COVID-19 & Reopening Information
COVID-19 Updates
This page contains information on the Cheektowaga-Sloan UFSD reopening plan and COVID-19 updates. Please click on the links below and to the right for the latest information.
- Your child must stay home from school and begin isolation for 5 days (day 0 is the day symptoms began or the day of the positive test result), AND it is recommended you report the case to your child's health office.
- You may use the "Isolation and Exposure Calculator" available from the CDC to determine your isolation period.
What do I do if my child demonstrates symptoms of COVID-19?
-
If you have a fever, cough, or other symptoms, you might have COVID-19. Most people have mild illness and are able to recover at home. If you are sick:
- Keep track of your symptoms.
- If you have an emergency warning sign (including trouble breathing), call 911.
- If your child has a fever, they need to stay home and may return to school after they are fever-free without fever-reducing medicine for 24 hours.
- Reopening Plan Information
- Supplemental Detailed Reopening Plans
- Helpful Links
- COVID-19 Grant Funds - CRRSA and ARP
- Community Updates
Reopening Plan Information
-
Cheektowaga-Sloan UFSD COVID-19 Safety Plan for 2022-2023:
-
For the 2022-2023 school year, Cheektowaga-Sloan UFSD is back to full-time in-person instruction.
- It is recommended that you keep your child at home if he/she is sick
- We will be following up-to-date guidance from the CDC
- For the most up-to-date communications/changes, please see the "COVID-19 Home Page" link in the toolbar to the left
-
-
Cheektowaga-Sloan UFSD COVID-19 Updated Reopening Plan for 2021-2022:
-
-
When Erie County moved to adopt the Interim NYSDOH Guidance for Classroom Instruction in P-12 Schools During the 2021-2022 Academic Year, we also pivoted to this new guidance. Additional Information on New York State's Guidance can be found at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/schools-youth.
-
Please see, the "COVID-19 Home Page" for the most up-to-date communications/changes.
-
-
-
Cheektowaga-Sloan UFSD COVID-19 Reopening Plan 2020-2021
-
August 2020: FAQs About Reopening Schools in Cheektowaga-Sloan
-
For more details on our Hybrid Model, please see "Supplemental Detailed Reopening Plans" Link in the toolbar to the left
Supplemental Detailed Reopening Plans
Helpful Links
COVID-19 Grant Funds - CRRSA and ARP
Plan for Federal Funds
ARP ESSER Grant Spending Plan and State-Level Reserve Funds
On Thursday, March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act was signed into law. It was an unprecedented $1.9 trillion package of assistance measures, including $122 billion for the ARP Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund. Funds are provided to State Educational Agencies and Local Educational Agencies to help safely reopen and sustain the same operation of schools and address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the Nation’s students. ARP ESSER Fund awards to State Educational Agencies are in the same proportion as each State received funds under Part A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, in fiscal year 2020. (Link to Office of Elementary and Secondary Education)
The federal ARP statute requires that states reserve a portion of ARP ESSER State Educational Agency (SEA) reserve funds for evidence-based activities and interventions that respond to students’ social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs, and that address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on students from low-income families, students of color, English learners, children with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, children and youth in foster care, and migratory students. New York State must reserve a minimum of: (Link to Memo on State Reserve Funds)
• 5% of the total amount of awarded grant funds ($449.9 million) to carry out activities
to address the impact of lost instructional time by supporting the implementation of
evidence-based interventions;
• 1% ($90 million) to carry out the implementation of evidence-based summer
enrichment programs; and
• 1% ($90 million) to carry out the implementation of evidence-based comprehensive
afterschool programs.
