New Rochelle Schools, Union Agree To Vaccine Mandate

NEW ROCHELLE, NY —All City School District of New Rochelle employees must now be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or be subject to weekly tests.

The policy is effective at the start of the school year.

An agreement between the school district and the two unions representing teachers and staff was reached this week. The pact will allow for a comprehensive COVID-19 policy for all school district employees to be put in place ahead of students returning to classrooms.

“The safety of our students, faculty and staff continues to remain our District’s top priority,”Superintendent Jonathan Raymond said. “We want to be able to keep our students in school and this agreement adds an additional layer of safety to the District’s protocols and practices during this unprecedented pandemic. We are fortunate to have two committed partners in FUSE and A&S.”

The New Rochelle Federation of United School Employees (FUSE) and the Administrative and Supervisory Association (A&S), the union representing District administrators, agreed to new COVID-19 testing protocols for school district employees who have not submitted written proof of vaccination.

Unvaccinated employees will now be required to take a self-administered saliva test weekly and submit the sample to the school district. The specific type of test and frequency is subject to change, should the recommendations from public health officials change. The school system will be responsible for costs associated with the COVID-19 testing program.

All testing and vaccine records will be kept strictly confidential, according to the newly reached agreement.

As part of this joint agreement, the school district and unions agreed that any employee who does not comply with the policy within two days of a date designated by school administrators will be placed on an unpaid leave of absence until they either submit written proof of being fully vaccinated or comply with the mandatory testing requirements.