UASCS
UAS Elementary School
Frankfort, NY 13340
UAS J/S High School
Frankfort, NY 13340
Dear Utica Academy of Science Parents, Guardians, Students, and Staff,
The Centers for Disease Control issued new guidance regarding mask usage on Friday, February 25. On Sunday, February 27, Governor Hochul provided an update on the school masking mandate. Acknowledging data regarding declining infection and hospitalization rates, Governor Hochul announced that as of Wednesday, March 2, 2022, the statewide mask mandate in Pre-k-12 schools would be lifted. Parents may choose for their children to continue wearing their masks, and staff may choose to do so as well.
On Monday, February 28, 2022, and Tuesday, March 1, 2022, masks will be required according to the New York State Department of Health requirements.
Utica Academy of Science would like to thank our parents, guardians, students, and staff for their support and resilience throughout this pandemic. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available. We are delighted to turn another page in our two-year wait to return to normalcy. As always, if you have any questions regarding this announcement, please reach out to your child’s school.
Sincerely,
Utica Academy of Science Administration
Dear SANY parents, guardians, students, and staff,
The state-wide mask mandate will remain in effect after a New York appellate court judge issued a ”stay” Tuesday evening. This “stay” allows Governor Hochul’s mask mandate to continue amid an appeal.
On Monday evening, a Nassau County Supreme court judge ruled that the way New York State created its mask mandate was unconstitutional and a violation of state law. New York State has since appealed the Nassau County decision.
With this recent and conflicting news, we would like to clarify that at this time, all staff, students, and school visitors are required to wear a mask or appropriate face covering while inside our schools. There has been absolutely no change in the district’s health and safety protocols.
As this situation evolves, we will continue to update our staff and families on the latest information and guidance. We will continue to put the health and safety of the school community as our first priority. Again, thank you all for your continued support.
Sincerely,
SANY Administration
SANY in collaboration with Chartwells has developed a [contactless drive through] meal service that will allow students greater access to food while at home.
Please see below for pickup times and locations prior to Mid-Winter Recess.
Any questions about pick ups, please email
Who Qualifies
Pick-up Locations and times:
There will be no meal pick up during mid-winter recess!
On 2/9 meal pickup will be available at all schools and participants will receive three days worth of meals.
On 2/11 meal pickup will ONLY be available at UAS Middle School. Participants will receive SEVEN days of meals to cover the entire winter recess.
Please sign up in advance by emailing your school pick up location and number of children you are picking up meals for to:
Cost
Meals are free for all children up to 18 years old.
Dear Utica Academy of Science Middle School parents and guardians,
We are writing to share an important announcement, our middle school will continue remote learning until Friday, February 5th, 2021. We are planning to resume in-person instruction on Monday, February 8th, 2021.
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the middle school administration.
Sincerely,
Utica Academy of Science Middle School Administration
Dear Utica Academy of Science Elementary School parents and guardians,
We are writing to share an important announcement, our elementary school will resume hybrid learning on Monday, February 1st, 2021.
Governor Andrew Cuomo lifted the yellow zone in Oneida County on Wednesday, January 27th, 2021. Cuomo is leaving five yellow zones in place. Four are in New York City and one is in Newburgh. The other zones are being lifted because the situation has improved, Cuomo said.
We ask that all families who were previously assigned to hybrid learning to send their student(s) completed a health screening survey at https://www.uascs.org/healthscreening prior to sending the student(s) to schools. In addition, we ask that everyone follow safety guidelines to ensure our staff, students, and families well being.
Sincerely,
Utica Academy of Science Elementary School Administration
Dear Utica Academy of Science parents and guardians,
As a district, we have closely monitored the percentage of COVID-19 cases in our geographic area. It is clear that the number of COVID-19 cases are still on the rise.
Due to the increase of COVID-19 cases in our area, we will temporarily suspend in-person instruction and continue to hold remote learning. At this time, we will continue teaching all students remotely through Friday, January 29th, 2021.
This decision was made as a safety precaution and is to ensure the wellbeing of our students and families during this difficult time. We are planning to resume in-person instruction on Monday, February 1st, 2021 as we continue to monitor the progression, and number of COVID-19 cases in our area.
Meal pickup this week will be on Tuesday, January 26th and Thursday, January 28th at the Utica Academy of Science middle school from 10AM-12PM.
