Tuxedo Park FYI | Town of Tuxedo

MOST RECENT LOCAL COVID-19 UPDATES

Update From County Executive Steve Neuhaus - Posted 4/01/2020

Confirmed Number of Orange County Covid-19 Cases - Posted 3/31/2020

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UPDATE FROM OUTREACH TUXEDO - POSTED 3/29/2020

County Releases Map Showing Number Of Town-By-Town COVID-19 Cases - Posted 3/28/2020

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Several community organizations and concerned individuals have been meeting virtually to develop a comprehensive plan to address local needs during this global crisis.

Click here to view the current plan.

Dear Neighbors,

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus has asked Governor Andrew Cuomo to consider a containment zone in the town of Palm Tree, KJ area. A containment zone will facilitate extra resources, including a testing area there to try to put a lid on the spread of this virus. Governor Cuomo turned down Neuhaus's request. As a reference point, the first containment zone is surrounding the Young Israel of New Rochelle synagogue, where scores of people contracted COVID-19 from a fellow congregant.

According to the Chronicle newspaper, Neuhaus said he came to this decision after listening to a doctor who "treats that community." The doctor, Vladimir Zelenko, M.D. of Monroe, noted that nine out of fourteen Kiryas Joel residents have tested positive for COVID-19. He expects that the virus may infect 90 percent of the residents over the short term. That's approximately 35,000 people in a one square mile area.

As a Mayor and resident of Orange County, I expressed my disappointment with the Governor's decision. The County recommends we focus our desire to create a containment zone for Palm Tree, KJ area, by contacting our State representatives.

If you are available to volunteer your time to lead and organize a letter-writing campaign to our State representatives.

Please contact me at dmcfadden@tuxedopark-ny.gov.

Thank you,

Mayor MAC

Covid-19 Update - Governor Cuomo Executive Orders - Gatherings and Enforcement Posted 3/28/2020

Dear Neighbors,

Governor Andrew Cuomo recently issued Executive Orders 202.10 and 202.11. Of particular importance to the Village are provisions restricting gatherings and the enforcement of those gatherings by police officers and building inspectors.

EO 202.10 states that non-essential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason (e.g., parties, celebrations, or other social events) must be canceled or postponed. EO 202.11 gives authority to police officers and building inspectors to enforce the gathering restrictions.

Boats and Lake Recreation: Because we have boating and lake recreation within the Village, Executive Order 202.10 applies to the Tuxedo Club, the Village Boat Club, the Wee Wah Fishing and Boat Club and the Wee Wah Beach Club. The order applies to all boats and recreation on all three lakes. Please abide by these restrictions.

Enforcement of Gathering Restrictions: While the Executive Order is in place limiting the operation of a facility or limiting the number of persons who may occupy any space, operation of that facility or occupancy of such space by more than the number of people allowed shall be deemed a violation of the Uniform Code or other local building code in effect in the jurisdiction where the facility or space is located.

Police Officers who are authorized to enforce laws within the jurisdiction in which a facility or space is located are allowed to remove persons from such space or facility.

A local code enforcement officer authorized to enforce the Uniform Code in the jurisdiction is authorized to issue an appearance ticket, Notice of Violation or Order to Remedy which shall require immediate compliance as well as issuing a Do Not Occupy Order to any owner, operator or occupant of any such facility or space.

Vehicle Inspections: Vehicles with an inspection certificate that was valid as of March 27, 2020, may continue to operate if such inspection expires after March 27, 2020.

School Closures: Extends closure of schools through April 15, 2020, at which time closures shall be re-evaluated.

Governor Cuomo Order - Essential Vs. Non-Essential Businesses- Posted 3/23/20

Dear Neighbors,

Following the Governor’s order about essential v. non-essential businesses, I have been in discussion with the village attorney to determine if the Village should stop vendors from entering the Park (landscapers and contractors, for example). He advised us that based on his reading of the order; it is the Department of Health and not the Village that would enforce any such restrictions or make determinations what businesses are essential or non-essential. He does not believe the Village has the authority to make determinations as to essential v. non-essential businesses or to enforce those provisions as the statutory penalties are civil and enforced by the Department of Health.

Thus, the business entity itself should confer with its legal counsel whether its work is essential/non-essential under State guidelines. Neither the Village nor its legal counsel will give legal advice to any entity, whether the entity is essential or non-essential. Hopefully, the State will provide more specifics and guidance in the coming days. If any resident believes that a violation of some order is occurring or other related concerns, complaints may be directed to the Orange County Department of Health during business hours (9a-5p) at 845-291-2330, or there is a 24 hour COVID-19 hotline for inquiries at 1-888-364-3065 (open 24 hours).

