Watkins Glen Central School District has the following plan for COVID-19 contact tracing and

testing. WGCSD will follow the guidance from the Department of Health (DoH) and Schuyler
County Public Health.

• WGCSD will notify the state and local health departments immediately upon learning of a
positive COVID-19 test among students, faculty, staff or visitors. WGCSD will cooperate
with contact tracing, isolation and quarantine efforts.

• Watkins Glen CSD will screen all staff and students daily per Department of Health
guidelines, outlined in the district reopening plan.

• When an individual exhibits any symptom consistent with COVID-19 during a screening,
including a temperature of over 100 degrees F, that individual will immediately be separated
from others, moved to isolation in the identified area of either the Elementary School or
High School health office. The school nurse will immediately contact the student’s parents
and arrange for the student to be picked up from the health office as soon as possible.

• Anytime a student is sent home following a failed screening or becomes ill during the school
day, the nurses will document and communicate the number and grade level of the students
sent home to the Superintendent and DoH.

• When an individual is symptomatic and/or does not pass the health screening, they may not
return to school without all of the following, per DoH requirements;

1. A negative COVID-19 test and symptom resolution, and

2. Documentation from a Healthcare Provider, and
3. Release from quarantine as directed by the DoH.

• WGCSD will follow DoH and NYS workplace guidance for faculty or staff members who
are seeking to return to work after a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, or after
close contact with a person with COVID-19.

• For a COVID-19 confirmed case, the Schuyler County Public Health Department will take
the lead on isolation/quarantine and release.

• Schuyler County Public Health will respond and perform a thorough investigation including
contact tracing with cooperation from WGCSD.
 • Schuyler County Public Health will provide recommendations to the school regarding action
plans in response to a COVID-19 positive case.

• Schuyler County Public Health and WGCSD will not disclose personal information for those
testing positive for COVID-19. All relevant parties will be notified appropriately by the
school or through contact tracing by Schuyler County Public Health. Schuyler County Public
Health will notify the community of a positive case by identifying the name of the school
building impacted. Schuyler County Public Health will notify the community of a positive
faculty/staff by only identifying the name of the school district.

• Schuyler County Public Health will notify the Superintendent and School Nurses of all
mandatory quarantines for students, staff and faculty after notifying the individual and/or
family.

• Schuyler County Public Health Department does not automatically consider teachers and
school staff as essential workers. A determination needs to be made on a case by case basis
with the Schuyler County Public Health Department and school. This is pending guidance
from Department of Health.

• WGCSD will continue to rely upon the guidance of the school physicians. Schuyler County
Public Health will support WGCSD in complying with NYS DOH guidance and
recommendations.

Closures - Transition to Alternative Instructional Model

The Superintendent will follow the guidance of the local DOH in determining when a closure
may be required and to what extent it will impact the district. Depending on the containment
measures implemented, it could be anywhere from a specific group of students to the entire
district that needs to transition temporarily to remote learning. The length of the closure will be
determined, in coordination with the local DoH.

This document is based on DoH and NYSED guidelines and will be updated accordingly if changes
occur.