If you have any questions about the COVID grants that are not addressed on this webpage, please feel free to contact, Mrs. Janelle Finn, Assistant Superintendent, at jfinn@cheektowagasloan.org
ARP-ESSER Application: State Reserves Application
ARP-ESSER: State Reserves: After-School Program Budget Narrative
ARP-ESSER: State Reserves: After-School Program FS-10
ARP-ESSER: State Reserves: Summer-School Program Budget Narrative
ARP-ESSER: State Reserves: Summer-School Program FS-10
ARP-ESSER: State Reserves: Lost Instructional Time Budget Narrative
February 27, 2024 Update- ARP ESSER and ARP ESSER STATE RESERVES
Update: February 27, 2024- Proposed changes to ARP ESSER 3 Grant
ARP ESSER 3 funding expires in September 2024. As a result, the District reviewed the entire grant and decided on final spending plans. The following changes are suggested-providing a stipend to the Assistant Superintendent for managing the COVID grants, as there is a lot involved in monitoring and maintaining these grants. This will compensate her for working outside her contractual day to complete this work. We also need to increase the Summer Data Coordinator stipend so he may continue in this role for the summer of 2024. The District needs to adjust the stipend cost for the Curriculum Advisement Coordinator as the cost was $700 more than anticipated. We also need to make a few adjustments to the original allocations for teacher salaries for positions currently being supported by the grant, which also means making adjustments to the employee benefits in the grant related to these positions. We allocated money for teachers at JFK Middle School to monitor their improvement plan outside the school day. Now that the before and after school program is in its final section, we need to adjust the amount of money spent on the program as we anticipated a higher cost. The mental health training and the Restorative Practice Liaison stipends did not cost as much as initially anticipated, so these allocation amounts must also be reduced. Now that summer school has ended, we have made adjustments to reflect what we actually spent on transportation. We want to have a new motivational speaker present to our faculty, staff, and students in grades 6-12 in September 2024. Duncan Kirkwood will present on resiliency, and we want to use the COVID funds to pay for this. We also needed to adjust the cost for our previous Top Youth Speaker, Chase Mielke, as his first presentation was so successful that he was invited back to present on opening days in September 2023. We also added follow up training for the March 2023 Superintendent's Conference day from GLYS. In addition, we trained the AIS teachers in how to use the Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) kits we previously purchased with COVID grant funds. We also paid a consultant from DocDeana Enterprise to assist JFK Middle School with their improvement plan. We used grant funds to pay for nurses from Supplemental Health to assist with the Test to Stay program required during COVID-19. The District utilized funding to purchase simulation babies for JFK HS health class. They needed an adapter for the babies. Lastly, we made purchases to improve programming and better prepare/close gaps for students. We want to purchase a new math program in grades Prek-5 to improve our math achievement. There are also new science labs required by the NYSED at the high school level and many materials were needed to implement these labs. We want to purchase the materials necessary to implement these labs. We also bought an additional piece of equipment for the new Middle School Fitness room to encourage health and well-being among our students. Lastly, we want to purchase a program called Click-Up to help the Assistant Superintendent with project management.
If you have any comments or suggestions on this proposed change, please use the linked survey and complete it by March 4, 2024: CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO SURVEY
Link to draft amendment for further details.
February 2024 Update- ARP ESSER and ARP ESSER STATE RESERVES
Update: February 1, 2024- Proposed changes to 5% Learning Loss Grant
The 5% Learning Loss <>expires in September 2024. As a result, the District reviewed the entire grant and decided on final spending plans. The following changes are suggested: We are updating our Scope and Sequence documents K-12. The teachers will be compensated for their work outside the contractual day with the Learning Loss Grant funds. We also made adjustments to Employee Benefits paid for with grant funds. The District formed a math committee in grades Prek-5 to select a new math program. The work for this took place outside the contractual day, and we provided payment for their work. We also allotted money to train the teachers in this new program during the summer of 2024. The District also utilized this grant to partially pay for the Assistant Superintendent's salary as she oversees the educational program, Prek-12. We are also working with DocDeana Enterprise to assist us with our improvement plan at JFK Middle School and have allotted funds for her work. We allotted $500 for the Assistant Superintendent to attend a Science of Reading Microcredential at Suny New Platz State University. This training will be turn-keyed for the faculty and staff. The District also purchased many supplies and materials to supplement the new curriculum we are developing and to purchase phonics materials supporting the Science of Reading research. We also want to purchase additional Leveled Literacy Intervention kits to be used by our AIS teachers in grades K-8.
