April 2 health updates

  • Posted April 2, 2020
Chromebook computers deployed on cafeteria tables for student pickup

Chromebook distribution to students

The City School District of Albany distributed more than 1,500 Chromebooks to students Wednesday and Thursday in our efforts to assist families with computer access at home while schools are closed due to COVID-19. 

This was the first step in this process, and as we move forward our faculty and staff are working with our families to identify additional technology needs. We will use that feedback to build a plan for distributing devices to more families as soon as possible. 

Once again, a heartfelt thank you to all who helped make this week’s device distribution possible, including all faculty and staff members who played a role as well as our community partners at The College of Saint Rose, CDTA and CDPHP for their donations of 2,200 bags to help with the Chromebook distribution. 

Technical support for students and families

The district’s Technology Help Desk may assist students and families with issues related to connecting a Chromebook to wireless access points, or with student login to the Chromebooks or the Clever suite of applications.

You can reach the Technology Help Desk from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. each weekday at (518) 475-6195. 

Please note that the Help Desk cannot assist with matters related to use, content or activities within any of the district instructional applications or Google Classroom. Questions regarding the use of Google Classroom, instructional resources, learning tasks or expectations related to instructional content need to be directed to each student’s teacher or principal. 

Google Classroom reminders

Teachers at all grade levels will transition to new instruction via Google Classroom beginning Monday. 

We have provided a few updates to the Google Classroom information we shared in our April 1 update, including guidance for prekindergarten families about structuring the day for our youngest learners. 

Our April 1 information includes:

  • Instruction on how to use Google Classroom
  • How many hours per week students at each grade level will be expected to be engaged in online learning
  • A snapshot of what online learning will look like for students, and
  • Daily schedules for students at all grade levels

Board budget meeting Tuesday

A reminder that our next Board of Education meeting is coming up next Tuesday evening, April 7. This meeting will focus on budget-development, following up on the discussion at Thursday night’s meeting.

Tuesday’s meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m., and will be held via video conference as we continue to adhere to social-distancing guidelines. 

Free WiFi opportunities

We would like to provide these reminders about WiFi access for Albany families.

  • The City of Albany has partnered with FirstLight Fiber to offer Albany FreeNet, a free high-speed WiFi service. Any WiFi-enabled device – laptops, smart phones, PDAs, etc. – can connect to the network wirelessly wherever there is coverage. For more information, including a coverage map, you can visit http://albanyfreenet.net/.
  • WiFi at all Albany Public Library branches and two city parks (near Lincoln Park pool and Washington Park playhouse and skate park) remain turned on, so you can access them if you are in close proximity to those locations.
  • Spectrum is offering free Internet access to Capital Region households during the COVID-19 closure. The 60-day offer includes free WiFi access and is only available to households that aren't already Spectrum customers. Other restrictions may apply. Call 844-488-8395 to enroll. Installation fees are also being waived.
    • Spectrum also has an online map to help you find free WiFi locations nearest to you. 
  • You also can check out this ABC News article about what companies are doing to increase WiFi and Internet hotspot access: 

Be counted for Albany in the 2020 Census – from home!

This is an important reminder that in spite of the closures and significant precautions in place due to COVID-19, the 2020 U.S. Census is underway. The Census Bureau is carefully monitoring the situation and follows the guidance of federal, state and local health authorities.

The most important thing you can do is respond online, by phone, or by mail when you receive your invitation. Responding now will minimize the need for Census Bureau workers to be out in communities following up. Help your community – and help the Census Bureau adhere to social-distancing guidelines – by responding online to the 2020 Census. Do your part. Stay home. Get counted.

OCFS childcare survey

The New York State Office of Children and Family Services is asking parents, guardians and caregivers who are in need of childcare to complete a Parent Need for Childcare survey. 

Based on the information collected in this survey, OCFS may be able to help families find the childcare program to meet their needs. It may be a challenge to find childcare due to COVID-19-related closures. However, OCFS is trying its best to support families to find high-quality childcare programs.

The OCFS website also has several resources available.

YMCA childcare partnership

The district is partnering with the YMCA to offer childcare services for health and emergency-response personnel. The YMCA is administering and staffing the program, which operates from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. daily at the following six schools:

  • Arbor Hill Elementary School, 1 Arbor Drive
  • Eagle Point Elementary School, 1044 Western Ave.
  • Giffen Memorial Elementary School, 274 South Pearl St.
  • New Scotland Elementary School, 369 New Scotland Ave.
  • Schuyler Achievement Academy, 676 Clinton Ave.
  • Sheridan Preparatory Academy, 400 Sheridan Ave.

The program has a limited capacity, with a maximum of 30 children per school (three classrooms with 10 children). The YMCA is staffing each room with two employees.

Online registration is available. Health and emergency personnel needing childcare are also welcome to call the YMCA at (518) 869-3500.

Picking up medications at school

In the event of an emergency, parents and guardians who need to pick up medication that is currently stored at school can contact Health Services Coordinator Suzanne McCarthy to schedule a time to pick up the medication.

Parents and guardians can contact the health services coordinator at (518) 475-6730 or smccarthy@albany.k12.ny.us. They should be sure to include their child’s name and school, and the best phone number where they can be reached. The health services coordinator will contact them to make arrangements to pick up medications.