Thursday, October 1, 2026
Schools are closed, but education has not ceased. Rockville Centre public schools had been preparing for remote learning in the days leading up to the order by Nassau County Executive Laura Curran to close all Nassau County schools for two weeks, followed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s order to close schools across the state through April 1.
“We’re very well-prepared for our remote learning plans,” Rockville Centre Board of Education President Tara Hackett said.
The district expects to launch remote learning capabilities on Wednesday, which includes the use of Google Classroom for the upper grades and curriculum packets for the lower elementary students. Late last week, South Side High School Principal John Murphy said that teachers at the high school had been planning for the possibility of a school closure, and created more remote learning opportunities. Many class lessons will be posted on Google Classroom, including special education classes. All art, music and physical education activities will be posted on Google Classroom as well.
South Side Middle School teachers have also created Google Classroom lessons, and at the elementary schools, teachers have created curriculum packets for the lower grade levels; the fourth- and fifth-graders will have Google Classroom assignments that can be done via iPads.
The district also expected to have plans in place by Wednesday for distributing meals to students who qualify for free and reduced meals.
As all of the closures and bans on large gatherings come during budget season, the Board of Education meetings will shift to a virtual format. Starting Wednesday, the meetings will be Livestreamed as well as recorded, and residents will be able to email their questions to boe@rvcschools.org so they can participate remotely.
“This will be a really good way for us to share information,” Hackett said, “and I think people need to hear from us right now.”
Curran made the announcement Sunday morning as health and school officials look to contain the spread of the coronavirus, which has claimed the lives of 12 New Yorkers, and infected more than 1,370 people statewide.
