BY JASON COHEN
As September looms closer,
school leaders and politicians
from the Bronx continued their
conversation about how going
back to school would look for
the borough.
On Aug. 13, Senator Luis Sepulveda
and Assemblywoman
Karines Reyes chatted with
Bronx Executive Superintendent
Meisha Ross Porter about the
city’s plans for the 2020 school
year. They discussed cleaning,
testing and quarantining among
other issues.
“This is a partnership,” Ross
Porter said. “This is not about
how one person is approaching
this. I am also a parent who has
a child in the public school so I
understand the worries.”
She stressed that as a city
there must be a plan but people
also must be mindful that the students
and staff health and safety
comes fi rst. According to Ross
Porter, the DOE’s number one concern
is the nurses and cleaning
the buildings.
In fact, on Thursday the
city announced 400 new nurses
will be hired for New York
City schools.
“The DOE is working hard to
make sure there’s a nurse in every
school,” she explained.
All of the superintendents
will be meeting so by the
time school begins on Sept.
10, everyone will be on the
same page.
While the city handed out
more than 300,000 devices and
schools distributed some as well,
it is imperative to make sure every
child has a laptop and Wi-Fi,
Ross Porter said.
“The places we need to partner
collectively as a borough
is around Wi-Fi access,” she
explained. “This moment for
us is how we leverage technology.
Whatever the students
need to learn they’re going
to have.”
She said that schools held
town halls where parents were
given input on hybrid and remote
learning. If they choose to
Bronx Executive Superintendent Meisha Ross Porter speaks about back to school. Screenshot
be in school, desks will be six
feet apart, everyone will have
their temperature taken before
they come in, the kids will
be in one classroom all day and
if there is a positive test in one
class, that class will be quarantined.
But if there are positives
in multiples classes, the school
will likely close.
Furthermore, as many schools
are old and outdated, they will
need to make sure the HVAC
systems are working properly
and every building will be deep
cleaned a few times a week. Also,
some rooms cannot be used as
classrooms, as they are not large
enough for social distancing.
“We understand we are operating
in a certain time,”
she said.
Ross Porter stressed that normally
students are encouraged
to attend school but during the
pandemic if anyone feels sick,
they should stay home.
Regarding teachers,
all staff will be given PPE
and hand sanitizer and if
they want, partitions and
face masks.
“Our teachers are coming
back because we really care
about our students,” she said.
“It’s a heavy lift, but it’s our responsibility.
It’s our job to get everyone
prepared and ready for
the opening.”
BX pols, school leaders
talk back to school plan
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