TO PROTECT HEALTH AND LEARNING, SUCCESS ACADEMY TO REQUIRE VACCINATION FOR ALL STUDENTS
**For Immediate Release December 21, 2021**
Laura WIlker, 332-895-2237
Laura.Wilker@successacademies.
Ann Powell, 646-894-6407
Ann.Powell@successacademies.
TO PROTECT HEALTH AND LEARNING, SUCCESS ACADEMY TO REQUIRE VACCINATION FOR ALL STUDENTS
The Network Expands Vaccination Requirements Amid Omicron Surge
New York, NY — Throughout the school year, Success Academy has remained committed to doing everything possible to protect scholars and staff, keep classrooms open, and stop the spread of COVID-19. To that end, Success Academy announced that all middle school scholars will be required to get vaccinated, and all scholars aged 5 to 11 must be vaccinated to participate in clubs and sports. In addition, all staff will be required to receive a COVID-19 booster shot.
This new policy, based on recent guidance from local health officials and the CDC, goes into effect January 3, 2022 for eligible staff, and January 31 for scholars, giving both groups time to get their initial doses or boosters. Staff are required to get their booster within the calendar month after they become eligible.
SA will provide onsite weekly testing for students who choose not to get vaccinated. The network also informed families of elementary school students that they would be required to provide proof of vaccination or be tested, beginning in late winter. In the event of a positive case, SA takes appropriate actions and reports results to NYC’s Department of Education and Department of Health.
In May, SA began vigorously promoting vaccinations for all students 12 years and older. In August, the network began hosting onsite vaccination clinics through a partnership with Rite Aid, and provided incentives to those who got vaccinated. Currently across SA’s two high schools, 87 percent of scholars have received at least one vaccination dose.
“Vaccines offer the best protection for scholars and staff, and learning,” said Eva Moskowitz, founder and CEO. “Our kids are making great gains — academically, socially, and emotionally — and we intend to keep that momentum going.”
The network has consistently responded boldly and quickly to the challenges of COVID-19, from the earliest days of the pandemic:
- Soon after vaccines were available, in January of this year, SA informed all teachers and staff that vaccinations would be a requirement for the 2021-22 school year; except for a small number of religious and medical exemptions, all staff were vaccinated by mid-July when they began returning to campus.
- Starting in October, the Network required vaccinations for age 12+ scholars to participate in clubs or sports teams, including chess, debate, choir, soccer, basketball, performing and visual arts, and school-specific clubs, as well as external enrichment programming. In November, SA required vaccination for high school scholars.
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ABOUT SUCCESS ACADEMY
Founded in 2006, Success Academy Charter Schools are free public K-12 schools open to all children in the state through a random lottery. With 47 schools across Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens, Success Academy enrolls 20,000 students, primarily children of color from low-income households in disadvantaged neighborhoods: 74% receive free or reduced-price lunch, 94% are students of color, 16% have disabilities, and 8% are English language learners. In 2021, 100% of SA’s fourth and largest class of 129 graduating seniors were accepted to college; 71% received at least one offer from a college to meet full financial need; 75% of the class will be the first in their families to attend college.
For more information about Success Academy, go to successacademies.org.
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