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HCSD COVID-19 Update
February 18, 2022

The Harrison Central School District provides this COVID-19 update with information on the following topics:

  • HCSD Leads Advocacy for Metrics to Safely Remove Masks

  • COVID-19 Weekly PCR Test Results

  • HCSD COVID-19 Cases

  • COVID-19 Testing Available After February Break

HCSD Leads Advocacy for Metrics to Safely Remove Masks

The Harrison Central School District and Rye City School District have joined forces and are asking for your support to petition New York State officials for intelligent, science-based changes to mask requirements in schools, continued support for testing, and increased support for mental health services. The recommendations ensure students will remain safe and improve the quality of their learning. 

  • Link mask requirements to viral transmission levels and test positivity rates in schools/districts.  Only require masks if “transmission levels are deemed high” by the local Department of Health.  Note this pertains to the positivity rate in schools/districts since in-school transmission rates have been well below county and community averages. The New York State Department of Health should change the mask requirements in schools by February 21, 2022, the date the current mandate expires.

  • Continue to provide adequate COVID-19 testing resources to schools so they can offer weekly COVID tests to faculty, staff, and students whose parents provide consent.

  • Increase funding for mental health support for students.  Districts require ongoing, sustained resources to address the wide range of mental health needs of children and staff that have emerged or been exacerbated by the pandemic. 

Time is critical. Please make your voice heard by contacting Governor Hochul, State Legislators, the New York State Departments of Health and Education, and Westchester County Executive Latimer asking for their support. These changes require your support.

Take Action Now!
Click Here to Sign a Petition & Make Your Voice Heard

COVID-19 PCR Weekly Test Results

Through our testing partnership with Mount Sinai Hospital, the District conducted 476 PCR saliva tests on February 14, 2022, for faculty, staff and students whose parents provided consent, with two (2) positive results, which is a 0.4% positivity rate.  The positivity rate since the return from the December break has declined significantly:

The District will continue to provide COVID-19 testing to students, faculty and staff as one of several mitigation strategies to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep schools open for in-person learning.

HCSD COVID-19 Cases

Updated COVID-19 data can be found on the NYS COVID-19 Report Card, including lab-confirmed positive cases for students, faculty and staff in each school. 

To access school-specific information:

  1. Go to NYS COVID-19 Report Card
  2. Click on "Public Schools"
  3. Type in "Harrison"
  4. Click on the links for each school

Related Information:

COVID-19 Testing Available After February Break

To ensure a safe return to school following February break, all faculty, staff and students whose parents have already provided consent will have the opportunity to participate in free PCR COVID-19 testing on Monday, February 28. Test kits were distributed this past week, and faculty, staff and parents will receive an email with instructions to return their test kit on Monday, February 28.