Summary of Governor Andrew Cuomo Executive Orders.

Please visit the Village website at http://www.tuxedopark-ny.gov for a searchable PDF of all COVID-19 Executive Orders issued by the Governor to date. Open the document in your PDF reader and use the find/search feature to locate specific text or words.

Thank you,

Mayor MAC

Dear Neighbors,

As the number of coronavirus cases in the state spike, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that he would issue an executive order mandating 100% of New York's workforce must stay home, excluding essential services, beginning Sunday. The Governor calls this effort "New York State on Pause." I call it social distancing on steroids, but if we comply, we have a better chance of flattening the curve and returning to a state of normalcy.

This Executive Order may change the dynamics in Tuxedo Park, such that I expect that another wave of residents may arrive this weekend to shelter in place - including weekenders who may have been on the fence about leaving the city before the Governor's order.

I want to assure you that the Village government is ready and able to deliver essential services to our residents with no disruption. Therefore, I encourage you to bring your family and loved ones to the Park without concern. Our Police Department, DPW, garbage removal, and office administrative staff are fully operational - and because of our reservoir, our potable water supply is abundant. We have adequate backup and support in place to meet all of our resident's needs and to keep our vital services running.

I would like to recognize the Village employees for showing great resolve considering the circumstances to keep our Village services functioning. I want to thank Chief Dave Conklin and the Police Department, Village Clerk Debbie Mathews, Village Building Inspector John Ledwith, Deputy Clerk Denise Spalthoff, and DPW Superintendent Jeff Voss and his team. They have put our needs before their concerns, and we are fortunate to have a dedicated and capable team in place. Thank you very much for your continued service to the community.

I would also like to recognize the volunteer committee of concerned residents for starting Outreach Tuxedo to help those in need with food and other services. The local business owners have joined in the effort as well by adjusting their business hours to accommodate our schedules and food establishments with stepped-up delivery services and menus. We must support them and shop locally.

Finally, I would like to thank the Board for their hard work on our Preparedness Plan and in assisting our employees with ways to protect themselves in the work environment. This health crisis is severe, and we are doing our best to manage the Village until the virus is under control, and we have done our part to flatten the curve. We are in constant contact with County and State Department of Health Officials for that reason.

As of today, we have no confirmed COVID-19 cases, and we are fighting hard to keep it that way. However, many residents have traveled and attended events recently, so we are at risk. We are in a disruptive period, and we don't know its extent or length. The good news is we have taken this seriously and are following the protocols our State and Federal government has laid out.

If the health crisis takes a downward turn, we have procedures we can activate immediately, which include a variety of Declarations of Emergency allowed by the State and the Village's own Emergency Response Plan - these give us additional tools to regulate safety measures for our residents. Because of the ever-changing situation before us, implementing one or more of these emergency response measures are foremost on my mind. I will continue to share information with you as I have done over this last week.

Tuxedo Park is unique because of our gate, its low density, and extensive outdoor recreation areas. With the desire to go outside to get fresh air and exercise, I have advised the Chief to be extra diligent in protecting us from increased vehicular traffic, so please drive safely. My goal is to continue to make Tuxedo Park a haven for our residents.

This NYS COVID-19 website is worth the time of a visit. https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home

List of local food-related businesses I referred to earlier that you might patronize.

Local Restaurants

Steve's Pizza: Online order and pickup and delivery at https://www.stevestuxedo.com/.
Tuxedo Sushi: Pickup and Delivery. http://www.tuxedosushi.menu/
Valley Rock Inn: Online order and pickup at https://valley-rock-market.myshopify.com/.

Supermarkets

Steve's Market: Delivery 201-327-9466
Acme Markets: Delivery 201-529-9775
Shoprite, Ramsey, NJ: Online order and pickup at http://www.shoprite.com/pd/stores/NJ/Ramsey/ShopRite-of-Ramsey/0157697.

Please help me build this list.
dmcfadden@tuxedopark-ny.gov

Thank you,

Mayor MAC

Dear Neighbors,

Closures & Partial Closures.

The Village Office is open to employees only until further notice. Please use the phone and email to conduct business. We will set up a dropbox outside the door by Friday morning for document exchanges, including payments and recreational stickers (boats, etc.). You may continue to use the mail.

Village phone numbers:

Work hours, 9 am – 4 pm, M – F.

The Village Hall is closed to the public until further notice (see Village Court restrictions below).

