The Watertown Family YMCA in collaboration with Jefferson County, local school district leaders and healthcare providers will open restricted Emergency Childcare Sites in Jefferson County, including in the General Brown Central School District at Brownville-Glen Park Elementary School. The YMCA will provide emergency childcare for school-age children at 10 sites and at the YMCA Daycare in Watertown for daycare-aged children. Only children of workers in healthcare, emergency services and other essential personnel are eligible to participate in the emergency childcare.
Space is limited at the emergency sites as guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, New York State Office of Children and Family Services and public health officials for screening, distancing and disinfecting for childcare settings will be followed. Registration is on a need-prioritized, first-come, first-served basis. To register, contact the YMCA at 315-755-2005 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The General Brown Central School District wants to ensure its families have what they need during this extended emergency school closure. Please click on the link below to complete a Google form on which you can share any urgent unmet needs your family is facing so we can assist.
Review resources for all grade levels are available here.
The situation regarding COVID-19 continues to evolve rapidly. General Brown Central School District officials are currently focusing on four main priorities:
The district has created a frequently asked questions page to address what this emergency closure means for students and their families. The page will be updated as more information becomes available.
COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions
Meals are available across the region. If families are unable to make it to a General Brown pick-up site, they can reach out to one of the many regional sites offerinig free meals during this public health crisis.
Out of an abundance of caution and to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the General Brown Central School District community, all GB schools will be closed and all extracurricular activities and events canceled beginning March 16 through at least April 17.
“This is not a decision taken lightly, as we recognize this action will impact many families’ regular routines, including child care and parents’ and guardians’ work schedules,” Superintendent Barbara Case said. “This situation is very fluid, and we want families to be prepared that it could change, so we appreciate your patience and flexibility during this unprecedented time. Our priority is the health and safety of our students, staff and community.”
On March 14, the superintendents of the Jefferson-Lewis-Hamilton-Herkimer-Oneida BOCES region and the public health department leaders of Jefferson and Lewis counties made the decision to close schools in an effort to slow and contain the spread of COVID-19.
Out of an abundance of caution and to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our community, all General Brown Central School District schools will be closed and all extracurricular activities and events canceled beginning 3/16/2020 through 4/17/2020.
March 13, 2020
General Brown Central School District administrators are continuing to monitor all guidance from local, state and federal agencies regarding the respiratory illness caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus, COVID-19. At this time, there are no suspected or confirmed cases of coronavirus in the school district. If there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the district, all members of the school community will be notified.
As the situation evolves, local, state and federal officials continue to update their guidance for school districts. The district’s administrative team has been meeting to discuss the district’s policies, procedures and emergency response plans to ensure the district is prepared to meet the needs of its students and staff members should the virus affect the GB community and the district's operations.
Read the full story to find out what the district is doing to prepare and why it is canceling some events.
The General Brown Central School District will hold its annual budget vote and Board of Education election on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, from noon to 9 p.m. Board of Education vacancies exist for two (2) three-year terms currently held by Ms. Natalie Hurley and Mr. Albert Romano, Jr.
Nominating petitions may be obtained 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday-Friday from the District Office, 17643 Cemetery Rd., Dexter.
Visit the Board of Education page for more information.
The General Brown Central School District’s Class of 2020 graduation ceremony will be a sea of blue in June when all graduates will wear blue graduation gowns. As part of its efforts to be an inclusive school community for all students, the district will no longer designate different color graduation gowns based on gender identification.
“This move follows guidance from the New York State Education Department on steps a district can take to develop an inclusive environment, which is an area we have been focusing on since last year when the board of education approved the district’s new strategic plan,” Superintendent Barbara Case said.
While the General Brown Central School District does not have a confirmed case of COVID-19, caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in our schools, district officials are aware of concerns in the community about the spread of this relatively new virus.
The district is closely monitoring this situation and following guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), the Jefferson County Department of Health and the New York State Education Department.
“Please know that, as always, the health and safety of our students and staff is our highest priority, and we will remain vigilant in our efforts to help prevent the spread of this illness,” Superintendent Barbara Case said in a letter to parents and guardians.
There’s no denying it: Winter weather is here.
Now is a good time to become familiar with how the General Brown Central School District communicates about school closings, delays and early dismissals.
Read the full article to find out so you are prepared for when school unexpectedly closes, starts late or dismisses early.
Taxpayers can go online and print a copy of their 2019 tax bill. Taxpayers will also be able to check their payment status, which is updated within 24-48 hours of when the payment was made.
General Brown Central School District Superintendent Barbara Case is being recognized by the Northern Regional Center for Independent Living (NRCIL) with the 2019 Ed Roberts Barrier Buster Award for her efforts in making the district more inclusive for people of all abilities and connecting its students and their families to community resources. Read the full article to find out more.
General Supply List for Jr High School Students
Please see this letter from Superintendent Barbara Case.
All three buildings had their water tested in October 2017 and cleared with all locations testing below 15 parts per billion. New sinks and faucets were installed in the summer of 2018; they were tested in October 2018. Click Here to view all of the results.
Recent events in the news have highlighted water conditions in several locations across this country, including areas in our region. During the recent New York state legislation session, a bill was passed specifically pertaining to water testing in school districts. Water testing has been completed in all three buildings, and the results have been posted to our website for each building. More information is available here.
