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:

• Fever or chills
• Body aches
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Fatigue

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 Onondaga County COVID-19 Testing website for testing information.

More information

• Fight Flu at Home and School (New York State Department of Health)
• The Flu: A Guide for Parents (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Everyday Preventive Actions Can Help Fight Germs, Like Flu (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Similarities and Differences Between Flu and COVID-19

Monday, August 17, 2020—The opening day of school for students for the 2020-2021 school year will still be Tuesday, September 8th. All students, K-12, will begin on September 8th with remote learning.

Hybrid learning will start on Monday, September 14th for SAS Elementary and Middle school, and the Citizenship Elementary School. The SAS High School will remain remote. ENL and SPED students will be offered to come in to the school for four days of instruction with the hybrid model.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate these unique circumstances. For more information on the Full-Time Online or Hybrid school models click here.

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:

1. Full-time Online Education Model
2. Hybrid In-Person/Online Education Model

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:

1. Completing a health screening each morning and not coming to school when you are sick. Please be aware that minor symptoms such as repeated coughing or sneezing, or a fever will result in children not being allowed to attend school.
2. Wearing a mask to prevent the spread of germs.
3. Practicing social distancing at all times (staying 6 feet away from others).
4. Washing your hands and practicing appropriate respiratory hygiene.

If you are indicating a preference for full-time online education for safety or other reasons, please also be aware of the following:

1. Attendance will be taken and your child will be expected to attend classes during normal school hours
2. Your child will be expected to follow the school schedule
3. Live interaction with teachers and assistance will occur during school hours

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. 

Click Here to Submit Survey

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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to coordinate a time to drop-off your SANY Chromebook. We ask that all students treat their Chromebooks with respect, and ensure the device stays in proper working condition. Thank you, all, and have a great summer.

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 Syracuse Academy of Science students is Thursday, June 25. 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 8, 2020—To accommodate the Memorial Day School Closure, the Grab&Go Meal Service schedule will be adjusted as follows Friday, 5/22 - We will serve Friday and Monday meals Monday, 5/25 - Closed for Memorial Day Tuesday, 5/26 - Serve Tuesday meals Wednesday, 5/27 - Serve Wednesday and Thursday meals Friday, 5/28 - Serve Friday meals

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

• We will continue to offer meals at our Grab & Go Meal Locations
• We will continue to utilize our distance learning strategy to keep your scholar engaged with their academics during this uncertain time

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. 

Thursday, April 16, 2020—Governor Cuomo has announced that NY Pause will remain in effect until May 15. The Science Academies of New York will remain closed until May 15, 2020.  This includes all extra-curricular activities. Stay safe and healthy, Atoms.

Thursday, April 9, 2020—The State Education Department announced the cancellation of the June 2020 administration of Regents Exams and released guidance on modifications to requirements for students to graduate and earn their high school diplomas, credentials, and endorsements.

Regents Exams and Diploma Requirements

The COVID-19 emergency has evolved rapidly, leading to uncertainty as to when regular in-school classroom instruction will be able to resume throughout the state and whether students will be adequately prepared to take the Regents examinations. As a result, the Board of Regents and Department have cancelled the June 2020 administration of the NYS High School Regents Examination Program.

Because of this, the Department has modified the requirements that students must meet in order to earn high school diplomas, credentials, and endorsements. These modifications apply to all students enrolled in grades 7-12 during the 2019-20 school year who were intending to participate in one or more of the June 2020 Regents Examinations.

Students who, during the June 2020 examination period would have taken one or more Regents examinations, will be exempted from passing the assessments in order to be issued a diploma.  To qualify for the exemption, students must meet one of the following eligibility requirements:

• The student is currently enrolled in a course of study culminating in a Regents examination and will have earned credit in such course of study by the end of the 2019-20 school year; or
• The student is in grade 7, is enrolled in a course of study culminating in a Regents examination and will have passed such course of study by the end of the 2019-20 school year; or
• The student is currently enrolled in a course of study culminating in a Regents examination and has failed to earn credit by the end of the school year. Such student returns for summer instruction to make up the failed course and earn the course credit and is subsequently granted diploma credit in August 2020; or
• The student was previously enrolled in the course of study leading to an applicable Regents examination, has achieved course credit, and has not yet passed the associated Regents examination but intended to take the test in June 2020 to achieve a passing score.

Full Article

Answers to your Regents Exams Questions

Q: Am I going to take any Regents exams this June?
A: No, the Regents exams have been cancelled for June 2020.

Q: I am taking a Regents bound class, will I be exempt from the Regents exam?
A: Yes, you will be exempt from taking the Regents exam, as long as you pass (or have passed) the course.

Q: I am taking a Regents bound class, will this exemption replace one of my graduation requirements?
A: Yes, every regents bound class you are taking, and pass, will fulfill the graduation requirement for that Regents exam.

Q: I was thinking of making up/retaking my Regents exams from previous years' classes. Will that exam also be a part of this exemption?
A: Yes, those tests will also be exempted, as long as you passed the class.

Q: Will these exemptions come automatically? Do I have to take any action?
A: Currently, the belief is that the Guidance Dept. and Administration will handle this. We will notify you if we need further action from you.

Q: What will happen if I do not pass the Regents bound class this year?
A: You will need to take a summer school class and pass the requirement in order to be exempt from the Regents requirement. If you do not pass the class by August, you will not be exempted from taking the Regents exam.

Q: Do I need to complete 1200 minutes lab requirements for science courses?
A: No, they are also waived for the current science courses you are taking.

Q: If I did not complete my lab hours in the previous years, am I now eligible for the exemption?
A: No, if you are not currently enrolled in a science course with a lab, this exemption will not be applicable for you.

If you have additional questions, you can reach out to the following contacts

Ms. Pamela Smith, High School Dean, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mrs. Cathy Bartelli, School Counselor, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mr. Michael Oz, College Counselor, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ms. Connie Wheeler, Guidance Administrative Assistant, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.