Latest Information 

March 31, 2020

Good Morning,

Late yesterday afternoon school districts across New York received clarification from the Department of Education regarding the 180-day requirement set forth in the Executive Order issued by

Governor Cuomo.  The language in the order is captured below;

Pursuant to Governor Cuomo's Executive Order 202.11, "Districts must continue to provide remote instruction for students, meals for students, and child care every weekday between April 1, 2020 and April 14, 2020, even if the district is scheduled to be on spring break during that time."  

As a result of this order, the EICSD will not have spring break next week as planned and must continue continuity of programming and meals for students next week, April 6-10. 

Our principals are working closely with teachers and the Office of Instruction to continue with instruction for your students. More information regarding specific plans will follow from your student’s principal.

Thank you for your continued support and your patience as we pivot and adjust during this unprecedented time.

Regards,

Mary E. Grow

March 27, 2020

Good Afternoon Everyone,

You may have heard the Governor just announced that all New York State schools will remain closed until April 15^th.  On April 15^th the Governor will reassess and determine whether or not schools should continue to be closed or will reopen on April 16^th.  We do not have any additional information related to the school closure but promise to keep you updated as we are notified.

There have been some changes announced at the State and national levels since we last held classes, these include the cancellation of IB external assessments, a shift in the administration of AP exams and the cancellation of the New York State grades 3-8 assessments.  There has been no change to the NYS Regents exam schedule as of this communication, however, we will keep you notified.  Please continue to stay in touch with your child’s principal as their weekly communication have the most up to date news to share.  I also encourage you to check our district website for additional resources, www.eastiron.org.

The last two weeks have felt somewhat strange as we acclimate to this “new normal” however, I want to reassure you that when we do get the green light to reopen our schools, we will be ready.  Our outstanding teams in building maintenance, transportation and school nutrition have been operational throughout the shut down and are ready to welcome your students back!   We truly miss our Lancers and in case you didn’t see the latest “miss you” on social media, I have attached the link for your enjoyment.

https://ensemble.monroe.edu/Watch/WeMissYou

I wanted to pass along some information from the Office of Children and Family Services related to emergency childcare.  The OCFS is trying to determine current and future childcare needs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  They are requesting that school districts publish the following survey related to emergency childcare needs, below is the link from OCFS. Please take a moment to fill out this brief survey if you are in need of or anticipate a need for childcare.

• Link to the Parent Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3HSNNYJ

In the meantime, enjoy some of the mild weather we are getting.  Go for a long walk and enjoy the early signs of spring.

Lancers Strong,

Mary

Mary E. Grow

Superintendent of the East Irondequoit CSD

March 20, 2020

Dear East Irondequoit Families,

I hope all of you are staying safe and healthy during these strange and uncertain times.  It seems like things are changing almost hourly and we realize the importance of keeping everyone as up to date as possible.

I urge you to check our website at www.eastiron.org for information regarding the virus, as well as resources to help get our families through this situation. I would also encourage you to utilize our social media accounts on Twitter and Facebook @EICSD to receive the latest information as it becomes available.

Here are some of the steps being taken in our district:  

As of Wednesday, all buildings in the district are closed to visitors.   This will not impact the meal distribution at the schools.  However, in order to limit the number of trips needed, we will only be handing out food from 11am-1pm each day.  At that time, you can pick up lunch for that day and breakfast for the following day.  

Our staff has rallied to assist in whatever way needed and I cannot thank them enough.

Our food service team has been doing an incredible job of preparing and delivering meals to the families who have been coming by to pick them up.

Our transportation crew is on the road making deliveries both in our district and helping our neighboring school district in West Irondequoit.

Our custodial staff remains on the front lines, deep cleaning and sanitizing our buildings daily.

And our teachers, educational services team and building administrators have been going above and beyond, reaching out to families and students digitally in order to provide not only educational resources but also, and maybe more importantly, a social connection.

We are doing everything we can to provide our community with whatever they need to help get through this situation while at the same time focus on the health and safety of our staff.  

Please stay well, stay connected and practice social distancing!  

Sincerely,


Mary E. Grow
Superintendent of Schools

March 14, 2020

Dear East Irondequoit Families,

Because of the ongoing health hazard caused by the Coronavirus(COVID-19), all East Irondequoit properties will remain closed until further notice.  This includes athletic facilities and playgrounds.

With the sudden closing of our schools, we realize that many of you rely on us for a variety of vital resources, including meals during the school day.

Beginning Monday March 16, all six schools in our district will be open for lunch in a “grab and go” setting from 11 am-1 pm. 

On Tuesday our school nutrition team will also begin providing breakfast from 8am-10am as well as continuing lunch service. 

These meals are free to anyone 18 and under and will continue until schools reopen.  You do not have to be an East Irondequoit resident in order to receive these meals.  Adult meals will be available for $2 at breakfast and $4 at lunch.  Students do not need to be present in order to receive their meals.

Please remember that the Irondequoit Community Cupboard is also an extremely useful resource.

This is a fluid situation which is changing at a rapid pace.  We urge you to visit our website for the most up to date information.

March 14, 2020

Beginning on Monday, March 16th East Irondequoit will suspend all classes for students until further notice. We have been monitoring the Novel Coronoa/COVID-19 Virus closely and are continuing to work with the county executive and Department of Health with this fluid situation.

All extracurricular events including athletics are also suspended.

