September 3, 2021
Dear Greene Families and Students,
First, we want to thank our Greene Community for all the support and feedback you have provided the district throughout the Covid-19 crisis. The BOE, Administration and staff will continue to prioritize safety and in-person learning for all students. We understand that COVID protocols have created polarizing opinions, and emotions are raw for many in our community. As a public school district, we are required, and will continue to follow, the regulations set forth by New York State. We will also continue to work extremely hard to find ways to provide the best education and school environment for all our students. We are working with staff to find creative ways to allow students time to be mask free while following the regulations and keeping students safe. We will continue to utilize our outdoor spaces as much as possible and have secured large tents for each building. We plan to utilize these for as long as the outdoor temperatures will allow for lunch and instructional times during the day.
GCS provided more in-person instruction last year than any other district in our region. That is an accomplishment that we should be extremely proud of and celebrate as a community. Regardless of our personal beliefs on masks, we can all agree that remote instruction can’t replace the quality of the education that in-person learning provides. We not only plan to provide in-person instruction, but we also plan to provide all the traditional activities our students need and desire. For this to occur, we need cooperation from everyone. We understand that masks are a huge concern for many of our stakeholders. However, by following the regulations that are currently in place, we can provide all activities to all students. Our students have been very vocal about wanting and needing to have their extracurricular activities, clubs, and field trips back. It is a district priority to provide our students with these opportunities.
We will be holding our traditional open houses beginning next week to welcome our students and their families back to school. Staff has been working extremely hard to prepare for the return of our students. At this time the NYS regulations are already in effect and as such anyone entering the buildings will be required to follow the new regulations. Everyone’s cooperation with this will allow for our students to experience a successful open house and school year.
Now, more than ever, is a time to focus on our students return to school and give them the opportunities they deserve. It may not look how we all want it to look, but having our students all together and back in our classrooms and enjoying their favorite activities needs to be our focus. Please visit our reopening page to see the NYS regulations and the district’s reopening plan if you have not seen them. Additionally, please don’t forget to visit your child’s building website for school supply lists and other specific building information.
Thank you, again, for your support and all the feedback you have shared with the district during this extremely difficult time. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Labor Day weekend! We are looking forward to seeing the students fill our halls and classrooms next week!
Sincerely,
Timothy M. Calice
Superintendent of Schools