Update on First Two Days of School

Dear Pelham Parents, Guardians and Community Members,

I think it goes without saying that the beginning of this school year has presented challenges to overcome, but I can not begin to express the joy that we all felt over the past two days as we welcomed many of our students back into the classrooms for the first time since March. Our classrooms may look a bit different, but the energy that we have become accustomed to at the beginning of school each year is alive and well.

We are proud of our high school students who came for COVID-19 testing over the past two days. We appreciate that they faced this responsibility head on and look forward to seeing them back in school soon. For any high school student who did not get tested yet, walk-in testing will remain available on Ingalls Field Wednesday from 12:30-3pm. Students should come prepared with the appropriate forms and insurance card.

To be sure, the first couple of days of hybrid learning have come with bumps in the road, whether with technology, or simply adjusting to our new environment and routines. I want to express my deep appreciation to our teachers for their resilience, for handling this situation with grace and remaining flexible as we adjust to our new system. I would also like to thank families for your patience and understanding as we work out the kinks. It may take a few days for all to become acclimated in this model, however we trust that the process will become smoother in the days and weeks ahead. We appreciate your feedback and partnership during the start of this challenging school year.

As we all learned last week, we cannot understate the fragile nature of our situation or the challenges we will continue to face in the year ahead. It is important that we as a community unite and commit to doing our part, making responsible decisions, and adhering to the health and safety protocols that have been put in place to protect us all. 

To that end, we are preparing a public health agreement for families that outlines a set of expectations that we believe if followed, will help us to keep our schools open for in-person learning over the long term and to address breaches of those expectations in a more targeted manner. 

I believe that we can and will overcome the many challenges we will face moving forward, but to do so we must work together as partners on behalf of our students. We must be patient. We must be understanding. We must strive to improve each day. We must acknowledge that no plan is perfect and there will always be unforeseen circumstances that will challenge our thinking and force us to adapt. I know that if we commit to partnering together, embracing these challenges, and above all else exemplifying the kind, caring and pragmatic community we want our students to be a part of, this year will be a success. 

Thank you, as always, for entrusting us with your children. Together, we will keep them safe and provide the education that they deserve. Please review the information below for some important reminders. 

Sincerely,

Cheryl H. Champ

Superintendent of Schools

First Wednesday Noon Dismissal

As a reminder tomorrow, Wednesday, September 16 will be an early release for all students. 

• Staggered elementary dismissal will begin at 11:40am

• Middle school and high school classes will follow the early release Wednesdays schedule, which ends at 12pm. 

• Cohort A students in grades K-8 will learn in-person while Cohort B learns remotely. 

• All PMHS students will continue to learn remotely.

Welcome to School Kindergartners

We are excited to officially welcome the future Class of 2033 to the Pelham Public Schools beginning tomorrow for Cohort A. Our kindergarten teachers are ready and eager to help make our new students' first year both productive and memorable. 

Cohort and District Calendars

As a reminder the Cohort and District calendars are available on the District website and can be synced to your personal digital calendar. 

While the Cohort calendar generally follows the model of Cohort A on Mondays and Tuesdays, Cohort B on Thursdays and Fridays, and the groups alternating in-person instruction on Wednesdays, there are some discrepancies caused by holidays that fall on Mondays and school breaks. In building the Cohort calendars, the District sought to ensure that the number of in-person instructional days was evenly distributed throughout the course of the year and provided balanced in-person instruction each week.

Health Screening

Parents should take their children's temperatures and complete the Student Health Questionnaire prior to sending their children to school each day. Students will be asked to submit the questionnaire prior to entering their school. 

Students must not attend school if they:

• Have had a temperature of greater than 100.0 degrees F within 24 hours.

• Have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days.

• Are showing symptoms of COVID-19 such as congestion or runny nose, cough, sore throat, fatigue, headache, muscle or body aches, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

• Had close contact with someone with a confirmed positive COVID-19 test or who was showing the symptoms listed above.

• Have traveled internationally or to a state identified under New York's Travel Restriction within the last 14 days.