Please take this notice and our actions as a representation that we prioritize the health and safety of students, staff, and all members of our community to the fullest extent.
Sincerely,
Utica Academy of Science Administration
Dear Utica Academy of Science parents and guardians,
As a district, we have closely monitored the percentage of COVID-19 cases in our geographic area. It is clear that the number of COVID-19 cases are still on the rise.
Due to the increase of COVID-19 cases in our area, we will temporarily suspend in-person instruction and continue to hold remote learning. At this time, we will continue teaching all students remotely through Friday, January 22nd, 2021.
This decision was made as a safety precaution and is to ensure the wellbeing of our students and families during this difficult time. We are planning to resume in-person instruction on Monday, January 25th, 2021 as we continue to monitor the progression, and number of COVID-19 cases in our area.
Meal pickup this week will be on Tuesday, January 19th and Thursday, January 21st at the Utica Academy of Science middle school from 10AM-12PM.
Please take this notice and our actions as a representation that we prioritize the health and safety of students, staff, and all members of our community to the fullest extent.
Sincerely,
Utica Academy of Science Administration
Dear Utica Academy of Science parents and guardians,
As a district, we have closely monitored the percentage of COVID-19 cases in our geographic area. It is clear that the number of COVID-19 cases are still on the rise.
With the holiday season ending and due to the increase of COVID-19 cases in our area, we will temporarily suspend in-person instruction and continue to hold remote learning. At this time, we will continue teaching all students remotely through Friday, January 15, 2021.
This decision was made as a safety precaution and is to ensure the wellbeing of our students and families during this difficult time. We are planning to resume in-person instruction on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 as we continue to monitor the progression, and number of COVID-19 cases in our area.
Meal pickup this week will be on Tuesday, January 12th and Thursday, January 14th at the Utica Academy of Science middle school from 10AM-12PM.
Please take this notice and our actions as a representation that we prioritize the health and safety of students, staff, and all members of our community to the fullest extent.
Sincerely,
Utica Academy of Science Administration
SANY in collaboration with Chartwells has developed a [contactless drive through] meal service that will allow students greater access to food while at home.
Please see below for pickup times and locations for 12/14/2020-1/7/2021.
Any questions about pick ups, please email
Who Qualifies
Registration and Pickup
Pre-ordering is not necessary but is helpful to ensure enough meals are ready! If the hours listed are not convenient for you, please call the school’s main office to arrange alternate pickup times between 8am-4pm.
PICK-UP Locations and times:
Cost
Meals are free for all children up to 18 years old.
Dear Utica Academy parent(s) and guardian(s),
As a district, we closely monitor the percentage of COVID-19 cases in our geographic area. Currently, the 7-day rolling average infection rate is 8.5%. The 14-day rolling average is 6.9%. It is clear that the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Oneida County.
Due to the increase of COVID-19 cases in our area, we will continue to temporarily suspend in-person instruction. Utica Academy of Science Charter School will extend full-time online learning through January 8th, 2021.
All students will continue to meet daily with their classroom teachers for online instruction via Zoom and engage in online instruction through the school’s platform. Winter Recess remains scheduled for December 23rd, 2020 to January 1st, 2021, during which time school is closed and classes will not be in session. Classroom teachers will communicate with families in order to arrange a time to pick up learning materials.
We made this decision as a safety precaution to ensure the wellbeing of our students and families during this difficult time. We plan to resume in-person instruction on Monday, January 11th, 2021 depending on updates from the Oneida County Health Department and regional development of COVID cases. Please see the calendar below for an updated tentative schedule.
Please take this notice and our actions as a representation that we prioritize the health and safety of students, staff, and all members of our community to the fullest extent.
Sincerely,
Science Academies of New York Administration
SANY in collaboration with Chartwells has developed a [contactless drive through] meal service that will allow students greater access to food while at home.
Please see below for pickup times and locations for the week of December 7.
Any questions about pick ups, please email
Who Qualifies
Registration and Pickup
Pre-ordering is not necessary but is helpful to ensure enough meals are ready! If the hours listed are not convenient for you, please call the school’s main office to arrange alternate pickup times between 8am-4pm.
PICK-UP Locations and times:
Cost
Meals are free for all children up to 18 years old.
