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Potential Coronavirus Exposure is Being Investigated Following Greeley’s Drive-In Graduation Ceremony

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State, County, Town and School Officials Issue Official Responses and Guidelines as Town Residents and Merchants Grapple with Concerns Over Revelations and a New Quarantine Order Directed at Graduation Attendees.

Despite Horace Greeley High School’s plan for a socially distanced approach to graduation, some people broke protocol, and today Gov. Andrew Cuomo directed the State Department of Health to investigate possible coronavirus exposures at the graduation ceremony and at related events which followed. According to a release from the Governor’s office, potential COVID-19 exposure may have occurred “after an individual who had recently traveled to Florida and attended the ceremony subsequently began showing symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, four more individuals who attended the ceremony and had contact with the first positive case have also tested positive.”  Please read to the end for public statements issued by both The Chappaqua Central School District and the Town of New Castle in response to the news and to Governor Cuomo’s order.

POIGNANT REMARKS AT A DRIVE-IN CEREMONY

Editor’s Note: What follows is a story that was being prepared to run as basic coverage of the graduation ceremony prior to the above breaking news. It is a look back at an event that included heartfelt addresses to and from members of the Class of 2020…

Inside Press Photo: Horace Greeley High School Class of 2020 Drive in Ceremony

On Saturday, June 20, seniors and their families gathered together in the Chappaqua Train Station parking lot to celebrate drive-in movie style. There were two screens and a stage set up as cars rolled in filled with seniors in decorated caps and gowns. 

The graduation began at 8 p.m.when Horace Greeley Assistant Principal Lauralyn Stewart welcomed families and acknowledged the different setting of this year’s graduation.

President of the Chappaqua Board of Education and parent of a Horace Greeley senior, Jane Shepardson, said that if graduation was taking place at the high school under the tent, she would be handing each of the students their diploma and greeting them with a hug as she has known many of them since they were in preschool since her daughter is their age. 

“The graduation speech I wrote in June was certainly not the one I would have written several months ago. I had no idea I would be giving a speech in a train station parking lot during a global pandemic and would end up on a Jumbotron,” said Shepardson.“I obviously wanted to talk about something universal to all the seniors, but felt like I couldn’t avoid acknowledging that I had a daughter graduating with the Class of 2020, so my goal was to briefly mention it in a humorous way and then move on to what was relevant to all of them.”

Horace Greeley High School Principal Andrew Corsilia spoke about the silver lining of the time spent at home this spring- quality time with family. 

Corsilia said this kind or amount of time together is rare and that some families may have even had college aged children back home eating at their dinner tables. 

“As I looked out at the sea of cars, I found myself feeling proud of this class, what they have endured, and what they have accomplished,” said Corsilia. “After months of isolation from the school, I was relieved and pleased that we could provide them the celebration and recognition they deserved.  It was an unforgettable finale to an unforgettable year.”

The valedictorians gave a speech together. Each allotted 45 seconds, the 13 valedictorians felt it would be symbolic for each of them to discuss a grade, kindergarten through twelfth. The students shared a lesson they took from that age or a moment that stood out to them. 

Following the speeches, each student’s name was read as a photo of them appeared on the screens. Families honked and cheered for every senior and the environment was lively.

Once all the students’ names were read, Stewart announced she had two special surprises. 

The first one was that former First Lady and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President of the United States Bill Clinton recorded a congratulatory message for the Horace Greeley High School class of 2020.

Hillary Clinton said that they understood that the graduating class’ senior year may have looked a little different but those changes do not diminish the accomplishments of the senior class in any way. 

“All your hard work, and the work of your families that got you, the things you accomplished, the friendships and memories you’ve made at Horace Greeley, you’ll treasure that for the rest of your lives,” said Hillary Clinton. 

Then came the second surprise, a fireworks display. Families poked their heads out of their cars to enjoy the colorful, bright display that celebrated the seniors. 

“The surprising thing to me was how personal it felt, even though everyone was in their cars. I think we were all so happy to be in the same place together after being apart for so long, that it actually seemed even more personal than a typical graduation at Greeley.  From what I have heard from the seniors and their families, everyone felt the same – that it was poignant and extra-special,” said Shepardson.

THE AFTER EFFECTS

According to the New Castle Police Department, an individual recently traveled to Florida before attending the ceremony at the train station. She showed symptoms after June 20 and tested positive. Since then, four more people who came in contact with the individual who traveled to Florida also tested positive. The student also attended a field night, a large gathering on multiple fields,  on June 20 that some seniors and juniors also attended.

