Three weeks into school year at Maple St. and not a single COVID case yet

Rochester Schools Supt. Kyle Repucci, seen here speaking at the Creteau Tech Center grand opening in January, said the Maple Street Magnet School is off to an amazing start. (Rochester Voice file photo)

ROCHESTER - With 15 days of in-classroom teaching under their belt, the Maple Street Magnet School, the only Rochester school that opened in August, has identified no cases of COVID-19 among students there, a harbinger of hope as students return to school citywide next week.

In an email sent to The Rochester Voice today, Rochester Schools Supt. Kyle Repucci said not only are the students at Maple Street off to a fantastic start under trying conditions, but that students are buying into health protocols and are thriving under a new scholastic normal.

"The school has done an amazing job creating routines, rituals, and procedure that promote health and safety for all," Repucci said.

He said some of the greatest innovation occurred on the playground where teachers and administrators created sections to allow students mask breaks, appropriate play, and proper supervision and rules for each section.

He credited staff, parents, and students with working collectively to implement a plan and routine that benefits the children.

Repucci said that while the school - like all Rochester schools - is open for in-classroom learning, about 20 percent of the students enrolled there are learning remotely.

With other schools gearing up for next week, he noted that 34 teachers at schools citywide will be teaching remotely.

Repucci said the most challenging issue facing Rochester schools as the new academic year starts is communication with families and staff.

"Moving forward our biggest hurdle is keeping everyone informed and that is why it is so important that families and staff sign up for one or more of the different communications tools we have implemented," he said.

He urged families to reference his two letters home asking them to create or update Honeywell or Infinite Campus accounts.

"Both of these accounts are utilized to send phone, text, and email messages home when new information is released at the school or district level," he said. "Additionally, families or members of our community can register their email addresses to receive school updates from our School District blog any time new information is shared. The blog can be found at https://rochesterschoolnews.com/"