School community reminded to follow public health guidelines

With the number of COVID-19 cases increasing in Onondaga County, Fayetteville-Manlius School District is reminding students and staff members who have traveled during winter recess that they may need to quarantine before returning to campus.

“We must remain vigilant,” F-M Superintendent Craig J. Tice said. “Working together to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our community will allow us to keep our schools open for in-person instruction.”

Students and staff members who are returning to New York from a state other than Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont, or from a CDC Level 2 or 3 Travel Health Notice country, shall quarantine for a period of 10 days, consistent with New York State Department of Health regulations for quarantine. 

Travelers can “test out” of the mandatory 10-day quarantine by adhering to the following guidelines:

  • Travelers must obtain a test within three days of departure, prior to arrival in New York;
  • The traveler must, upon arrival in New York, quarantine for three days; and
  • On day 4 of their quarantine, the traveler must obtain another COVID test. If both tests come back negative, the traveler may exit quarantine early upon receipt of the second negative diagnostic test.

During the recent winter recess, the district was notified of 14 school community members who tested positive for COVID-19. In addition, 20 students have been placed in individual quarantines due to COVID-19 exposures that occurred outside of school and during family travel or household/social gatherings.

“COVID-19 is still a risk,” Dr. Tice said. “We must all work together for the health and safety of one other.”

Information about F-M’s health and safety protocols related to COVID-19 can be found in the district’s school reopening plan and on the plan’s FAQ web page