The Village Court has postponed all non-essential functions of the court until further notice. All essential functions will continue as described here: http://www.nycourts.gov/whatsnew/pdf/Updated-Protocol-AttachmentA3.pdf unless otherwise Noticed by the Village Court Judge or Village Court Clerk.

The Village Police Department has limited residents access to the KEEP and LODGE at the front gatehouse until further notice. [The Police Department is located in the KEEP and the offices of the Chief and Deputy Village Clerk are located in the LODGE.] We will set up a dropbox outside the door by Friday morning for document exchanges, including vehicle tags and water payments. You may continue to use the mail.

Phone numbers:

The Village Board of Trustees Meeting tomorrow evening at 7:00 pm is postponed until Thursday or Friday. We will conduct the meeting by using the application ZOOM (or equivalent audio-visual program) for use by all participants to dial in and take part. Information on the rescheduled meeting to follow.

The Village PB, BAR & BZA Meetings are postponed until further notice.

Thank you for your cooperation,

Mayor MAC

I apologize for the mistakes made in yesterday's announcements. Information changes by the moment.

Dear Neighbors,

The only effective way to stop the spread of the coronavirus is to limit social interaction. Tuxedo Park is secluded, but that does not mean that we, as residents, are immune to the spread of this disease. While most fatalities are limited to the elderly, in Italy, middle-aged people are dying from the virus as well - many put on respirators for weeks. While not confirmed, younger people may experience the debilitating effects of this virus on their lungs when they get older.

If anyone becomes ill, there may not be a hospital bed available as our hospital system is not designed for mass outbreaks. There is no vaccine and no cure.

I, therefore, urge you to limit if not eliminate social interactions and to practice social distancing. Many of our residents have visited restaurants, gone shopping, are coming from the city, or returning from vacation. Anyone one of us may have been unknowingly exposed to or transmitting the virus. I think we all agree that we do not want to spread the infection inside the Park. All it takes is one small dinner party or other interaction for the virus to go from one person to another and then another. I also urge you to limit if not halt your interaction with food delivery services, domestics, vendors, and package deliveries. As you know, someone may carry and spread the virus for two weeks before they experience any symptoms.

As an example, Patient 1 in Italy caused 40 deaths in the hospital where he was admitted. Two weeks prior, he interacted with family, friends, and colleagues. Italy now has thousands of cases, mostly in northern Italy, which is the epicenter of the disease in Europe.

The silver lining is that we can learn from our own experts and what has taken place in Italy. Italy quarantined its provinces and then its cities and now its citizens. Rome does not allow its citizens to leave their houses unless they for work or for groceries. But the good news is that Rome, and its surrounding area, with 6 million residents, had only 200 cases as of last week.

We can avoid the spread of this virus in Tuxedo Park with voluntary sequestration—before it becomes mandatory. While it would be nice to feel as though within the Gates we are safe and can do as we please, the virus does not know or care if it is in Wuhan, Milan, or Tuxedo Park.

Stay at home unless it is an emergency. Limiting any interaction is the most prudent action. If there is anywhere a community that can act for the benefit of the whole, it is our community. My goal is that no one in Tuxedo Park contracts the virus.

Thanks,

Mayor MAC

I apologize for the mistakes made in yesterday's announcements. Information changes by the moment.

The health and safety of the entire community are of the utmost importance to us all.

The Board of Trustees held a Special Meeting Friday to work with the various service providers and department heads to develop preparedness plans related to the coronavirus (COVID-19). The plan includes specific prudent and precautionary measures designed to protect not only the employees of the Village but all residents with a minimal amount of disruption to Village services.

We posted an overview of the current preparedness plan on the Village website http://www.tuxedopark-ny.gov.

We ask that you refrain from going to any public buildings or meetings if you are not feeling well. Please limit your physical visits to the Village Office and Police Headquarters and use the phone and email instead to conduct business.

The Mayor and Trustees are available to discuss your questions, comments, and suggestions.

I, Kenneth English, Tuxedo Town Supervisor, am issuing, effective Monday morning, March 16th, an Executive order that is intended to put into effect the authority to limit access to Town Hall and other Tuxedo Town properties as I, and the Town Board deem necessary. It will also enable us to circumvent procurement policies so that we can contract with a cleaning company to begin sanitizing our properties, especially Town Hall, the Police station, Highway Department, especially the staff lounge areas and places where staff congregate, and other locations we identify.

