 school year. Protocols and information regarding COVID-19 testing and contact tracing will be released later this week.

Parents/Guardians should be prepared to receive and complete a form to share information with the District. Later today, the District will release an enrollment form that will solicit interest from families that have underlying medical issues or families that are not comfortable with a return to school. By selecting this option, your child(ren) will be enrolled in a full-time virtual instruction model while the district operates in a hybrid model. Parents/Guardians may also select home schooling/instruction, as per the Commissioner’s regulation 100.10, that is delivered by the parent/guardian. This form needs to be completed ONLY for those children that will not be returning to school in the Fall.

Additionally, a transportation form will be issued later this week. This solicitation is in response to the results from a previous survey where over 47% of Tonawanda respondents stated they would remove their child(ren) from district transportation in an effort to reduce student density on each bus and to support mitigation efforts of virus transmission. ONLY those who regularly receive district transportation and now desire to provide their own transportation will complete this form. Completion of this form will remove your child(ren) from our transportation services and reduce the student density on our buses to support our mitigation efforts.

Parents/Guardians should be aware of the following community meetings that will be held virtually. These meetings will allow for parents to ask questions to our administrative team regarding the hybrid model of instruction planned for the Fall. These meetings will be scheduled for 90 minutes.

Wednesday, August 12, 2020, at 2pm – High school hybrid model focus
Thursday, August 13, 2020, at 10am – Elementary school hybrid model focus
Thursday, August 13, 2020, at 5pm – Middle school hybrid model focus

These meetings are intended for parents/guardians to ask questions regarding the hybrid model of instruction. Additional questions can be directed to the building principals following these meetings and in the future.

Mike Brown – Principal – High School – 716-694-7660 – mbrown@tonacsd.org
Dave Sellan – Principal – Middle School – 716-694-7660 – dsellan@tonacsd.org
Michelle Siebert – Principal – Fletcher Elementary School – 716-694-7694 – msiebert@toancsd.org
Diana Nigro – Principal – Mullen Elementary School – 716-694-6805 – dnigro@rtonacsd.org
Claudia Panaro – Principal – Riverview Elementary School – 716-694-7697 – cpanaro@tonacsd.org

Many details continue to emerge daily. There will be questions that will occur in the future and we will be there for you to support your needs. We have an unwavering dedication to the profession of educating and supporting the needs of our students and school community in a manner that prioritizes the health, safety, and welfare of all of us.

On behalf of our entire school community, thank you for your support and partnership with our district. Go Warriors!

Sincerely,

Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

August 7, 2020 - Please review the following letters from our principals about the reopening of schools in the fall.

Further information regarding specific plans, along with a recently added FAQ, can also be found on our Reopening Plan page.

July 31, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Families, Students, and Staff:

On behalf of the entire school system, I send you best wishes for an enjoyable summer during the next few weeks. Soon we will learn from the Governor regarding which instructional options will be available for public schools to engage students in learning and academic achievement.

Today, our required planning has been posted on our website: https://www.tonawandacsd.org/o/tcsdny/page/reopening-plan--10. Our required models include a face-to-face instructional program, hybrid instructional program, and virtual instructional program. The Governor will provide further guidance during the period of August 1-7, 2020. At this time, the District will be positioned to determine which instructional plan will be implemented for the 2020-2021 school year.

We are committed to meeting your expectations of delivering a high quality educational program that meets the diverse needs of our students in a caring, meaningful, and academically appropriate manner. However, the health, safety, and welfare remains our first priority. Our instructional models for Fall education include all of the required mandates from the NYS Department of Health and the NYS Education Department. Additionally, we have included numerous recommendations, best practices, and other mitigation strategies in our reopening plans to best care for our students, staff, and school community to the furthest extent feasible.

The Governor has encouraged the residents of NYS to follow the science and data regarding this pandemic. Data from the New York Forward website indicates that the current 7-day rolling average in WNY for positive test results for COVID-19 is 1%. Our region has realized this rolling average of 1% positive test results since June 10, 2020. Additionally, as reported in The Buffalo News yesterday, hospitalizations from COVID-19 in WNY have fallen to their lowest level (28) since the State began publicly releasing numbers on March 23, 2020. I am proud that our community and region has successfully realized our significant effort in slowing the spread. This is due to our education regarding the virus and our intentional efforts to be responsible citizens in our community.

