FOIL: Responsible Party Identification and Communications (Watervliet City School District)

February 8, 2022

*VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL (requests@muckrock.com
<requests@muckrock.com>)*

Mr. Jackson Parker

Re: *Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Law Request*

Dear Mr. Parker,

I am writing to you in my capacity as the Records Access Officer of the
Watervliet City School District. I am in receipt of your request for
records made pursuant to the Freedom of Information Law dated February 7,
2022 and received by my office on the same date. Please be advised that I
am in the process of reviewing your request for records. Given the nature
of your request, I will need an additional 20 business days to compile and
review the records you have requested, to the extent that the Watervliet
City School District possesses such records. Therefore, I anticipate
providing you with the School District’s formal response to your request no
later than March 7, 2022.

If you have any questions, please contact my office at (518) 629-3201, or
at this email address.

Sincerely,

*Bernadette L. Boardman*
Executive Assistant to the Superintendent
Clerk of the Board
FOIL Officer
Watervliet City School District
1245 Hillside Drive
Watervliet, NY 12189
Phone: (518) 629-3201
Fax: (518) 629-3265

*"Be the change you wish to see in the world"*

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: <requests@muckrock.com>
Date: Mon, Feb 7, 2022 at 11:58 AM
Subject: New York Freedom of Information Law Request: FOIL: Responsible
Party Identification and Communications (Watervliet City School District)
To: <dstevens@vlietschools.org>

Watervliet City School District
FOIL Office
1245 Hillside Drive
Watervliet, NY 12189

February 7, 2022

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the New York Freedom of Information Law, I hereby request the
following records:

For School Year 2021-2022 (July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022), who was the
"Responsible Party" designated by your school district, as defined in pg.
1-2 of the New York State Department of Health's Interim Guidance For
In-person Instruction at Pre-K through 12 Schools During the Covid-19
Public Health Emergency (Pre-K_to_Grade_12_Schools_MasterGuidance.pdf) (
https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/Pre-K_to_Grade_12_Schools_MasterGuidance.pdf,
June 7, 2021), for:

• "...developing the plan, affirming to have read and adhere to this
guidance, and meeting the standards set forth herein." pg 1
• for designated activities under the following headings outlined in the
same document:
o Core Health and Safety Principles and Definitions
o Plan Requirements
o Monitoring
o Containment
o Closure

Please provide bonding and insurance information for all whom have been
designated as the "Responsible Party" or one of several "Responsible
Parties" for the above stated activities.

Please provide all plans, changes, amendments, and updates to the plans for
reopening and operating during the COVID-19 public health emergency from
July 1, 2021 to present, that were submitted to the New York State
Department of Health (DOH) and the New York State Department of Education
(NYSED) by your school district. Please include all affirmations to the
Pre_K_to_Grade_12_Schools_MasterGuidance.pdf received in the district
office and/or delivered to the New York State DOH or/and NYSED during the
same time frame.

Please provide all correspondences regarding the plan TO and FROM the
designated Responsible Party or Responsibility Parties to the New York
State DOH, NYSED and the county or Local Health Department from July 1,
2021 to present.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and
this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform
me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer
the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or
CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I
look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business
days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Jackson Parker

View request history, upload responsive documents, and report problems here:
https://www.muckrock.com/

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PLEASE NOTE: This request is not filed by a MuckRock staff member, but is
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Mr. Parker,

This will serve as a response to your Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request filed on February 7, 2022, and follows my initial response to you acknowledging receipt of that request. As the records access officer, I am responding to your request.

YOUR REQUEST WAS AS FOLLOWAS:

For School Year 2021-2022 (July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022), who was the
"Responsible Party" designated by your school district, as defined in pg.
1-2 of the New York State Department of Health's Interim Guidance For
In-person Instruction at Pre-K through 12 Schools During the Covid-19
Public Health Emergency (Pre-K_to_Grade_12_Schools_MasterGuidance.pdf) (
https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/Pre-K_to_Grade_12_Schools_MasterGuidance.pdf,
June 7, 2021), for:

• "...developing the plan, affirming to have read and adhere to this
guidance, and meeting the standards set forth herein." pg 1
• for designated activities under the following headings outlined in the
same document:
o Core Health and Safety Principles and Definitions
o Plan Requirements
o Monitoring
o Containment
o Closure

Please provide bonding and insurance information for all whom have been
designated as the "Responsible Party" or one of several "Responsible
Parties" for the above stated activities.

Please provide all plans, changes, amendments, and updates to the plans for
reopening and operating during the COVID-19 public health emergency from
July 1, 2021 to present, that were submitted to the New York State
Department of Health (DOH) and the New York State Department of Education
(NYSED) by your school district. Please include all affirmations to the
Pre_K_to_Grade_12_Schools_MasterGuidance.pdf received in the district
office and/or delivered to the New York State DOH or/and NYSED during the
same time frame.

Please provide all correspondences regarding the plan TO and FROM the
designated Responsible Party or Responsibility Parties to the New York
State DOH, NYSED and the county or Local Health Department from July 1,
2021 to present.

OUR RESPONSE TO YOUR REQUEST:

The "Responsible Party" for the School District was Dr. Lori S. Caplan, former Superintendent of Schools (retired 11/1/2021), and Dr. Donald Stevens Jr., current Superintendent of Schools.

With regard to your request regarding bonding surety, the District does no have documents relating to "faithful performance bonds or bond surety"...covering the superintendent and board members. Therefore, the District is not in possession of records responsive to that portion of your request.

With regard to correspondence to and from the NYSED, DOH, County or Local Health Department - no documents exist in the possession of the District.

Information regarding Watervliet City School District's re-opening plan and information can be found at the following link:

- https://www.watervlietcityschools.org/wcsd-2021-22-layered-mitigation-plan/

Any other information can be found at our District web site:

- https://www.watervlietcityschools.org/

Any appeal of this decision should be made within thirty days , in writing, to the Superintendent of Schools, 1245 Hillside Drive, Watervliet, NY 12189, email address: dstevens@vlietschools.org, or (518) 629-3200.

Sincerely,

Bernadette L. Boardman
Records Access Officer

Good Morning,

Using the link you provided, I uploaded the District's response to your
request. The District will now consider this request completed.

Sincerely,

*Bernadette L. Boardman*
Executive Assistant to the Superintendent
Clerk of the Board
FOIL Officer
Watervliet City School District
1245 Hillside Drive
Watervliet, NY 12189
Phone: (518) 629-3201
Fax: (518) 629-3265

*"Be the change you wish to see in the world"*

--
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed.
This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the
individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not
disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender
immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and
delete this e-mail from your system. If you are not the intended recipient
you are notified that disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any
action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly
prohibited.

Good Afternoon,

In my response, I provided links to any information that I had that was responsive to your request.

Thank you.