Department Heads must consider reasonable changes to schedules that may help with the "social distancing" strategy being promoted by our health officials. All efforts to follow CDC sanitary guidelines should be put in place. Frequent and deep hand-washing and the use of hand sanitizer should be the new normal. ANYONE who shows any sign of illness should stay home and consult their doctor. All Town public meetings are postponed until further notice including Justice Court sessions. Updates will be made available on the Town of Tuxedo official website as necessary.

Of paramount importance is public safety and the well being of Town employees. I feel it is imperative that we all join together to follow public health guidelines to curtail all public interaction to try to stem the spread of this very contagious disease, and hopefully end this crisis as soon as possible. We MUST act with urgency. All local businesses and houses of worship should seriously consider actions to keep people from congregating in close proximity.

We are making every effort to hire a professional cleaning company that specializes in dealing with this type of emergency, a step that I consider essential to considering how we can plan to reopen.

There’s much more to say, to communicate and to consider. I am taking this action to begin setting a cooperative plan in place. Deputy Supervisor Michele Lindsay, and Councilpersons Dave McMillen, Maria May, and Jay H. Reichgott and I will continue to work together with the very dedicated Town Team to do whatever we can to enhance what our county, state and federal leaders implement. I know that with the support and efforts of residents, we will prevail. A big THANKS to our first responders who always answer the call.

I will make every effort to respond quickly. Town officials can reach me on my cell phone. Please help circulate this notice.

A State of Emergency is hereby declared in the Town of Tuxedo, effective as of 6:00am on Monday, March 20th, 2020.

WHEREAS, on March 7, 2020, the Governor of the State of New York declared a State disaster emergency for the entire State of New York in response to the outbreak of COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States declared a national emergency in response to the outbreak of COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, both travel-related cases and community contact transmission of COVID-19 have been document in Orange County, New York and are expected to continue; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Tuxedo is addressing the threat that COVID-19 poses to the health, welfare and safety of its residents and visitors;

NOW THEREFORE, I, Kenneth English, Supervisor of the Town of Tuxedo, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Laws of the State of New York, hereby find, pursuant to Section 24 of Article 2-B of the Executive Law, that a disaster is impending in the Town of Tuxedo and I do hereby declare a disaster emergency for the entire Town of Tuxedo.

FURTHER, pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 24(g) of Article 2-B of the Executive Law to temporarily suspend or modify any statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation, or parts thereof, of any agency during a State disaster emergency, if compliance with such statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation would prevent, hinder, or delay action necessary to cope with the disaster emergency or if necessary to assist or aid in coping with such disaster, I hereby temporarily suspend or modify the following:

Said suspension(s) shall run from the date of this Order through Friday, March 20th, subject to extension by further order. The suspension of the aforesaid policies and Local Laws shall be for the minimum deviation from the requirements of same consistent with the disaster action deemed necessary.

IN ADDITION, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 25(1) of Article 2-B of the Executive Law, which states that “[u]pon the threat or occurrence of a disaster, the chief executive of any political subdivision is hereby authorized and empowered to and shall use any and all facilities, equipment, supplies, personnel and other resources of his political subdivision in such manner as may be necessary or appropriate to cope with the disaster or any emergency resulting therefrom,” and in accordance with any applicable provisions in any of the collective bargaining agreements now in effect between the Town of Tuxedo and its representative employee organizations, I hereby direct all Town Department Heads to arrange, modify, or limit the work schedules of their respective departments in such a manner as may be necessary to minimize the risks to Town employees associated with the current COVID-19 outbreak, in accordance with recommendations issued by all relevant medical professionals and/or government agencies.

As Chief Executive of the Town of Tuxedo, I, Kenneth English, exercise the authority vested to me under Section 24 of the New York State Executive Law, to preserve the public safety and hereby render all required and available assistance vital to the security, well-being, and health of the citizens of the Town. I hereby direct all departments and agencies of the Town of Montgomery to take whatever steps necessary to protect life and property, public infrastructure and provide such emergency assistance as deemed necessary.

The Town of Tuxedo is taking serious precautions in halting the spread of COVID-19. Town Hall is open but please Do Not Enter the Town Hall Building unannounced. If you call the office we will make appropriate arrangements. We are hopeful we can take care of your needs over the phone, by email or by regular mail. If your business requires personal attention, Town Hall is open but we ask you to be considerate upon entering. If you’re sick, please stay home. This pertains to all Town Departments: Town Clerk, Court/Traffic Tickets, Planning, Zoning, Building, Assessor, and Town Supervisor. Documents can be left in the drop box to the right of the front door. Please check our website www.tuxedogov.org for informatin abWishing all a safe resolution to this grave emergency.