According to Gov. Cuomo, anyone who attended the graduation, field night or other graduation events must quarantine until July 5. 

“We need to stay vigilant. We’re prepared to do the aggressive testing and contact tracing required to slow and ultimately control any potential clusters of new cases like the one in Westchester County,” said Gov. Cuomo.

The Governor also issued a new executive order that makes New York employees who voluntarily travel to high-risk states after June 25 ineligible for COVID-19 paid sick leave.

“New Yorkers have controlled the spread of this unprecedented virus by being smart and disciplined, and our progress to date is illustrated by the current low numbers of new cases and hospitalizations,” Governor Cuomo said. “But as we are seeing in other states who reopened quickly, the pandemic is far from over and we need stay vigilant. We’re prepared to do the aggressive testing and contact tracing required to slow and ultimately control any potential clusters of new cases like the one in Westchester County. If we are going to maintain the progress we’ve seen, we need everyone to take personal responsibility – that’s why I’m issuing an executive order that says any New York employee who voluntarily travels to a high-risk state will not be eligible for the COVID protections we created under paid sick leave.”

A letter to the community this afternoon from School Superintendent Christine Ackerman confirmed that the school has been notified by the New York State Department of Health and Governor Cuomo’s office that at least five individuals who attended our Greeley graduation ceremony have tested positive for COVID-19. “I would like to assure the entire community that we are working closely with local and state officials to support their efforts to prevent further spread of Covid-19 in our area. The safety of our students and our entire school community continues to be our most important priority. The Greeley graduation was a carefully planned event that strictly followed Governor Cuomo’s Executive Orders and all NYS Department of Health Guidelines. The District repeatedly provided clear guidance and protocols for families that complied with all applicable health and safety orders and guidelines. Unfortunately, at the event, and despite police presence, numerous individuals failed to follow our protocols. In addition, we later learned that one attendee, who had recently traveled to Florida, later tested positive for COVID-19.”
 
Ackerman concluded that she strongly encourages members of the Chappaqua school community “to remain vigilant. Continue wearing a mask when you are in public, wash your hands frequently, and practice social distancing. The CCSD Administration will continue to follow all medical and public health guidance for our school community, and we ask that all residents do the same.”
 
In a Nixel alert from the New Castle Police Department, there was a reminder about testing:  “As part of our public health outreach, the State and County DOH encourage testing for anybody who attended the graduation ceremony or the Field Night event and may have come in contact with an infected individual. For information about testing, please contact your local healthcare provider, or visit https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-testing.
 
The same evening, the Town of New Castle released to the community the following series of answers to questions received relating to the new cases and the Governor’s order:
 

Q: The NYS Department of Health (“NYSDOH”) issued an Order mandating self-quarantine through July 5th. To whom does this apply?

A:    The State advised that “Individuals who attended the graduation ceremony, Field Night event, or events associated with graduation, which continued into June 21, should extend their quarantine period until July 5th.” Although not mandated by NYSDOH, if after June 21st, you were at parties or other events without social distancing or wearing a mask, you should consider self-quarantining as well.
 

Q:    If I social distanced or wore a mask at the above events, must I still self-quarantine? 

A:    Yes, NYSDOH is requiring anyone in attendance to self-quarantine irrespective of whether or not you followed proper protocols.

 

Q:    Why is the NYSDOH mandating self-quarantine for those who followed the rules? Doesn’t it seem excessive?

A:    To best ensure the spread of COVID-19 is minimized, a blanket self-quarantine provides a more efficient way to identify those who may have been exposed and manage the potential spread. If you remain at home and limit those you interact with, it shrinks the “contact tree” that contract tracers must pursue.

 

Q:   How long will the self-quarantine last?

A:    You must self-quarantine until July 5th.

 

Q:     If my test for COVID-19 is negative, do I still have to self-quarantine until July 5th?

A:  Yes, even if you test negative for COVID-19 you must remain in quarantine. Not only can you later test positive, but according to the Westchester County Department of Health, you should test no sooner than five days of exposure or upon presenting symptoms. 

 

Q:  How will I know if I have come into contact with a COVID-19 positive person?

A:   You will receive a call from a contact tracer. It is imperative that if you see such a call on your caller ID you pick up your phone.

 

Q:   How will I know if the call is from a Contact Tracer?

A:    If you get a call from “NYS Contact Tracing” (518-387-9993), PLEASE answer the phone. Answering the phone will keep your loved ones and community safe.

