Coronavirus Information

March 27, 2020

Dear Pearl River School Community,

I hope that this letter finds all of our Pearl River families, and our Staff and their families well. I write to inform you that Governor Cuomo has extended the closing of all schools until April 15^th. It is expected that he will re-evaluate this decision and by April 14^th determine whether the closure will be extended.

We recognize that this is a difficult time for everyone. Our faculty and staff is working hard to provide for the continuation of learning that our students need and we hope this also contributes to a sense of structure to their day. We recognize the amount of stress that families may be feeling and how that may increase over the next few weeks as this crisis continues. Below are some helpful resources that are available.

The NYS Office of Mental Health has produced a guide for adults to help with the anxiety that everyone is feeling during this difficult time.  Please access this document at the following location:

https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/guidance/covid-19-managing-stress-anxiety.pdf

The guide is available in Spanish as well at: ¿Estrasado por el coronavirus?

In addition, the fact sheet Talking with Children: Tips for Caregivers, Parents, and Teachers During Infectious Disease Outbreaks from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides parents, caregivers, and teachers with strategies for helping children manage their stress during an infectious disease outbreak. It describes potential reactions among youth and the support adults can provide to help them.

As a District community, I believe we are all learning and growing in ways that we did not anticipate just a short while ago. The learning is not happening without a strain that I know we all must feel. I want to reaffirm that our commitment to doing our best for our students remains steadfast as does our belief in continuous improvement. I appreciate your understanding as we all continue to learn how to teach and learn remotely.  

Please continue to follow the directives of the NYS Department of Health in regards to staying home, maintaining social distance, and frequent hand washing. We will continue to keep you updated as new information is available. Our Coronavirus Information webpage contains resource links for families as well. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Marco Pochintesta