First and foremost, I hope your families and friends are staying safe and healthy as we settle into our new norms and our new way of life. Secondly, a few hours ago, the Governor announced schools will be closed through April 14th and students return on April 15th. However, it seems the Governor is making his decisions in two-week intervals, so we are prepared for the potential of this being extended again. We will keep you updated as we find out more.

The past few days have been great to connect with teachers and witness the great work that has been accomplished this week.

There is a window for when students “arrive” to school. That window is between 8:30AM and 12:30PM. It is during this window that attendance is recorded. We are striving to create an environment as if children were in school. We also understand the need for flexibility during this time. Please let your teacher know of any extenuating circumstances or concerns. We are here to support you and your children.

At check-in, students will see the work that is required of them. Failure to check-in by 12:30PM will be considered an absence. After 2 absences in a row, your child’s teacher will reach out to you. Upon the third absence, your child will receive an attendance referral.

For any questions or issues with attendance on Monday, please email Mary Dixon - GGM (mdixon@tuxedoufsd.org) or Matt Takeuchi - GFB (mtakeuchi@tuxedoufsd.org). We will be launching our Virtual Main Offices for each GGM and GFB next week. That launch will be announced on our website along with information on how and when to use it.

Each teacher has his/her own Google Classroom. Class/course content and instructional activities are determined by the teacher, just as they would be in a traditional classroom setting. Online, teachers has additional options:

Some teachers may require synchronous learning (this might look like: where the students are online via Google Hangouts or Zoom with the teacher at a specific time)

Some teachers may require a-synchronous learning (this might look like: where the students’ check-in, get the assignment, and then communicate with the teacher during office hours if need be)

We are in the process of creating virtual main office Google sites. They will be up and running early next week. Essentially, other than being online, this is no different than calling or walking into the main office in the past.

Please know that Governor Cuomo has changed his position regarding the need to exhaust all vacation and holidays. Therefore, I have made the decision to bring staff back early and utilize the next few days to establish connectivity, work out potential concerns associated with online learning and basically set up a virtual school. While much of this work was done prior to the abrupt closure on March 13th, these next few days will allow us to best prepare for our go-live on Monday.

Tomorrow, I will be discussing our new protocols (via Google Hangouts) with the staff. This will include how attendance will be taken, how work will be distributed and when teachers will be available (online) for student support. Teachers will establish their class rules and this information will be shared with students/parents. Essentially, (depending on the grade level) students will need to check in to each class for the particular letter day via Google Classroom. Checking in to each Google Class should happen between 9am and 11am each day of the week. Additional and more specific information will be provided by each teacher.

If you have immediate questions, please do not hesitate to email teachers and/or building administrators.

I wanted to write to provide you with an update with respect to the District’s plans as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times. We are working vigilantly to put in place supports and structures to provide continuity of learning for students during the school closing that was ordered on March 16, 2020 by Governor Cuomo until April 1, 2020 by way of Executive Order 202.4.

At this point in time, the District is diligently working to ensure that its alternative instructional resources and activities for students are consistent with State expectations and guidance.

In accordance with the Executive Order 202.2, issued by Governor Cuomo on Saturday, March 14, 2020, the State Education Department was tasked with “promulgating guidance for districts to ensure access to meals for students in need, critical educational supports for students and distance learning options”. That Executive Order pertains to closures required based upon the declaration of a local state of emergency, and requires that school districts exhaust any snow days and vacation when closed due to a local state of emergency to preserve state aid. Thereafter, on the evening of March 16, 2020, Governor Cuomo signed Executive Order 202.4, requiring closings of all school districts in New York State for a two-week period, commencing yesterday, March 18, 2020 and ending on April 1, 2020, unless otherwise extended. While the district is closed pursuant to Executive Order 202.4 there was still a local state of emergency declared by the Orange County Executive, and to date, Executive Order 202.2 has not been repealed by way of Executive Order 202.4. In an excess of caution and to preserve the District’s state aid, we are cautiously assessing the rapidly evolving situation and ensuring that we are complying with the edicts announced by the Governor to preserve maximum state aid pursuant to Education Law Section 3604.

The night before last, the Interim Commissioner of Education issued guidance to the field on the contours of response plans that our school district is responsible for submitting to the State by 5:00 pm today. While the Governor indicated that the 180-day instructional requirement shall be suspended during this forced statewide closure and any subsequent extension that may be directed by the Governor, Executive Order 202.4 also requires schools to develop a plan for “alternative instructional options, distribution and availability of meals, and child care, with an emphasis on serving children of parents in the health care profession or first responders who are critical to the response effort”. The Interim Commissioner’s guidance, will help inform the contents of the required plan for submission to the state through its Application Business Portal. While the school district is keeping abreast of this rapidly evolving landscape, we are working diligently to put structures in place to meet the needs of our community at-large while also satisfying the requirements of the Executive Orders issued by Governor Cuomo.

