Decision on school re-opening due in early August

Posted 7/8/20

While parents may soon be making back to school plans, it will be a few more weeks before they know of their children will be returning to rthe classrooms when the new school year begins.

Gov. …

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Decision on school re-opening due in early August

Posted

While parents may soon be making back to school plans, it will be a few more weeks before they know of their children will be returning to rthe classrooms when the new school year begins.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in his Wednesday briefing, said the final decision on school reopening will be announced in the first week of August. 

" I understand many people are anxiously awaiting a decision on school reopening," Cuomo said. "New York has 700 school districts statewide that range from rural to urban to suburban districts and we have been spending the past weeks and months in dicussion with all stakeholders on what September looks like. As in every other decision on reopening, our first responsibility is health and safety. All schools are required to submit a reopening plan by the end of July."

New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta released the following statement today regarding the reopening of New York’s schools:

“Health and safety of students, families, educators and other school staff, and equitable access to a high-quality education must be the top priorities in reopening schools. The federal government’s demands that schools reopen without concern for health, safety and equity are simply out of touch. Thankfully here in New York, we know the governor, the Regents and fellow education stakeholders are taking this seriously. Our work with them continues, and while the intricate details of reopening may be complex and differ from school district to school district, there are simple points we believe must be addressed:

- School districts must have personal protective equipment available for every student and staff member to use as appropriate.

- Cleaning and disinfecting protocols must be in place, pursuant to the recommendations of relevant health experts.

- Six feet of social distancing must be required inside school buildings.

- Accommodations must be available for students and staff who are at higher risk for contracting this illness to ensure they can limit their exposure.

- School districts must ensure they have adequate mental health services to address the psychological impacts of this pandemic on students.

- There must be equitable access to a well-rounded education for every student, regardless of what reopening looks like. That means core academic subjects, arts, music, social services and other school services, and the technology to access those things remotely as necessary must be available no matter a student’s ZIP code.

"We all want schools to open, but we must ensure that it is safe," Cuomo said. "I wouldn't ask anyone to put their child in a situation that I would not put my child in. Like every decision we make, we will decide based on data and facts."

SUNY Orange, meanwhile, released a plan for the upcoming semester in which on-campus instruction will account for approximately 15 percent of the college's total curriculum. The semester will open on Monday, Aug. 24, as originally scheduled, and final exams will conclude on Saturday, Dec. 12, but there will be no on-campus curriculum after the Thnksgiving recess, as a precaution against a possible second wave of COVID-19.