Feb. 1 athletics update

Dear Schuylerville families,

As we’ve communicated, Governor Cuomo announced high-risk sports could commence Feb. 1, if permitted by local health departments. Saratoga County Public Health Services has announced it will allow high-risk school sports to resume, as long as districts meet sport-specific minimum requirements and communities meet specific COVID-19 metrics. 

Schuylerville CSD winter sports additions

  • Cheerleading
  • Boys and Girls JV/Varsity Basketball
  • Wrestling (pending a minimum of eight eligible wrestlers and if there are participating opponents)

Modified sports will not be offered for the winter season. Students who intend to participate in the sports listed above must go to FamilyID and register ASAP.

Minimum requirements

  • Each school district’s Board of Education must approve participation in high-risk sports (click here for a letter from the Schuylerville CSD Board of Education).
  • Each school superintendent must oversee the creation of a sport-specific preparedness plan, to be approved by the district’s medical director. 
  • Each parent/guardian must sign an informed consent. 
  • Each student-athlete must have medical clearance from their healthcare provider. 
  • Each parent/guardian, student-athlete, and school official must agree to fully cooperate with positive COVID-19 case investigations, contact tracing and to adhere to isolation and quarantine orders.
  • Each district must establish a confidential phone number and email address to allow student-athletes, parents, or others to report concerns. 

Community COVID-19 metrics 

  • The county’s 7-day rolling average percent positivity, as calculated by NYSDOH, must be at or below 4.0%.
  • If the 7- day rolling average percent positivity is above 4.0%, then activities must be restricted to individual or distanced group training or organized no/low-contact group training. 
  • The region’s hospital capacity (percent of hospital beds available) must be above 15%, as calculated by NYSDOH. 
  • The region’s rate of hospital admissions must not be unacceptably high or require additional interventions to control the rate of growth, as determined by NYSDOH. 
  • The absence of other emerging epidemiological data, information or factors as determined or identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) or Saratoga County Public Health Services (SCPHS) that impact COVID-19 control or mitigation.

Schuylerville athlete information

As of Jan. 30, Saratoga County’s 7-day rolling average percent positivity was 4.7%. Click here to view the daily data from the NYSDOH. Off-season, low-contact conditioning will continue tomorrow, Feb. 1. Coaches will review health and safety protocols in anticipation of sports being reinstated, if the infection rate continues its downward trend. If the 7-day rolling average reaches 4.0%, two days of official tryouts will be held, with roster sizes limited to 10 athletes per sport. This will limit/mitigate potential exposures.

The district has been working to prepare a health and safety sports-specific preparedness plan. More details of the plan will be forthcoming, including specific game scheduling that would help reduce exposure and assist with contact tracing if necessary, playing the same team on back-to-back days, and no allowance of spectators. 

There will be a mandatory Google Meet on Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 7:00 p.m. for student-athletes, parents, coaches, and school administrators. Updated health and safety protocols will be discussed. 

If you have any questions, please contact High School Principal James Ducharme, at ducharmej@schuylerville.org or Schuylerville Athletic Director John Bowen, at bowenj@schuylerville.org.

Thank you,

Dr. Ryan Sherman
Superintendent