A contact tracer will:

  • 
NEVER ask for your Social Security number
  • 
NEVER ask for any private financial information
  • 
NEVER ask for credit card information
  • NEVER send you a link without proper authentication procedures

  Q:   Where can I get more information about contact tracing?

A:  Visit the NYSDOH website at NYSDOH Contact Tracing and the WCDOH website at WCDOH Contact Tracing.

 

Q:  As an owner of a small business and an attendee of the HGHS graduation, does my staff also need to quarantine?  Similarly, if I was with someone who attended the events, but I was not at the event, must I self-quarantine?

A:    The NYSDOH Order only directs those who attended the graduation, Field Night and related graduation events to self-quarantine. It does not extend beyond that until if and when a positive result is received. As such, an individual with a second-degree interaction and who was not at the event need not self-quarantine. However, if the attendee later tests positive, those he or she was in direct contact with would have to self-quarantine. If you have questions or concerns, please call the New York State Department of Health hotline at (888) 364-3065.

 

Q:    Will the Town share the names of those who tested positive for COVID-19?

A:    No, WCDOH maintains the list and the names of these individuals is protected by HIPAA and not shared with the public.

 

Q:   For those not under self-quarantine, what should we do to protect ourselves?

The NYSDOH and WCDOH both recommend social distancing no closer than six feet and wearing masks. These best practices have not changed and remain in effect. Further, it is recommended that anybody who attended the graduation ceremony or the Field Night event and may have come in contact with an infected individual get tested. For information about testing, please contact your local healthcare provider, or visit https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-testing.

 

Q:  Will the New Castle Police Department enforce quarantine?

A:  The NCPD does not have a list of those in attendance at these events nor will the NCPD be proactively checking to confirm adherence to the self-quarantine. Simply, you know if you were there and so do your neighbors and friends. Do not be “that person”. To file a report of an individual failing to adhere to the quarantine pursuant to the travel advisory, one should call 1-833-789-0470 or visit https://mylicense.custhelp.com/app/ask . Individuals may also contact their local department of health.  The NCPD can only report violations they observe first-hand, but they can be of assistance and respond when needed. If they observe a violation they can also act.

 

Q:  But for social media, would residents and the Town have known about the COVID-19 infections associated with HGHS graduation?

A:    Yes, the Town is regularly in touch with the County Department of Health. Contract tracers are deployed once a person tests positive so that those potentially infected are advised and can take the proper steps to address their exposure. 
 

Q:  Will there be a “lockdown” or will the County or State implement similar measure as to what occurred in New Rochelle?

A:    No, facilities, parks, businesses, and restaurants remain open. There is no containment zone. Fortunately, contact tracing is far more advanced and efficient. Simply, New Castle is not subject to the same restrictions. 

Per Town Supervisor Ivy Pool and Deputy Supervisor Jeremy Saland and the board et al: “Please remain vigilant and adhere to best practices. Again, we will continue communicating with both the County and State to identify and address issues as they arise, questions we may have, and changes in policy should they occur. Your safety is always our priority. We have been in this together for a long time and we will see each other through.”

 

Open Door Names Armonk, Briarcliff Residents to its Boards

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Briarcliff Manor resident Marie Pennacchio and Armonk resident Noi Sukaviriya have been named to Open Door’s Board of Directors.

Two area residents have been named to key posts at Open Door Family Medical Center. Armonk resident Noi Sukaviriya has been named to the Open Door Foundation Board of Directors, while long-time Briarcliff Manor resident Marie Pennacchio has been named to Open Door’s Board of Directors.

Sukaviriya, a 17-year resident of the town and a long-time User Experience designer and researcher with IBM, plans to bring her corporate, design and technology expertise to the federally qualified health center. She is an expert in UX design, which focuses on the interaction between human users and everyday products and services. An extremely varied discipline, it combines aspects of psychology, business, research, design and technology. She presently leads an award-winning IBM Food Trust™ design team in providing food traceability solutions.

“Having spent many years in the corporate world, I’m really looking forward to working in the not-for-profit world and using my skills to support an organization like Open Door that plays such an important role in helping people who can’t afford health care,” she said.  “I was impressed by how forward-thinking the organization is in terms of technology, and look forward to assisting in this new realm of telemedicine.”

Meanwhile, Pennachio, a 29-year resident of Briarcliff Manor, brings her experience as a nurse, corporate executive, entrepreneur, and artist to her new role.  Pennacchio began her career as a hospital and private duty nurse before getting her MBA and entering the business world.  She later opened a successful marketing firm.  She also speaks Spanish, as do many of Open Door’s patients.

