The Guilderland Central School District is asking parents for permission to test their children for COVID-19 should the state require it.

Beginning on Thursday, Dec. 10, Guilderland students in eighth through 12th grade will learn from home due to staff shortages caused by quarantine requirements.

Public browsing at the Guilderland Public Library will wait until at least mid-January since massive construction work as well as restrictions to control COVID-19 make the planned reopening unsafe, trustees decided after hearing staff concerns. “Our lives depend on it,” said one library staffer of the delay.

The fifth case, at Guilderland High School, was announced Wednesday in an email from Superintendent Marie Wiles. That last case forced the high school to all-remote learning, beginning on Thursday, Nov. 19, and lasting until Thanksgiving break, which starts on Tuesday, Nov. 24.

During the pandemic, many Lynnwood Elementary students had been through “levels of trauma,” said their art teacher, Krista Gillis. She came up with a project that would show them, on their return to school, “They belong here and we love them.”

Sacrificing the safety of children for political expediency is unacceptable. Schools need both accurate guidance and adequate funding to keep our children safe.

A research program at the University at Albany is being awarded $460,281 to examine factors that cause extreme winter weather events in North America. The program, led by Dr.

Voorheesville’s high school was recognized with one of the most prestigious awards in education. 

“We have to be a model for our kids to deal with adversity in positive ways. That’s one of the greatest gifts we can give our kids,” said Altamont Elementary School Principal Peter Brabant who is optimistically running a school where two classes and a handful of teachers had to be quarantined.

Currently, some places in Guilderland’s five elementary schools, middle school, and high school have “dead spots” for communication, said Superintendent Marie Wiles. The award will be used to upgrade radio communication for all seven buildings.