The guidance issued the night before last by the Interim Commissioner of Education is the first document issued by the New York State Education Department that helps to inform the measures that are envisioned as acceptable for the purposes of continuity of instruction. While this preliminary guidance is instructive, we are still awaiting more robust guidance from the State Education Department in this area.

The District is taking the upcoming days and weeks to thoughtfully and cogently prepare instructional materials for its students during this unprecedented school closing and is awaiting the additional materials from the State Education Department prior to finalizing the roll-out of its distance learning plan. While this week and next week (now through Friday, March 27, 2020) are designated as non-school days for our students and non-work days for our teachers and support services providers, we continue to post materials and activities on our website that may be used over the coming days/weeks to engage your children while we adjust to this new framework precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is critical that the district thoughtfully plan for the implementation of continuity of learning and engage all relevant stakeholders in rolling out instruction to support student learning during this school closing. It is critical to note that under state and federal laws, the district has a requirement to provide equal access for all students and to provide materials and programs that not only educate all of our students, but also allow for equal access to students with disabilities, in accordance with the terms of the students’ IEPs or 504 plans, as applicable. In order to equitably educate all of our students, we must be thoughtful and intentional in taking the next steps that are necessary to support student learning for all different kinds of learners. We are also working diligently to ensure that all students have access to these instructional resources, such that all children are able to access the instructional offerings provided by the district (from an educational perspective as well as a technological perspective). The district started planning several weeks ago for these possible contingencies, but with the understanding that plans would be refined and possibly reshaped as a result of guidance that was just issued last night by the State Education Department with more guidance to be forthcoming. We value all of our staff members and continue to work with our educators and instructional leaders to support the best interests of our students, in a way that will preserve the school district’s state aid.

I am proud to lead the Tuxedo Union Free School District through these challenging times and together we will persevere. I will continue to keep the community apprised of additional resources and information as this situation continues to evolve.

Your continued support and understanding during these challenging times is greatly appreciated.

We hope this update finds you and your loved ones in good health. As shared Sunday evening, further information regarding our school closure will continue to be shared with you on an ongoing basis.

As you know, the COVID-19 extended school closure is unprecedented. We continue to provide guidance per direction from the Department of Health, the New York State Education Department and the Governor. Superintendents across Orange County continue to work closely together on a daily basis to support our communities.

GGM - On Thursday (3/19) and Friday (3/20), parents/guardians will be able to come in to GGM to sign-out your child's Chromebook or iPad (K-6) between the hours

GFB – Beginning at 9:00am on Thursday, any student needing to pick up a Chromebook should call and make an appointment with Mr. Takeuchi to come in between the hours

What we’ve learned is that while our staff has worked hard to prepare for this, we realize that we still have some work to do. That said, no new assignments or instruction will be provided to students this week. Please continue to refer to our website for activities, learning experiences and additional resources for you and your child(ren). Packets sent home from GGM last Friday should be completed over the course of two weeks (based on teacher directions). More information will be shared as we define expectations for student engagement and learning during this time of uncertainty.

As previously stated on March 13, 2020, we are currently closed for a minimum of two weeks. Updates to that timeline will be shared with you as they become available. We could potentially be closed for a longer period of time. The administrative team are engaged in those conversations with our colleagues across Orange County and New York State.

We thank you for your continued support. More information to come. For organizational purposes, every memo will now be numbered as an update.

As you are aware, Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus in collaboration with the Orange County Department of Health issued an executive order closing school for two weeks. Over the weekend, there has been on-going conversations at the County and State levels regarding how COVID-19 will continue to be addressed.

Tomorrow I will be participating in conference calls that will bring additional guidance and updates from the Department of Health, the New York State Education Department and the Governor. On Tuesday, I will put out an update detailing what this means for the Tuxedo Union Free School District and how we will operate for the upcoming weeks.

Luckily, we anticipated the potential of a closing and our faculty, staff, and administrators worked diligently to prepare for the possibility of online or distance learning. On Friday, most students brought home packets of work or direction on the use of Google Classroom/Hangouts and other online resources from their teachers. At this time, tomorrow and Tuesday should be treated as a long weekend and there will be more information to come with regards to academics.