Pennacchio has been extremely active over the years in the community, serving as president of the Briarcliff Manor Public Library and spending many years as a family specialist volunteer in the Briarcliff Manor schools.  She has served as a girl scout troop leader and taught religion classes at local churches.

The Open Door model of treating the whole patient by bringing in staff specialists, such as a behavior health expert or nutritionist to address their health and wellness needs, appealed to Pennacchio as both a one-time health professional and product manager.

“Open Door is the absolute embodiment of holistic care,” she said. “I was truly impressed with their collaborative care model, which I believe has a direct relationship on the success rates in patient compliance for the myriad health issues they address. In an age of uncertainty in many domains for the population they serve, this model restores control for the patient in countless ways.”

Open Door Family Medical Center’s mission has remained consistent since 1972: to provide high-quality health care that’s affordable, accessible and efficient.

Today, the federally qualified health center cares for over 60,000 adults and children every year in Westchester, Putnam and Ulster counties – with more than 300,000 patient visits and over 400 babies delivered annually – regardless of ability to pay. In addition to primary medical care, Open Door offers integrated dental care, pediatric care, women’s health care, behavioral health care, and wellness programs in its Ossining, Port Chester, Sleepy Hollow, Mount Kisco, Brewster, Mamaroneck locations, eight School-Based Health Centers in the Ossining and Port Chester school districts, dental van, and a dental practice is in Saugerties. For more information, visit www.opendoormedical.org.

Miles and Points Experts Unite to Launch Wing Tips

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Register Now for Wing Tips June 30th Debut Course. Two Key ‘Miles and Points’ Experts will Explain How to Optimize your Credit Cards.

Chappaqua, New York – Credit card points and frequent flyer miles can be incredibly complicated. Getting the most out of your card benefits and earning and burning your rewards in the most productive and lucrative manner is achievable, but also very daunting.  The coronavirus pandemic adds a whole new level of complexity.   In these challenging times, The Points Mom, Cindy Greenstein, is teaming up with Rob Karp, founder and CEO of MilesAhead, to launch “Wing Tips”, an in-depth learning experience for those who want to optimize their credit card benefits and continue to maximize their rewards for when they are ready to resume traveling. 

The first Wing Tips class is scheduled for June 30, 2020, at 12 p.m., and will focus on “Optimizing Your Amex Platinum Card Benefits in a Covid-19 World.” The first half of the class will focus on the generous benefits that Amex Platinum recently announced and offer creative tips on how to take advantage of existing benefits for those of us who may not be traveling. Rob and Cindy will also discuss the best ways to use all of the Amex points you have been accumulating while sheltering at home. In the second half of the class, the duo will be answering questions that attendees submit in advance. The cost is $25 per class.  Participants can register on-line: http://www.milesahead.co/wing-tips

Rob Karp stated, “I’m super excited to announce MilesAhead’s new partnership with The Points Mom, Cindy Greenstein.  Building on our combined 14 years of experience, we will help others navigate the world of miles and points amid the coronavirus pandemic.  I have no doubt that our Wing Tips attendees will gain valuable insight.  I look forward to sharing our passion for travel.”

Cindy Greenstein stated, “Rob Karp’s depth of understanding the points and miles game is very impressive.  His enthusiasm is contagious.  We will travel again, and I am confident that we can help our Wing Tips attendees learn how to play the game so they can travel for free.”

Rob Karp is the Founder and CEO of MilesAhead, a luxury hospitality company creating unforgettable experiences of the highest quality. At age 14, Rob founded MilesAhead to help travelers use their frequent flyer miles. Today, MilesAhead manages over $15 million of travel for a network of high-net worth individuals, families and businesses. In the face of the COVID-19 crisis, Rob launched Travel Cares, a non-profit organization aiming to support and educate the hospitality industry through giving back while moving forward. Rob is a self-proclaimed aviation geek and avid golfer.

Cindy Greenstein is a mom with three kids.  She is a former lawyer and CPA but her focus now is on her family and traveling for free – using rewards.  Cindy’s free vacations have ranged from domestic trips to places like Chicago, NYC and Boston to more adventurous destinations like London, Costa Rica, Israel, Hawaii, British Columbia, Paris, Amsterdam, Morocco and, most recently, Singapore. Her savings per trip have ranged from $250 – $26,000!  She shares her knowledge with her clients through consultations and subsequent periodic check-ins and reminders to stay on task.  She manages her clients as she does herself, never letting them miss an opportunity to score some extra bonuses and ensuring that they use “the right card” for all of their spending. 

