The Westchester County School Reopening Work Group, created last month by Westchester County Executive George Latimer and Director of Operations Joan McDonald, released four “webinars” geared towards assisting the County’s more than 40 school districts with the health and facilities elements of their reopening plans.
The webinars are drawn from workshops previously presented by the Work Group, with nearly 400 school officials, administrators and staff attending. The webinar topics include:
- COVID-19 Reporting and Contact Tracing
- Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)
- Facilities and Systems
- Kitchens and Cafeterias
The workshops were developed in conjunction with school superintendents across the County, led by Workgroup Co-chairs Joseph A. Glazer, Deputy Commissioner of the County’s Department of Community Mental Health and Joseph Ricca, Superintendent of the White Plains School District.
The workshops are available on the Westchester County Health Department website, along with other information related to the work being done to address COVID-19. The workshops join the recently released “Frequently Asked Questions” guide, which is also available on the website.
Latimer said: “Providing information and guidance is one of the best ways Westchester County government can support schools as they work toward a safe and successful reopening. By developing informational materials and sharing them with the schools and public alike, the County can help everyone be safer and understand the responsibilities of being safe in school.”
Glazer said: “The Work Group’s purpose is to help Westchester’s school districts meet their health and safety needs and mandates as we move toward reopening. We are continuing to pursue our collaborative effort to help ensure safe schooling for students, faculty and staff.”
Ricca said: “These work groups allowed educational professionals to coordinate, firsthand, with our county partners, in a collaborative setting focused on a safe and healthy reopening of school facilities. There are so many considerations with regard to opening school facilities, to be able to work together has been a tremendous advantage to our Westchester County school districts.”