During this time our priorities will be providing food for our students, continuing to thoroughly clean our facilities and continuation of our home and school connection.  More specific details will be following shortly.  

Please continue to check our website for more information and updates.

Sincerely,

Mary E. Grow

Superintendent of Schools

March 13, 2020

Dear East Irondequoit Families,

As the situation regarding the Coronavirus (COVID 19) continues to change at a rapid pace, we want to assure you that we are doing everything we can to stay on top of the information we are receiving from the Monroe County Department of Health. In addition, we are following the guidelines established by the Center for Disease Control and the New York State Department of Education. 

We have no intention of closing and will only do so at the recommendation of the Monroe County Health Department, however, we want to be fully prepared if a school closure is our reality.

With that in mind, we would like to encourage our families to begin looking into possible daycare options for your children in the event that we are faced with school closings. Unfortunately, if we are forced to close it may be done with little advance notice and for an unknown length of time. 

This is a situation unlike any we have ever encountered, and it presents several unique challenges.   Let me assure you that the health, safety and well-being of our students, families and staff is our highest priority and we will do everything possible to help you through the coming days.

Sincerely,

Mary E. Grow

Superintendent of Schools

March 12, 2020

Dear East Irondequoit Families,

With the first confirmed case of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Monroe County, the virus is undoubtedly on everyone’s mind. As a district our top priority is to ensure the safety of our school community while at the same time provide the educational and support services that our families rely on.

We are having regular conversations with the Monroe County Department of Health as well as the other districts in the county in order to make informed, rational decisions with safety being our first priority.

While each district is making decisions based on their own needs and circumstances, there is NO recommendation for schools in our area to close at this time.

We have no intention of closing unless directed by health officials.  We realize the importance of the services provided to our students and families on a daily basis and do not want to compromise them in any way.

However, we are taking steps to limit exposure and reduce risk in our schools. These include:

• Postponing overnight travel such as field trips outside of the Rochester Area through April 12.
• We are postponing a number of upcoming events; a list can be found on our website by clicking here.  

This is a rapid and constantly changing situation and we are doing our best to stay on top of the information as we receive it.  We will continue to communicate with you as needed.  We have also set up a page on our website dedicated to information regarding the virus which lists precautionary steps we are taking and ones that you can take to keep yourself and those around you safe.

Please reiterate the importance of healthy habits to help reduce the spread of illness such as frequent handwashing, covering when coughing or sneezing and not touching your face.

Perhaps most importantly, stay educated, stay informed and if you or your child is sick, please stay home.

Sincerely,

Mary E. Grow

Superintendent of Schools

March 10, 2020

Dear East Irondequoit Families,

Several weeks ago I sent out a communication regarding COVID-19 and the protocols taken around our school district to prevent the spread of disease.  Fortunately, we do not have any reports of any confirmed cases of COVID-19.  We are working very closely with the Monroe County Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New York State Education Department in monitoring this situation around our area and throughout the state of New York. 

District officials have been meeting daily to monitor this situation and will continue to do so.  We have reviewed and revised our School District Preparedness Plan in addition to increasing the cleaning of frequently touched points such as door knobs, handles, desks, doors, etc. In our schools, we continue to emphasize the following good habits.  People who think they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should contact their health care provider.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Heavily soiled hands should be washed.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Please be assured that we are taking this very seriously and we will continue to consult with the Department of Health and NY Department of Education and follow their guidance related to COVID-19.   

Please check the East Irondequoit Website for helpful information related to COVID-19. 

Mary E. Grow

Superintendent of Schools

East Irondequoit CSD

(585) 339-1210

www.eastiron.org

February 28, 2020

To our East Irondequoit Families:

While the East Irondequoit Central School District does not have a confirmed case of COVID-19, caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in our schools, we are aware of concerns inthe community about the spread of this relatively new virus.

The district is closely monitoring this fluid situation and following guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Monroe County Department of Health and the New York State Education Department.

Based on recent reports, COVID-19 is not actively circulating in New York state at this time.  If the district becomes aware that a student or staff member is diagnosed with COVID-19, it will immediately notify staff and parents/guardians. If a student or staff member shows respiratory symptoms, we will follow our current practices for handling respiratory illnesses, subject to any additional guidance forthcoming.

The district has infectious disease protocols in place and has been taking steps, such as cleaning and disinfecting throughout its schools, to minimize the spread of viruses and a variety of other illnesses.

There are a number of steps that students, staff and community members can take to minimize the spread of all respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, according to the state Department of Health:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Heavily soiled hands should be washed.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Stay home when you are sick.

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

If you or a family member begin showing symptoms of a respiratory disease and suspect it may be COVID-19, contact your healthcare provider. Before going to your healthcare provider’s office, inform them that a case of COVID-19 is suspected, and follow their advice.

Local health departments will contact schools if a suspected or known COVID-19 case emerges. The district is prepared to work with any affected families.

Families are also encouraged to follow the CDC’s information for travel, available at CDC Travel Information

For more information, consider consulting these additional resources:

• Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

• Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) - Frequently Asked Questions -

• Prevention, Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

In addition, New York has established a Novel Coronavirus Hotline, which can provide additional information. Call 1-888-364-3065 with questions or concerns about travel and symptoms. The district will continue to share information as it becomes available.

Please know that, as always, the health and safety of our students and staff is our highest priority, and we will remain vigilant in our efforts to help prevent the spread of this illness.

Sincerely,

Mary E. Grow
Superintendent of Schools