Related Links

http://www.milesahead.co/

https://www.thepointsmom.com/

 

 

Inspiring Freshmen Create Camps for Middle Schoolers Stuck at Home

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By Krissh Bhargava

“I spent literally days and days and days and days playing Dungeons & Dragons, and that led me to a sense of strategy which was then, of course, very helpful when I later got to my entrepreneurial and business life.” Reid Hoffman, co-founder Linkedin. 

Chappaqua, NY— It was the podcast featuring Reid Hoffman that piqued my curiosity. As a normal middle schooler I had always thought that Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) was for nerds, and with society’s view on the game, who wouldn’t. But after listening to Reid Hoffman on the Masters of Scale podcast I realized how helpful D&D could actually be. 

That was in the end of seventh grade, fast forward two years, and now I play D&D for about 10 hours a week with a group of friends who I didn’t know when we first started. Reflecting back, I realize that I met  some of my closest friends and made some of my fondest memories playing a game that I once thought was lame. That realization led me into creating my very own D&D summer camp this year in collaboration with these very special people; Eli Brown and Owen Sibinga. 

We wanted to share our experiences with other middle schoolers and show them that this so-called game isn’t just a game. It has so many other unintended benefits, the most rewarding being building friendships.  When I first got interested in D&D I had no close friends. I had just moved from Long Island which was only an hour away, but I still felt in alien territory. Other kids had already established friend groups and I was the new kid trying to find somebody to hang out with. D&D played a pivotal role in changing that for me. It helped me find my tribe and really make close friendships that I cherish to this day. I really want to give this experience to other kids as well; to those who think they don’t fit in, and even those that just want to try something out of their comfort zone. Because as we know from Harry Potter, nothing builds friendships like defeating monsters. 

But as much as we wanted to do that we also wanted to do something more. Something meaningful. We didn’t just want to be entrepreneurs; we wanted our entrepreneurship to make a difference, however small. We wanted to fight for a cause that we believed in. 

That’s when we decided to donate 20% of all profits to the “Innocence Project.” The Innocence Project’s main goal is to exonerate those who were wrongfully imprisoned mainly using DNA testing that wasn’t available at the time of the crime, but without money to pay bail they can’t do that. That’s where the donors come in. When you donate, that money goes towards paying bail for someone who cannot afford it. That’s why we chose this cause. To see our contribution make such a difference in someone’s life is just astounding. 

We can’t wait to share our passions and introduce more people to the mystical world of D&D!

For more information you can reach out to krissh.bhargava@gmail.com. 

 

Congrats Seniors: Celebration Time for Briarcliff High School Class of 2020!

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Editor’s Note: So many families and fans of the Class of 2020 in the Briarcliff community are busy preparing to celebrate 137 seniors graduating from Briarcliff High School! Following spotlights in neighboring communities, we were delighted to hear right away as well from proud BHS family members about their own inspiring Class of 2020 graduates. Donna Mueller, who has spent nearly the entire pandemic voluntarily photographing local families, photographed these soon to be graduates, too. There are festive plans ahead: volunteers have been filming small groups of students at a time as the kids received their diplomas and tossed their caps on the game day field. All the footage will be put together for a compilation viewing at a Drive In concept to be shown at Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown on June 19.  Congratulations from these families to their students, and congratulations from the Inside Press as well to the entire Class of 2020!

Emily Boviero

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Emily is a daily reminder of the possibilities that exist if you fight for your goals. Life has presented its challenges, including early learning and sensory differences. While she might doubt her abilities, she’ll still face any challenge. Through effort she excelled in honor and AP courses, achieved scholastic goals, and was accepted into her top college. When she felt helpless over the racism filling the news, she decided to help create change. She organized her peers and started a dialogue with her school to create action steps that support school inclusivity. She is an inspiration to persist despite fear.”

Bailey Zednik

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Bailey entered Briarcliff High School from Pocantico Hills as a freshman.  A three-season athlete for all four years, Bailey played soccer, basketball, was co-captain of the swim and dive team, and was an award winning shot-put thrower her junior year.  She had hopes for another record this year, when her season was cut short by Covid-19.  Bailey was co-president of the Pediatric Cancer Foundation Club and turned her planned senior internship into a passion project with her basketball teammates where they donated time and resources to frontline workers.  Bailey is excited to attend Penn State in the fall.  Known as a friend to so many and always with a positive attitude we have been amazed by the resilience of Bailey and all of the seniors.  Presented with all of the challenges this pandemic has presented, they have all persevered.”