Freeport School District to reopen in September

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The Freeport School District would be allowed to reopen come September, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced this morning. He said he based his decision on low infection rates recorded in every region.

“Everywhere in the state, every region is below the threshold that we established,” he said during a conference call with reporters. “We’ve been successful because we’ve been smart and our school guidance is based on that … so if anyone can open schools we can open schools and that’s true for every region in the state.”

The State Education Department is leaving the specifics of how to reopen New York’s 749 school districts to the districts themselves. Districts are empowered to make decisions about what in-person learning will look like, how much remote learning will be offered and how to implement safety protocols.

According to the Freeport School District’s reopening plan, the district would not allow all students to return at once, as they would not be able to adhere to social distancing guidelines. 

Instead, the district is implementing a hybrid-instruction model, for which students would be split into two groups and attend in-person classes on alternating school days.   

Half the students would come to school on Mondays and Wednesdays, while the other half on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The district is also giving parents the ability to opt for remote learning, where students would take online classes with their peers. 

Freeport School District Superintendent Kishore Kuncham said that as of Aug. 7, 900 students in the district have selected the remote learning option. 

“We’re expecting to see more people sign up for it in the coming days, Kuncham said. “We’ve got a lot of things to do to make sure that both students and staff feel comfortable in going back to school.”

Jennifer Melendez, the Caroline G. Atkinson PTA president, said her children were adamant about not going to school in September. She and a majority of her friends chose the remote learning option for their children because they were not comfortable returning to school despite the district’s comprehensive plan. 

Melendez, who has sons going to Atkinson and Freeport High School, worried that there would be too many students going into the buildings at a time to make sure everyone is healthy and not spreading Covid-19. She added that her family would not be able to drop off both kids at their school on time, so she feels it is safer and easier to keep them at home. 

“It’s better to keep them safe,” Melendez said. “But I am worried about school events, activities. We haven’t heard how that’s going to work or what’ll happen to all the special events planned if half the kids aren’t going to school.” 

Danny Jordan, whose two kids will attend the New Visions and J.W. Dodd Middle School, said kids were just too unpredictable to keep them from following the necessary safety guidelines. 

“I can definitely see my daughter trading masks with her friends at school,” Jordan said. “Kids play around and don’t always pay attention, so I’m keeping them home to keep them safe.” 

Kuncham said the district would continue to prepare its remote-learning platforms ahead of reopening.      

During the pandemic, the district had given out chromebooks to students in grades five through 12, and in the past couple of weeks, the district has handed out chromebooks to students in grades K through four to make sure that all students are able to take part in distance learning. 

During the news conference, Cuomo emphasized that the communication between school districts and their communities is essential to address concerns of families and teachers. He said he is requiring school districts to post their specific plans on their websites for public review by the end of next week. Specifically, he said these plans must fully detail three “highly questioned” areas: remote learning options, protocols for testing of students and staff and contact tracing plans in a situation where a student or staff member tests positive for Covid-19.

Cuomo is requesting that school districts have ample discussions with parents and staff. “Districts have to communicate with parents,” he said. “Parents need an opportunity to be heard and schools should welcome the opportunity to explain their plans.” He said districts should plan to hold “at least three sessions to give everyone the opportunity to participate between now and Aug. 21.”

“The more communication the better,” Cuomo said, adding that he is also “asking districts to set up at least one discussion with teachers.”

Masks will be mandated and every student will be required to have one with them at all times.