Rye Schools on Coronavirus Virus: Cleaning Schools on “Stepped-Up Basis”, Rest Status Quo for Now

In an email Friday, Rye Schools head Dr. Eric Byrne reported in reaction to Coronavirus the schools are cleaning facilities on a "stepped-up basis". Beyond that, the schools are monitoring the situation and encouraged "regular flu season precautions". 

See the note below. We have also embeded information from the CDC on Coronavirus.

"Dear RCSD Community,

The Rye City School District has been closely following the information coming out of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) related to both this year’s flu season and COVID-19 (the strain of novel coronavirus emanating from Wuhan, China). Although there are currently a small number of COVID-19 cases currently identified in the U.S., and none in New York State, CDC officials believe there will be more cases emerging in the U.S. in the coming weeks.

We are carefully following updates released by the CDC, the New York State Department of Health, the New York State Education Department, and other authorities for directives and the most current information. We will continue to update information on the Health Services page of the School District website on a regular basis. Please know that we are actively preparing plans to address a variety of contingencies to ensure the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff and to provide instructional continuity.

In the meantime, we will continue to clean and disinfect the school buildings on a stepped-up basis. Health professionals will be visiting elementary school classrooms to remind students of techniques to avoid spreading germs and viruses. We ask that the RCSD community take regular flu season precautions: remind children and family members to wash their hands frequently; cover their nose and mouth with a tissue when they cough or sneeze, avoid touching their eyes, mouth and nose; and remain at home if they are sick. The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses.

At present, there is no need to cancel any activities, events, or outings. We will continue to monitor the situation and will communicate any changes immediately. As always, the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff are of paramount concern.

Sincerely,

Dr. Eric Byrne

Superintendent of Schools

You may review current health information by clicking on the following links:

Centers for Disease Control 2019 nCoV website

Centers for Disease Control Flu website

New York State Department of Health Novel Coronavirus website

New York State Department of Health Local Health Departments

—
Eric Byrne, Ed.D
Superintendent of Schools
Rye City School District"

We are also embedded information from the CDC on Coronavirus: