Schools Are Dismissed!

To quote Alice Cooper:

“No more pencils; No more books, no more teacher’s dirty looks…”

Yes, schools are out for this academic year the Governor declared.  Both public and private schools (including colleges) are dismissed.  However, distance learning continues.

That is the law of the state at least until this summer which the Governor indicated will be decided later.

The decision affects all of New York’s public and private colleges as well as universities.  It also means school is out for s 700 public school districts with more than 2.59 million students and  1,800 private schools.

Cuomo said there will be a decision by the end of May on whether summer school will be permitted.

Even though schools will be closed, they must continue to offer meal services and child care for essential workers. Those policies are a continuation of measures in place since schools were closed in March.

Looking ahead to the fall and the 2020-21 academic year, schools must develop plans that are approved by the state before they reopen. The plans, according to Cuomo, must include how schools will monitor the spread of COVID-19 and how to ensure student safety.

Extracurricular activities will also be part of the plans. Before Cuomo’s announcement, the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, which oversees high school sports in the state, canceled the spring state championships. The pandemic led to the cancellation of the winter sports championships that were scheduled for March.

Colleges and universities must develop reopening plans, too. The plans will cover student housing, meals and gatherings.