Update: February 8, 2024: Link to amendment 002 Sent to NYSED for 5% learning Loss Grant
October 2023 Update- ARP ESSER AND ARP ESSER STATE RESERVES
Proposed changes to ARP ESSER 3 Grant
The District needs to adjust the original allocations for positions currently being funded by COVID grants. We also want to add a generator at JFK High School, which will allow the District to maintain instruction and access to key card system during power outages. We also want to reduce the costs of transportation for summer school further as our original estimate was too high. We also started our partnership with Compeer for our Youth Mentoring Program in 2022-2023 so we need to reallocate unspent funds from 2021-2022. We also used other funding sources to pay for PPE related to COVID-19 and need to reduce the amount we originally allocated in this grant. Lastly, we need to make adjustments to employee benefits as a result of the reduction in salaries mentioned earlier.
If you have any comments or suggestions on this proposed change, please use the linked survey and complete it by October 27, 2023: CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO SURVEY
Update: October 30, 2023- Link to Amendment 002 for ARP ESSER 3 Grant sent to NYSED for approval
July 2023 Update- ARP ESSER and ARP ESSER STATE RESERVES
Update: July 17, 2023- Proposed changes to 1% After School Grant
The District has to make adjustments to the cost of the before and after-school programs. In addition, we want to train several of our AIS teachers in the intervention program called Phonics First to help close student gaps in learning due to COVID-19.
If you have any comments or suggestions on this proposed change, please use the linked survey and complete it by July 24, 2023: CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO SURVEY
Update: August 1, 2023- Link to Amendment 001 for 1% After School Grant sent to NYSED for approval
December 2022 Update- ARP ESSER and ARP ESSER STATE RESERVES
Update: December 12, 2022- Proposed Changes to 5% Learning Loss Grant
The cost of transportation for summer school is not as much as we anticipated. We originally allocated $168,000 for transportation. We want to reduce this by $100,000 and leave $68,000 for future transportation needs. We also want to purchase materials for our AIS teachers to use in grades K-8. We want to purchase Leveled Literacy Intervention Kits to be used to close gaps at Tier 2.
If you have any comments or suggestions on this proposed change, please use the linked survey and complete it by December 12, 2023: CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO SURVEY
Update: January 4, 2023- Link to Amendment 001 for 5% Learning Loss Grant sent to NYSED for approval
October 2022 Update- ARP ESSER AND ARP ESSER STATE RESERVES
Update: October 10, 2022- Proposed Changes to ARP ESSER 3
- The District wants to provide Mental Health First Aid Training to all faculty members. We want to reallocate some of the ARP ESSER 3 funds to pay teachers to take a portion of the course online. They will finish the training in person at our Superintendent's Conference Day. We also want to pay for an inspirational speaker from Top Youth Speakers. The presentation will be provided to faculty, staff, and students in grades 6-12 on the topic of mental health, dealing with stress, and resilience. Lastly, we want to provide training from GYLS, INC for faculty and staff.
If you have any comments or suggestions on this proposed change, please use the linked survey and complete it by October 19, 2022: CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO SURVEY
Update: October 24, 2022- Link to Amendment 001 for ARP ESSER 3 sent to NYSED for approval
September 2022 Update- ARP ESSER and ARP ESSER STATE RESERVES
Update: September 9, 2022- Proposed Change to ARP ESSER 3
- The District would like to reallocate money ($37,665) initially allocated to purchase books for our Summer Feeding Program in 2023. Instead, the District would like to purchase Lucy Calkins' reading and writing books for grades K-2 and additional supplies and materials for updated Lucy Calkins' Units of Study for reading and writing. We want to purchase these materials and update our curriculum. We also need additional books to close learning gaps from COVID-19.
If you have any comments or suggestions on this proposed change, please use the linked survey and complete it by September 16, 2022: CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO SURVEY
Update: September 29, 2022: Link to Amendment 00A for ARP ESSER 3 sent to NYSED for approval
June 2022 Update- ARP ESSER and ARP ESSER STATE RESERVES
The federal government has passed several laws in the past year to address the economic and health consequences of the coronavirus pandemic (pandemic). The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, signed into law on December 27, 2020, provided additional funding to school districts under the same programs established last year in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act was signed into law on March 11, 2021, and continues many of the programs enacted by the CARES Act by adding new phases, new allocations, and new guidance to address issues related to the ongoing pandemic. The ARP Act also creates new programs to address continuing pandemic-related crises and fund recovery efforts.
