The first day of school in September is only two short months away—and Mayor de Blasio just made a major announcement about what that new reality will look like.
He first shared that, according to a survey by the NYC Department of Education (DOE), 75% of families in NYC want to send their children back to school in the fall.
“Our job is to make it safe and make it work for every family,” he said.
That includes a first for NYC schools: a mix of both in-school and at-home learning so the city can make more space in every classroom and building. That means most children will only go into the physical school about two days per week.
Currently, there are 1.1 millions students who attend public schools in NYC.
We are planning to reopen @NYCSchools this fall while putting health and safety FIRST.
75% of families want to send their kids back to school in the fall. Our job is to make it safe and make it work for every family.
We won’t let you down.
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) July 8, 2020
“Make no mistake: New York City students will still be learning 5 days a week,” the NYC DOE website reads. “A major difference is that we are preparing to deliver their education through a blended learning model. Blended learning means students will be taught on-site in school for part of the week, and will attend school remotely on the other days of the week. We are ready for this: adapting and strengthening our practices; investing in the technology required to provide a quality online academic experience.”
Also, children are not mandated to go in at all—families can request all-remote learning, for any reason.
The first focus of course is health & safety, and school buildings will follow CDC recommendations. This includes requiring six feet of distance at all times, face coverings where “developmentally appropriate while inside buildings,” and additional hand washing and sanitizer. Lunch will be in classrooms or require assigned seating, and buildings will have “Isolation Rooms” if someone falls ill. Each building will also be deep-cleaned with electrostatic sprayers every single night.
It’s shaping up to be quite a different school year for NYC students; you can also click here for more of the new plan details that have been revealed thus far.
See also: Here’s What You Need To Know About NYC’s Phase 4 Reopening
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