BUFFALO, N.Y. — As the upcoming school year quickly approaches, parents have many things to consider when it comes to how their children will learn.
Monday evening, the Buffalo Public School District held its first public meeting to address parent concerns. More than 1,000 people attended a Facebook Live broadcast with Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash and other BPS administration.
Many parent questions were addressed by the administration.
One person asked whether or not parents would be able to choose to continue remote learning exclusively, to which Cash responded, "That is an option we are posing to our parents at this time. So yes, it's one of three broad options."
Regarding class sizes, Superintendent Cash said it depends on how many students plan to return to school. Cash said parents will need to make a decision on whether or not their child is coming back to school within the next two weeks.
"Then we can know precisely what class sizes will look like for in person instruction," he said.
When asked about temperature checks and whether or not students would have their temperature checked upon arrival to school Cash said, "They have to have their temperature taken before they come to school, before they get on the bus."
Officials were also asked about what would happen when a student tests positive for COVID-19.
"What the school district does is contacts the Erie County Department of Health and supplies them with information of students and staff members who have been within six feet for ten minutes or more with the student or staff member who tested positive," said BPS Chief of Staff Dr. Darren Brown-Hall. "We provide that to the department of health and then they can begin their contact tracing and they are able to enforce quarantine measures for those who have been close to someone who tested positive."
According to Governor Andrew Cuomo, the Buffalo Public School District must hold five public meetings to discuss reopening with parents.