During these unprecedented times, our primary goal is the health, safety and well-being of everyone while trying to maintain our responsibility of educating our students. Thank you again for your continued support and patience during this time.

Together we are facing an unprecedented health crisis in our communities. For weeks we have been following the explicit guidance of the Orange County Department of Health and the New York State Department of Education, by implementing preventative and responsive strategies to help slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The departments of health have been in daily contact with us, providing important guidance on decisions to help ensure the health and well-being of our students, staff, and community. As information is provided to us we will continue to pass that on to you.

Please note we will continue to have daily, sometimes hourly, communications with health officials from Orange County and are following their directions carefully. Should they issue further guidance on extending the duration of the closure, families will be notified immediately. Information will be shared by email and on our website TuxedoSchools.org . This will include information on closure as well as instructional materials and activities.

Families and staff, thank you for your support, patience and adaptability during this time. Again, please stay tuned for any further updates as they develop.

Coumty Releases Map Showing Number Of Town-By-Town COVID-19 Cases - Posted 3/28/2020

New York State on PAUSE: 100% of the workforce must stay home, excluding essential services.

All non-essential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason are temporarily banned.

The presidential primary election will move from April 28 to June 23rd, aligning it with the congressional and legislative primaries in New York.

Governor Cuomo issued an executive order to enable the tax filing deadline for personal and corporate taxes to be pushed back to July 15. The Federal government took similar action earlier this month.

The State Department of Health Wadsworth Lab is working in partnership with other labs to evaluate antibody testing that is designed to help very sick COVID-19 patients.

Three new sites have been identified to serve as a place for emergency beds - South Beach Psychiatric Center in Staten Island, Westchester Square in the Bronx and Health Alliance in Ulster County – adding 695 more beds.

The federal government has approved four new sites for temporary hospitals - the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, the Aqueduct Racetrack facility in Queens, CUNY Staten Island and the New York Expo Center in the Bronx - adding an additional 4,000 beds.

New Yorkers can call the COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline at 1-844-863-9314 for mental health counseling.

More than 10,000 professional Mental Health Volunteers have signed up to provide free online mental health services.

62,000 healthcare workers, including retirees and students, have signed up to volunteer to work as part of the state's surge healthcare force during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

New Yorkers without Health Insurance can apply through NY State of Health within 60 days of losing coverage.

Department of Motor Vehicles offices are temporarily closed for in-office visits. Online transactions, including for license renewals, are still be available. License and permit expirations will be extended.

All non-essential businesses statewide must close in-office personnel functions until further notice as part of New York State on PAUSE. Bars and restaurants are closed, but takeout can be ordered during the period of closure.

Testing is free for all eligible New Yorkers as ordered by a health care provider.

I want to be clear: We are not willing to sacrifice 1-2% of New Yorkers to this virus. That's not who we are. My mother is not expendable. Your mother is not expendable. We will not put a dollar figure on human life. We can have a public health strategy that is consistent with an economic one. No one should be talking about social Darwinism for the sake of the stock market. The first order of business is to save lives.

1. We have some new facts about the pandemic that are not encouraging — and I want to make sure you understand them so we react accordingly. Unfortunately, the increase in the number of cases in New York is continuing — in fact, the rate of increase has gone up. We are now forecasting that the "apex" of the virus in our state — the point when we have the most cases — could be as soon as 14 to 21 days from now. New York State is doing everything we can on every level to slow the spread and flatten the curve, but we need your help. Please stay at home and follow our protocols.

2. I'm asking the federal government to send more ventilators to New York. The state has procured about 7,000 ventilators but we still need at least 30,000 more. The federal government must distribute ventilators from their stockpile to our state, where there is the greatest need. We need them now — it will be the difference between life and death. After New York gets past the apex of this pandemic, I will transport the ventilators myself wherever they are next needed.

3. New York State is distributing health care supplies to help frontline workers combatting COVID-19 in New York City, Long Island and Westchester. The state is deploying 339,760 N-95 masks, 861,700 surgical masks, 353,300 gloves, 145,122 gowns and 197,085 face shields to the hospitals in the greatest need in these regions. This disbursement is on top of the one million N-95 masks that the State purchased and sent to New York City and the approximately 500,000 N-95 masks that the State purchased and sent to Long Island last week.

4. We are continuing to find new ways to build a health care staff reserve to meet surge capacity. The State Department of Financial Services is requesting that health insurance companies disclose the number of nurses and doctors who work for them (for example, to process claims). This is so the state can reach out to those employees and ask them to temporarily serve in the field during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

5. It is clear that the Coronavirus pandemic will have a real impact on "gig-economy" workers. They deserve protections now, which is why I am asking the federal government to provide unemployment assistance to New York's "gig-economy" workers, farmers, independent contractors and others. I also signed an Executive Order waiving the 7-day waiting period for workers to claim unemployment insurance if you have been put out of work due to COVID-19. Learn how to file an unemployment insurance claim here.