Dear SANY parent(s) and guardian(s),
As a district, we have closely monitored the percentage of COVID-19 cases in our geographic area. It is clear that the number of COVID-19 cases are on the rise.
Due to the increase of COVID-19 cases in our area, we will temporarily suspend in-person instruction and hold remote learning. At this time, hybrid instruction will continue through Friday, November 20th, 2020. We will begin teaching all students remotely Monday, November 23rd, 2020 and Tuesday, November 24th, 2020 before Thanksgiving break. We will continue to teach remotely the week after Thanksgiving Recess, starting from Monday, November 30th, 2020 through Friday, December 4th, 2020.
This decision was made as a safety precaution and is to ensure the wellbeing of our students and families during this difficult time. We are planning to resume in-person instruction on Monday, December 7th, 2020 as we continue to monitor the number of COVID-19 cases in our area.
Please take this notice and our actions as a representation that we prioritize the health and safety of students, staff, and all members of our community to the fullest extent.
Updated Calendar:
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
11/23 Remote Learning |
11/24 Remote Learning |
11/25 Thanksgiving Recess (No School) |
11/26 Thanksgiving Recess (No School) |
11/27 Thanksgiving Recess (No School) |
11/30 Remote Learning |
12/1 Remote Learning |
12/2 Remote Learning |
12/3 Remote Learning |
12/4 Remote Learning |
Sincerely,
Science Academies of New York Administration
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Influenza, or flu, cases are being diagnosed across New York state as flu season has officially started.
Flu spreads easily and can make people very sick, especially children. Flu symptoms include:
Some people, especially children, may have stomach problems and diarrhea. Unlike a cold, the flu comes on very suddenly.
Flu symptoms are very similar to COVID-19 symptoms. It’s important for families to know that the Science Academies of New York (SANY) is required to follow the guidance in the New York State Department of Health Pre-K to Grade 12 COVID-19 Toolkit when determining if a student can attend school and when staff can go to work.
Please refer to the toolkit for help in determining if your child can attend school, return to school after an illness and whether your child needs a COVID-19 test to return to school.
“There is a large overlap between flu and COVID-19 symptoms,” said Diane Montgomery, a local physician who is supporting the district as its COVID-19 Medical Supervisor. “Our school nurses are required to follow the state Department of Health protocols, and families should know that a COVID-19 test may be required for their children to return to school after an illness or symptoms of an illness.”
If your child does need a COVID-19 test, please check the New York State COVID-19 Testing website for testing information.
More information
Dear Utica Academy of Science Elementary School Parents and Guardians,
We are writing to share an important health announcement.
On Monday, October 12, 2020, the Oneida County Health Department notified us that one UAS elementary school student has tested positive for COVID. The last day that this student attended school was September 29. The student was put in quarantine due to possible exposure to COVID-19 by an individual in the community who does not attend UAS but had interaction with the child’s family. The UAS student tested negative while in quarantine since September 29. However, the student was tested again last week and the result received on October 12 was positive.
According to the health department, since the student has already been out of school for more than two weeks, UAS does not need to take any action other than the regular COVID-19-related cleaning and disinfection performed daily.
We wish everyone to stay safe, healthy, and informed.
Sincerely,
Elementary School Administration
Utica Academy of Science Charter School
Dear High School Parents and Guardians,
We are writing to you this afternoon in order to share an important announcement.
On Thursday, October 8, 2020, Oneida County Department of Health officials directed the school to temporarily halt all Utica Academy of Science High School athletic activities, including practices, games, and all in-person tutoring sessions for high school students until Tuesday, October 13, 2020, due to a student who tested positive for COVID-19. The student who tested positive was never in the school building, but was part of our soccer team. The high school has been following an online education model since the school started on September 8, 2020.
All team members and coaches have been placed in quarantine due to possible exposure to the virus until October 17, 2020, by the Oneida County Health Department.
School officials will update families via AP Notify and the school website if an extended halt is necessary. Tutoring and mentorship sessions will resume in person for high school students on Tuesday, October 13.
We have been working with Oneida County and Herkimer County Health Departments to take the steps necessary to ensure that the safety of our school community remains our first priority.
High School Administration
Utica Academy of Science Charter School
Dear Science Academies of New York Community:
Thank you to our Reopen SANY Task Force, our administrative team, staff members, parents, and board members who contributed to our draft reopening plan for the 2020-2021 school year. A copy of the plan is available via the following link: http://reopening.sany.org Please be sure to review this draft plan.
