BUFFALO, N.Y. — After Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave his conditional approval for classes to resume in September, now it's up to school district leaders to make teachers, parents and children comfortable with reopening plans.
That is no easy task as they also have to factor in the unpredictability that comes with the pandemic.
Hamburg Schools Superintendent MIchael Cornell says to him "the most important thing, we're thrilled to have kids back in school."
Cornell, who also leads the Erie-Niagara Superintendents Association, says most other area districts such as Hamburg seem to be on track for a September 10 hybrid start model, blending in limited days of classroom instruction in rotation with online education for the other days.
But as the governor requested, there is plenty of work to begin with first. That includes outlining testing protocols, contact tracing programs, and remote learning details for parents. The first two may be firmed up with local health departments.
As for remote learning, Cornell says, "Districts across Western New York rightly did an assessment of work they did remotely for students in the spring and did an awful lot of work over the course of the summer to optimize those plans."
There is another planned move in Niagara Falls schools to raise the comfort level for a return after an interrupted school year and uncertain summer.
Superintendent Mark Laurrie said: "The last week of August we're gonna offer transition back to school or open house opportunities for parents and students to come n and take a look at what we've planned and what we've done. Then we're gonna do four days of teacher training on a plethora of things."
Laurrie hopes that will help ease students and their concerned parents back into the regular routine of classes, even if it starts out in a very different way with a staggered schedule.
And back to the subject of flexibility: Cornell points out that if circumstances change with resurgence of COVID and require more remote learning they are prepared to make sure there is digital equity.
"We purchased 850 Chromebooks to make sure if we go to a fully remote model. We wanna make sure that none of our students falls behind for lack of a device," Cornell said.
As Laurrie sums it up: "I feel this was a good turning point day. There's a lot to do but now we've got our plans ready to be set in motion."
