Lawrence returns to in-person only instruction

Making official what has been known and now mandated by the new governor, Lawrence School District Superintendent Dr. Ann Pedersen said that when the school doors opened on Thursday, students, teachers and staff will be wearing masks.

“We will be returning to in-person instruction and it’s the only instructional model being offered there is no hybrid or remote, there is in-person learning … and our students will be wearing masks, our teachers and staff are going to be wearing masks,” Pedersen said at Monday’s Board of Education in the Lawrence High School cafeteria, where all the attendees were wearing masks.

“But we anticipate smiles underneath those masks and we know that getting back to some of the routines … is really a very important thing, so all systems are go and we are ready to move in to the new school year with much anticipation and much delight to have all the learners back,” she added.

With the understanding that the coronavirus pandemic continues, that the Delta variant of Covid remains an issue and children younger than 12 cannot be vaccinated yet, no one knows what will happen. “In regards to what the school year will look like, there is always uncertainty with any school year and in the times of Covid it will certainly mean more uncertainty,” Pedersen said.

Trustee Michael Hatten asked about how the masking decision came about. Pedersen noted that before Gov. Kathy Hochul announced her universal mask mandate for schools, the district made parents aware that masks would be worn. “All indications are that it is the safest way,” Pedersen said.

Trustee Tova Plaut, who is also involved in running a school, said she is appreciative of what was done. “I just want to compliment you, Dr. Pedersen, because I know how much work went into formulating all those plans,” Plaut said.

Before school reopens on Sept. 2, district teachers had two days of training that Pedersen said focused on the work of teaching to the whole child. The training addressed the social, emotional and academic needs of the learners.

In business matters, the board set the tax levy – the amount of money collected from property taxes – at $89,066,050. Brett Kornblum, the assistant principal at Lawrence Middle School, is the district’s new director of health, physical education and athletics.

There is a 30-day comment period on the Preliminary Smart Schools Investment for use of the remaining money given to the district. The comment period ends on Sept. 29. Comments can be sent to jfeder@lawrence.k12.y.us.

Celebrating staff
Stephanie Bezalel, a school psychologist at the Lawrence Primary School at the Number Two School, Susan Hurwitz, a teacher at Lawrence Elementary School and Jessica McComsey, a math teacher at the high school were recognized for earning tenure.
Christine Moore, the district’s director of Special Education who also served as the principal of the Lawrence Primary School at the Number Two School and a teacher, art teacher Christine O’Malley, music teacher Ronaldo Whittaker and reading teacher Melissa Sherman were acknowledged as they have retired.