Cheektowaga-Sloan Union Free School District created a plan to utilize the allocation of federal funds to help our students and the school community address issues related to the ongoing pandemic that has affected all families and students. The main areas of focus are:
- Addressing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, including the impacts of interrupted instruction and learning loss for all students, but especially the impacts on low-income students, children with disabilities, English language learners, and students experiencing homelessness;
- Implementing evidence-based strategies to meet students' social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs;
- Purchasing educational technology;
- Safely returning students to in-person instruction.
- Offering evidence-based summer, afterschool, and other extended learning and enrichment programs;
The district's 3-year plan to utilize the allocation of federal CCRSA and ARP funds was finalized in July 2021. Over the course of the 3-year grant, the district will review the plan bi-annually and consider revisions at that time. We encourage all stakeholders to review the current plan and applications and provide feedback at any time but specifically welcome additional feedback by 6/30/22 for an upcoming reporting period. We last received feedback from stakeholders on 06/30/2021. Since that time, our plan has remained unchanged in its programmatic and fiscal focus.
We continue to gather input via the following Google Survey: Link to Provide Feedback. As any substantive revisions are made to the plan in the future, we will formally solicit public comment.
Stakeholders’ comments on this plan through June 30, 2022, will be considered in the District's July 1, 2022, NYSED plan submission. Our stakeholders include parents, teachers, administrators, staff, and other community members living in the school district. You will be asked to define your relationship with the District when providing feedback.
Goals and Actions
Offer evidence-based summer, afterschool, and other extended learning and enrichment programs
- We held two sessions of before and after-school academic support for students who were academically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- We are holding a summer school program in Summer 2022 to support students who were academically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Supporting Student Social, Emotional, and Mental Well-Being
- We added four restorative practice liaisons.
- We added two Curriculum and Advisement Coordinators.
- We added a school psychologist and a social worker.
- We updated the Family Solution's Center closed-circuit television system.
Safely Returning Students to In-Person Instruction
- We purchased cleaning equipment and supplies to support our enhanced cleaning procedures.
Address Learning Loss Due to Interrupted Instruction
We addressed the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, including the impacts of interrupted instruction and learning loss on low-income students, children with disabilities, English language learners, and students experiencing homelessness by hiring:
- a Coordinator of Curriculum and Instruction,
- a Coordinator of Special Education and Student Services
- a Summer Data Coordinator
We also provided curriculum and instruction materials for RtI teachers and provided the teachers with training in the new materials and curriculum.
Educational Technology Purchases
We also improved student access to instructional technology by:
- Replacing devices (i.e., Chromebooks) for students
- Purchasing educational software to support the loss of instruction
- Installing interactive whiteboards in educational spaces
CRSSA Act ESSER and GEER
On December 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSA Act). The CRRSA Act authorizes funding for a second Education Stabilization Fund to prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus, under which New York State has received:
- $4 billion in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER 2) funds to support the ability of local educational agencies (LEAs), including charter schools that are LEAs, with emergency relief funds to address the impact that Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had, and continues to have, on elementary and secondary schools across the nation; and
- $322.9 million in Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER 2) funds for the purpose of providing educational agencies with emergency assistance to address the impact of COVID-19, of which $250.1 million is for an Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) grant program.
CRRSA Act ESSER and GEER Application
Community Updates
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
-
Letter related to new NYSED guidance; 04.12.2021.
-
Interim Guidance for In-Person Instruction at Pre-K to Grade 12 Schools During the COVID-19 Global Health Emergency; Updated 04/09/2021.
March 2021
January 2021
December 2020
-
Updated Orange Zone and in-person return date- December 8, 2020
-
All Call to Families: COVID-19 Consent for Testing and Testing Update- December 04, 2020
November 2020