Tonight's "Deep Breath Moment": Feeling cooped up? At 12pm tomorrow, the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx is giving a virtual "Orchid Show" while the Garden remains temporarily closed. Join the Facebook Watch Party here.

If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State's Coronavirus Updates here.

Important Coronavirus (Covid-19) Update From Senator James Skoufis - Posted 3/23/20

Please know that my team and I continue to work around the clock on Coronavirus-related issues and are doing our best to communicate timely updates to you all and our Senate District. While my staff has moved to a remote-working operation to minimize communal contact, we continue to fully operate via phone and email. Please be in touch if you need anything from us.

Since we last emailed, measures that I’ve called for have been implemented, including:

1) The Governor agreed to provide some additional relief for small businesses. If you were unable to make your monthly sales tax payment due to the state on Friday, there will NOT be any late fees or penalties.

2) Woodbury Common has temporarily shut down. This comes on the heels of my calling on the Governor to mandate such closures. As a result, Woodbury Common closed last week.

3) Orange and Rockland as well as Central Hudson, will completely waive late fees for customers impacted by the Coronavirus; this news comes following my outreach to both utilities. Suspending utility fees when many residents and small businesses are experiencing financial hardship is essential so that families can keep the lights on, water running, and homes warm.

Many of our local businesses are struggling during this time. That’s why I created a Face book Event page called“Open For Business,” to connect residen ts with local businesses doing take-out and delivery. My staff is continuing to compile a list of restaurants, breweries, bars, etc. that are open, organized by town. I’m encouraging residents to share support using the hashtag #BuyLocalOrByeLocal.

Please be sure to complete the 2020 Census while at home; it takes under 10 minutes and securing essential federal resources can only happen if all of us get counted. You can also fill out the Census by phone in 14+ languages by calling the numbers listed here.

As of today, there 389 cases in Orange County, 592 in Rockland County and 26 in Ulster County. These numbers are expected to continue rapidly changing as we increase testing.

Current symptoms include mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. If you feel like you are developing symptoms, call your doctor.

While there is currently no vaccine to prevent this virus, these simple steps can help stop the spread of this and other respiratory viruses:

My office remains operational if we can be of any assistance: skoufis@nysenate.gov / 845-567-1270.

I will continue to provide you with the most up to date information. Be safe, take care, and know that I’m working overtime to provide our communities with support and financial relief during this time.

Important Coronavirus (Covid-19) Update From Senator James Skoufis - Posted 3/15/20

My team and I are working each day on Coronavirus-related issues as well as doing our best to communicate timely updates to you all and our Senate District. Since we last emailed, a number of measures that I’ve called for have been implemented, namely:

1) The 180-day instructional mandate in our schools has been waived; our local schools will not be penalized if they drop below that number.

2) Visitation has been temporarily halted at our state correctional facilities. This ought to be extended to the Office of Mental Health facilities.

Many of our local businesses are struggling during this time. I encourage you to order take-out or buy gift cards from your favorite restaurants and shops to help support them through this challenging period.

Most schools are closed in our Senate District starting this upcoming week,but importantly: if your child relies on free or reduced meals at school, please make sure to check with your district for meal pickup times.

As of today, there are 729 confirmed cases of Coronavirus in NYS with 6 cases in Orange County, 14 in Rockland County and 5 in Ulster County. These numbers are expected to rapidly change.

If you know or suspect someone despicably price gouging, please report it by calling 1-800-697-1220 or Local Consumer Affairs at 845-360-6700.

The New York State Department of Health has set up a 24-Hour Hotline Number: 1-888-364-3065 and informational website.

The Center for Disease Control’s Recommendations for vulnerable populations can be found here.

Please contact the Orange County Department of Health at 845-291-2330 BEFORE going to a medical facility. If you feel you are experiencing symptoms, it’s essential to also call your medical provider prior to going to a facility.

Current symptoms include mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. If you feel like you are developing symptoms, call your doctor.

While there is currently no vaccine to prevent this virus, these simple steps can help stop the spread of this and other respiratory viruses:

My office remains open if we can be of any assistance: skoufis@nysenate.gov / 845-567-1270.

I will continue to provide you with the most up to date information. Be safe, take care, and know that I’m working around the clock on this issue.