NO SCHOOL: Thanksgiving Recess
* Please note that this story was updated Nov. 18 with new and additional information regarding the COVID-19 testing clinics scheduled for Nov. 19 and Nov. 22.
William S. Hackett Middle School will switch to distance learning for all students beginning Wednesday and continuing until Nov. 29 due to a high number of COVID-19 cases.
Hackett has had nine new COVID-19 cases this month affecting all grade levels, with 94 additional contacts requiring quarantine. That includes six new cases and 72 contacts reported over the weekend and Monday. Nine additional individuals left school early Tuesday with COVID-19-like symptoms and are required to isolate until they have a negative COVID-19 test. We will notify any additional contacts.
Due to these increasing numbers, and after consulting with the Albany County Health Department and the City School District of Albany medical director, the district has made the decision for Hackett to switch to distance learning to lessen the risk for further transmission.
At this time, our plan is for Hackett to return to in-person student attendance Monday, Nov. 29. We will continue to monitor COVID-19 cases and keep you updated.
Principal Michael Paolino instructed teachers to have students bring their Chromebooks and chargers home Tuesday. They should plan to log in to their Google Classroom on Wednesday morning and continue to follow their regular schedules.
All teachers and students regularly use Google Classroom and students can access from home just as they would while in school. However, if your child needs support accessing Google Classroom, please have them sign in here.
COVID-19 testing clinics Friday, Monday
Hackett will host two COVID-19 testing clinics while students are on distance learning:
- Friday, Nov. 19 -- 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- Monday, Nov. 22 -- 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Testing will be conducted in the Hackett cafeteria. Please use the school's back parking lot and enter through the cafeteria entrance in back when you arrive.
Parents and guardians, you must pre-register your students for testing. On-site registration is possible, but registering in advance will speed up the process for you when you arrive.
To register, create your student profiles at app.Clarifi-COVID-19.com. Please note that you can register multiple students under each account.
The district is partnering with Quadrant Biosciences and SUNY Upstate Medical University to use a saliva pool test. This very simple and painless COVID-19 test involves a saliva swab that the student can easily self-administer, as shown in this short video.
A few additional notes in preparation for the saliva swab:
- Students must wait at least one hour after brushing their teeth or using mouthwash before testing
- Do not eat or drink anything 30 minutes before testing. This includes gum, mints, cough lozenges, etc.
- Follow these links for more helpful videos:
Once all samples have been collected, we will send them out to be analyzed. Results will be returned within 24-48 hours and will be available for parents and guardians by logging back into your account at app.Clarifi-COVID-19.com.
This information will help us confirm our current plan to return to in-person instruction on Monday, Nov. 29, or determine if additional testing or distance learning days may be needed.
We apologize for any inconvenience these distance learning days may cause for your family. We believe this is a necessary step in our efforts to ensure the health and safety of the entire school community, and we appreciate your cooperation as we continue to respond to the ongoing challenges of COVID-19.
If you have any questions, please contact school at (518) 475-6475.