Once you have read our reopening plan, please complete a survey for each student in your home indicating your preference for instruction this fall by Friday, August 14th. The link to the survey follows: https://sites.google.com/sany.org/reopening/select-your-model
In accordance with the Governor’s directive, the district has created a draft of two different opening plans:
The district developed this reopening plan in accordance with guidance from the New York State Health Department and New York State Education Department. Our number one priority is the safety and security of our students and staff. We are fortunate to have small class sizes, large classrooms, and technology resources that are readily available so that students can benefit from instruction whether they are inside of our schools or learning from home.
All students in grades K-7 in Syracuse and grades K-8 in Utica will have both hybrid and full-time online education options. Parents need to take the survey to indicate their preference for either 1) Full-time Online Education Model or 2) Hybrid In-Person/Online Education Model.
Students in grades 8-12 in Syracuse and grades 9-12 in Utica will have only full-time online education opportunities.
SANY will offer to all ELL and Special Education students in grades K-12 to attend hybrid learning 4-days per week. We will periodically reassess the effectiveness of online instruction for all students in order to maximize learning. We may make adjustments to students' learning model (online or hybrid) by reassigning students to increase in-person learning opportunities based on their individual learning needs and CDC guidelines.
In order to encourage social distancing on school vehicles, we are asking families to consider transporting their own students to reduce capacity on school buses. If you are planning to send your child to school for hybrid in-person instruction, please be sure to review all of the safety precautions that you and your child will need to take, some of which include:
If you are indicating a preference for full-time online education for safety or other reasons, please also be aware of the following:
Again, please be sure to review the draft reopening plan prior to completing the survey. The draft plan has been submitted to the New York State Health Department and New York State Education Department. Governor Andrew Cuomo will make a determination during the first week of August regarding the ability of schools to reopen. Once the Governor has made a decision and the district has reviewed survey results from families, we will make a final decision regarding our ability to reopen and follow up with additional information. Please also be aware that as circumstances relative to infection rates and hospitalization rates change in our community throughout the year, we may need to adapt and adjust which may require a return to online education for all students.
This reopening will require some heavy lifting and we will need everyone to work together. I realize that parents, students, and staff members have questions, concerns, hopes, and fears relative to reopening schools during this challenging time. It is going to take everyone working together in a positive and cooperative manner to develop solutions that meet the needs of our students and staff.
Please be sure to read our draft plan, complete the survey by Friday, August 14th, and stay tuned in August for additional information. We believe that by each of us doing our part that we can reopen schools in a safe manner.
Sincerely,
Dr. Tolga Hayali
Superintendent
Science Academies of New York
Thursday, July 16, 2020—The COVID-19 pandemic and the closing of school buildings resulted in significant changes to our traditional face-to-face model of instruction as we transitioned to distance learning. We recognize that these changes impacted our students, families, teachers, and staff in many different ways. As a result, Science Academies of New York has created a brief survey to gain feedback from our families regarding the fall and potential reopening of school buildings.
This survey is critical, and we value the feedback from all our community members. Please fill this out by Friday, July 24th.
Friday, June 26, 2020—SANY Chromebooks were lent to families at the start of distance learning to ensure all students had access to a computer. In order to continue to serve our students over the summer months and ensure every family has access to technology, SANY will wait until Governor Cuomo announces that schools can reopen to coordinate the pick up of the SANY Chromebooks.
If you are not planning on returning to a SANY school in the fall, please reach out to
Tuesday, June 9, 2020—SANY Families, Governor Cuomo announced that all summer school programs in New York State will be moved online. If your child is required to attend summer school, you will be notified directly. Additionally, all SANY schools will continue to follow their original calendar for the end of school. The last day of school for Utica Academy of Science students is Friday, June 26. We ask that all our SANY Atoms continue to follow social-distancing best practices. If you have any questions or concerns, you can reach out to your building dean.
Friday, May 1, 2020—Today, Governor Cuomo announced that all schools in New York State will be closed for the rest of the academic year. This decision was made to help slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the state.
What this means for your Atom
In addition, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the New York State Board of Regents has canceled the August Regents. In the interim, we ask that all our SANY Atoms follow social-distancing best practices. If you have any questions or concerns, you can reach out to your building dean.