WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. — Despite the recent controversy and concern in the Williamsville School District with the abrupt change in leadership, they also opened today for students in the hybrid program and some students in the remote learning model of instruction.
But some students and parents are anxiously waiting for the remote learning option to kick in for all grades.
Dr. John McKenna stepped up as the new acting Williamsville superintendent in place of Dr. Scott Martzloff who was placed on administrative leave Monday night.
Even so, the issue of remote learning for the more than 1,300 middle and high school students with parents who chose that option is very much unresolved with an apparent ongoing shortage of some teachers.
2 On Your Side asked McKenna last night how he might be able to make things work. He replied "I think one of the keys is communication. We'll be working to make sure proper communication happens."
Indeed, there was a meeting with unions representing teachers and other district staffers.
It's still not clear what, if anything, was resolved. And when we pressed McKenna for a potential timetable for the resumption of remote learning he would not go there.
He said "I don't wanna give a number on that right now and I'll tell you why...because I haven't had the chance, the opportunity to really sit down and talk with the principals and the teachers and the whole staff about how we can pull that off in a timely manner. And one of the things that I wanna make sure is when I come out with that information that it is the exact information and it is completely accurate."
In the meantime, some parents like Jim Sikorski are working with their children on their own for off line instruction for now. His ten year old son is a 6th grader at Casey Middle School. Sikorski told us "This morning we worked on some math and measuring and then there is some reading that he has."
Sikorski adds "Just trying to do something to keep him engaged. He knows what's going on and he is definitely concerned. He's only ten years old but he's concerned. That's for sure."