August 13, 2021

Dear Parent/Guardians, Students, Staff, and Community Members,

It is with great excitement that I join the Lake Placid Central School District as your new Superintendent of Schools.  As a colleague and friend of the former Superintendent, Dr. Roger Catania, I feel honored to serve in this office, and I promise to do my utmost to provide the very best experience for our students.  Over the past two weeks, I have formally assumed the role of Superintendent and have finalized moving my residence to Lake Placid with my wife and young son.  I look forward to becoming a visible, collaborative, and engaging partner within the school and community.

Having served as the Superintendent of the St. Regis Falls Central School District prior to my arrival in Lake Placid, I bring an array of experiences with me.  As I look to draw upon those experiences and create new ones within the Lake Placid community, I hope that I am able to provide stability and compassion in an anxious and uncertain time.  This summer has provided all of us with a tremendous gift – a brief respite from the onset of challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.  I hope that you are able to enjoy the remainder of the summer, and I look forward to greeting our students in September with renewed purpose.

The rise of COVID cases in our state and county over the last few weeks has served as a stark reminder that even though we as a nation are fatigued and desirous of normalcy, the pandemic has not yet come to an end.  In response to the highly transmissible Delta variant, the New York State Education Department has instructed school districts across the State to follow the Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The CDC Guidance balances the importance of educating students fully in-person with the layered precautions that have kept schools safe since the onset of the pandemic.  The Lake Placid Central School District will be preparing for the start of the school year in September in alignment with the CDC guidance, in light of these pronouncements.

I have attached a document outlining key aspects of our Reopening Plan for 2021 – 2022 for your review.  Please take a moment to read the attached document.  Should you have any questions related to the implementation of these plans, I encourage you to contact the school so that we may assist you.  The District will be operating under an in-person instructional model for all students.  If your student requires accommodations for their instructional needs based on a diagnosis of a medical condition, please contact your student’s building principal no later than Friday, August 20.

Thank you for all that you do to provide a safe, welcoming, and consistent atmosphere for our students.  I look forward to working with you in the days to come.

Best Regards,

Timothy Seymour

Superintendent of Schools

Lake Placid Central School District Reopening Plans 2021-2022

Masking

• All staff, students, and scheduled visitors inside all school buildings and buses

• • Exceptions may be determined on an individual basis based upon specific medical diagnoses

Physical Distancing

•  3 feet where practical inside

• • The District will not exclude students from in-person learning to keep a minimum distance requirement.

Transportation

• Students and staff will wear masks on buses
• Physical distancing will be maintained to the greatest extent possible in order to maintain in-person instruction

Cafeteria

• 3 feet physical distancing where practical
• Students will wear masks when not eating
• Outdoor dining locations will be utilized to the greatest extent possible

COVID-19 Testing at school, isolation, and quarantine

• As required by the county or state health departments

Daily Screening

• Completed at home
• Students and staff who are ill should remain home

Instructional Model

• The District will provide in-person instruction to all students
• Exceptions to in-person instruction may be determined on an individual basis based upon specific student medical diagnoses

Athletics, Extra Curricular Activities, and After School Events

• Outdoor sports do not require masking
• Inside sports require masking
• Spectators required to mask at all indoor events
• Spectators – 3 feet physical distancing where practical

Cleaning and Safety Protocols

• Commonly touched surfaces will be cleaned daily
• Instructional spaces will have air filtration equipment operating
• Windows will be open to the greatest extent possible

Vaccinations

• All eligible students and staff are encouraged to be vaccinated

Subject to change based on additional official guidance and regional transmission rates