Otselic Valley Central School District

[EDITED: Test kits have been delivered and are now available through school.] December 30, 2021 RE: Covid At-Home Testing Kits Dear Parents/Legal Guardians: On December 28, 2021, Governor Hochul along with other state leaders met with school leaders from across the state to announce an initiative to distribute COVID at-home tests to all students as soon as possible upon their return to school from the holiday break. Hochul stated that keeping students in schools is a key objective for her office and for educators across New York. To that end, the Governor's office is working with regional BOCES and local school districts to distribute COVID at-home tests to all students as soon as possible. These tests are not mandatory, but we strongly encourage you to use them on your children before sending them back to school to limit the spread of the COVID virus among our children. If your child is experiencing COVID symptoms, please do not send your child to school. Tests will be available to any parent or guardian that would like to test their student at home starting in the first week of January, and an announcement will be made when those tests are delivered to our school. I will stress these tests are not mandatory and are strictly a family choice. If you would like a test sent home with your student, please notify the Main Office, or you many pick up a test from the school. If you complete the COVID at-home test and the test is positive, please do not send your student to school. Please contact your family physician and notify the county of the positive test. Thank you for your understanding, cooperation, and commitment to the safety of all students. Respectfully, Georgia Gonzalez O V C S D Superintendent