Principal Manuel Urena

Dear Parent/Guardian/Student,

I hope that you and your families are well and safe during these challenging times. 

For returning students, welcome back to another school year at JKO! For new students, our JKO family welcomes you to your new home!

This year commences with many challenges as a result of the covid 19 pandemic. Specifically, we will have to continue to follow safety protocols. There will be no remote learning option for this year. 

We are anxious to welcome students, faculty and staff back to our school building. While the duration of the pandemic remains unclear, and the situation continues to evolve, we remain focused on the implementation of public health control measures such as social distancing, cleaning and disinfection, the use of appropriate personal protective equipment, along with other safety protocols. Please note that we will try to conduct all necessary meetings with parents remotely when possible. All visitors to the school building must use face masks, have their temperature taken by the school with a non-touch thermometer, answer covid 19 related questions, be escorted to and from their destination, follow social distancing guidelines of three feet, as well as any and all other DOE safety protocols. 

Additionally, the following protocols, the DOE has issued the following:

In partnership with the DOHMH, the NYCDOE is emphasizing the use of multiple layers of protection against COVID-19 and encouraging those who are eligible to get vaccinated. Strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19 include:

· Properly wearing a face covering at all times when on DOE property;

· Increasing ventilation, wherever possible;

· Washing and sanitizing hands regularly;

· Staying home when sick, after being in close contact with a person with COVID-19, 

or if someone in your household is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms;

· Ensuring students maintain a distance of at least three feet from other students; and most importantly,

· If eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, getting the vaccine.

· Physical Distancing

· Following CDC and NYSED guidance, schools should provide a minimum of three feet of physical distancing, where possible. Both the CDC and NYSED emphasize that physical distancing requirements should not prevent students from fully returning to school this year. 

To ensure that staff and students do not report to school if they have or potentially may have COVID-19 or are feeling ill, a health screening must be completed, ideally at home, by all students, staff, and visitors before entering NYCDOE school facilities.

NYCDOE families/students are encouraged to use the online health screening tool to pre-screen themselves before entering a NYCDOE building. Upon entering the school facility, families/students will be asked to provide the results of their screening either by showing the email on their smartphone or a printout of the results. Families should support students as needed with this online screening questionnaire and should ensure students have proper documentation for morning entry.

If a student fails a health screening or shows symptoms of COVID-19, the student will be assessed by the nurse on site. If it is confirmed that the student is showing symptoms of COVID-19, the guardian of the student must be immediately contacted and advised to pick up the child. If the guardian cannot be reached, the school must contact the emergency contacts on the student's Blue Card.

Three feet distancing is not required for passing between classes and in some elevators. For schools where an elevator is required in order to get into the school, three feet distancing is not required, but all individuals in the elevator must properly wear a face covering and the elevator ride should not take more than ten minutes. Schools should discourage student use of elevators in buildings where elevators are not essential to accessing the school.

For certain activities, including lunch, additional safety measures will be used. When eating, students must maintain three feet of physical distance and should be seated in such a way that they are facing away from one another. For example, students may sit on a single side of a cafeteria bench, three feet apart. Schools may utilize other spaces, including but not limited to classrooms, auditoriums, gyms, and outdoor spaces for cafeteria use.

In classrooms or cafeterias where three feet thresholds cannot be met, the Division of School Facilities and Space Planning will work with schools to increase ventilation through the use of additional air purifiers. Schools should work with their custodial staff to increase ventilation in these rooms.

Face Coverings

Mandatory use of face coverings must be enforced for all individuals (unless they have a medical exemption) while on school property, on school buses, and on any school-sponsored transportation, regardless of the individual’s COVID-19 vaccine status. A face covering is any well-secured cloth or disposable mask that covers a person’s nose and mouth. A face covering with an exhalation valve or vent cannot be used on school property as exhalation valves allow unfiltered exhaled air to escape to others. Face shields are not appropriate substitutes for face coverings. Please see the Face Covering guidance for more information.

Criteria for Returning to School after Showing Symptoms

Any individual (student or staff member) showing signs of COVID-19 can only return to school when all the following conditions are met:

Received a positive COVID-19 test AND

Isolated for 10 days AND

The individual has been fever free for 24 hours without the use of medication and overall symptoms are improving.

OR

Received a negative COVID-19 test since the onset of symptoms (the negative result must have been from a test that tested saliva or used a nose or throat swab, not a blood test) AND

The individual has been fever free for 24 hours without the use of medication and overall symptoms are improving.

OR

Never got a COVID-19 test AND

At least 10 days have passed since symptoms started AND

The individual has been fever free for 24 hours without the use of medication and overall symptoms are improving.

OR

Was vaccinated against COVID-19 within the past three days AND

The individual has been fever free for 24 hours without the use of medication.

The goal is to ensure that all members of our school community are safe when inside the school building. 

I truly look forward to our partnership in ensuring that your child is successful and safe throughout the school year. Feel free to contact the school should you have any 

questions. Thank you for your continued support!

Sincerely,

Manuel A. Urena, Principal