COVID Related Update in Response to Ontario County "High" Level Transmission Designation

Good Morning,

It has been a while, but I am reaching out this morning to address concerns raised this week about the uptick in COVID related cases in our community and across the county.  Recently, Ontario County shifted from a "medium" level designation to a "high" level designation.  Please rest assured, HCS continues to apply measures which mitigate the risk of COVID in our setting.

As such, a quick reminder around current safety protocols:

• Masking is recommended for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors in all indoor settings on the HCS campus, regardless of vaccination status, when community transmission level is high (red).   We do, however, strongly encourage our families and staff members to assess risk and to make a determination around masking which best meets need and circumstance for individual(s). 
• Masking is optional for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors in all indoor settings on the HCS campus, regardless of vaccination status, when community transmission level is moderate or low (yellow or green). 

• HCS has a significant inventory of rapid COVID-19 test kits available. Should any of our HCS families or staff members need to obtain one, PLEASE reach out and make a request at the Health Office -  to [email protected] or [email protected]. We are happy to provide you test kits! 
• HCS has amassed a supply of KN95 masks for availability to our staff and students. These masks have been indicated to best protect the wearer from transmission.   KN95 masks are available for pick up in each of our school main offices, the Health Office and at the District Office entry of our campus. 
• HCS faculty, staff and students must stay home if they are displaying any signs or symptoms of infectious illness. Individuals displaying symptoms must contact their doctor and get tested for COVID.  Individuals testing positive for COVID must be isolated for five days and then may return to school for days 6 - 10 if they return masked. 
• The HCS community may continue to monitor and track confirmed COVID cases on the NYS COVID-19 Report Card site.  In the event that transmission rates spike significantly within our district, we will resume daily reporting to you via ParentSquare. To date, and to explain why we have not resumed daily reporting, each week since February 28 (date of HCS discontinuance of daily reporting) HCS has seen no greater than a zero to 2.2% of our total population confirmed as COVID positive.

As always, please feel free to reach out should you have any questions about this information or otherwise. HCS would like to emphatically thank our families and the Honeoye community for your support of teaching, learning and the Honeoye Central School District.  There is no place like Honeoye...

Warmest regards,
E. Bridget Ashton

Elizabeth Bridget Ashton
Superintendent, Honeoye Central School District
8528 Main Street
Honeoye, New York 14471
[email protected]
On Twitter: @EBridgetAshton