School superintendents appreciate leadership from local public health director during pandemic

Editor:

We, the school district superintendents of Orleans County, would like to express our deep thanks and gratitude to Paul Pettit, Orleans County Public Health Director and his wonderful staff since this pandemic began in March 2020.

Our relationship with Paul began on Saturday, March 14, 2020, on a series of Saturday afternoon phone calls, wrestling with the decision of closing our schools on a long-term basis. It was far from an easy decision, but Paul’s counsel and insight provided us with the valuable information we needed to make this important decision.

Paul has been literally available around the clock to answer our calls, take our individual questions, and meet with us each and every week to offer support and guidance. Paul has been a strong advocate for opening up school safely, with a full understanding and appreciation of the value of in-person instruction for our students.

In addition to his availability, Paul and his staff have been instrumental in providing Covid-19 test kits for each school, assisting our districts in securing a license for testing, and most important, providing access to our staff for vaccines for the past 6 weeks, thereby making our schools even safer for all.

As new regulations and guidance continually appear from the state, Paul is always ready, willing, and able to provide his interpretation and support as we seek to implement these for the benefit of our school communities. These include items such as graduation guidelines, athletics, extra-curricular, social distancing, quarantines, travel information, etc!

We look forward to the day when this pandemic is behind us, but in the meantime, we continue to be eternally grateful to Paul and his staff.

Thank you.

Brian Bartalo, Holley Superintendent

Julie Christensen, Kendall Superintendent

Mickey Edwards, Albion Superintendent

Mark Kruzynski, Medina Superintendent

Jason Smith, Lyndonville Superintendent