We expect, following the Governor’s decision, that our district will be positioned to share more detailed information with you. You can expect regular communication, surveys, and other information to be shared from the district in the beginning of August and as we begin implementing our plan. Parents can expect to receive class supply lists in the first weeks of August. It should be noted that disinfecting wipes will NOT be a required or recommended supply item for this year. Student schedules and teacher assignments will be made available in late August. Additionally, your understanding and flexibility with potential modifications that may occur in the future is recognized.

It should be expected that every school district will have differences in their planning, protocols, instructional delivery, and operations. We will continue to provide the best educational program for our students and families within the fiscal and procedural constraints that are unique to our district.

On behalf of our entire school community, thank you for your support and partnership with our district. Go Warriors!

Sincerely,

Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

July 20, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Families, Students, and Staff:

Recently, the New York State Education Department (SED) and the NYS Department of Health (DOH) have released guidance documents for districts to incorporate into their required planning for schooling in the Fall. These documents can be found on our website listed as a “News” item at:

https://www.tonawandacsd.org/article/271961?org=tc...

Our district is working with local health officials, regional educational experts, and many stakeholders in our district and community, including parents. Our required timeline includes a plan submission date of July 31, 2020 to the SED and the Governor’s office. This plan must include models of in-person instruction, fully virtual instruction, and a hybrid model of both in-person and virtual learning. There are many requirements and mandates from the SED and the DOH that must be included in these plans. During the week of August 1, 2020, our Governor will determine when and how schooling can resume. Districts will then move forward with executing their plans accordingly.

In the coming weeks we will be providing more detailed information that will help answer your questions and provide processes for Fall instruction. You will have opportunities to contact and speak with district administrators to provide you with information to any unanswered questions. We will continue to communicate in writing, with website updates, and via “alerts” from our mobile app and school communication system.

Regardless which plan is used for Fall instruction, the way we operate and the way we interact will be different. Our primary focus continues to be on providing and supporting an environment that ensures the safety, health, and welfare of our students, staff, and school community to the fullest extent possible. Our planning will include all of the required guidance and further include recommended best practices in every feasible opportunity.

Thank you for your continued support. It is important to recognize that your flexibility, patience, and support, now and in the future, will be necessary for our district to best connect with students, increase student achievement, provide necessary services and supports, continue our focus on equity and inclusivity, and deliver the care and resources that have become expectations in our community.

Sincerely,

Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

July 9, 2020 - Dear Tonawanda City School District Families, Students, and Staff:

Our school district has been and is continuing to plan for the various scenarios that may be made available for student instruction in the Fall. We have been examining and designing contingencies for the expected requirements, guidance, and recommendations from the Governor, NYS Department of Education, CDC, and other health officials.

Late yesterday, it was announced that local districts should expect guidance from the NYS Education Department and the Board of Regents on July 13, 2020. Additionally, all school districts will be required to submit their tentative plans for Fall instruction to the Department of Education on July 31, 2020. Subsequently, the Governor will make an announcement about his decision on the reopening of schools during the period of August 1-7, 2020.

While we continue to plan and prepare for the many challenges and unknowns, the health, safety, and welfare of our students, staff, and school community remain our top priority.

We understand that students and families are awaiting decisive action and finalized plans for our instructional program in the Fall. We are equally anticipating the decisions of others that will allow us to determine which course of action is most appropriate and feasible within the constraints of our district.

You should expect that within a week of the Governor’s announcement that our district will be prepared to share our plan for Fall instruction. We will continue to communicate with you throughout this process including on our new website and mobile app. Additionally, our district will work to communicate, with as much advance notice as possible, the information and planning that will guide the educational programming for our students in the Fall.

On behalf of our entire school community, thank you for your understanding and flexibility, and stay safe Warriors.

Sincerely,

Timothy A. Oldenburg, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

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