The city’s public school system is considering a gradual start to the next school year and holding classes remotely as the city subsides from its coronavirus crisis.
These steps are among a number of safety strategies Chancellor Richard Carranza said were considering in a Tuesday letter to Department of Education staff obtained by The Post.
“Because we cannot predict what September will look like, we can – and we must – prepare for various possibilities,” Carranza wrote. “Our job is to be ready and agile.”
Among those possibilities is what Carranza calls “blended learning,” in which schools enter classes directly and securely.
While Carranza added that DOE “works wholeheartedly towards the start date in September,” it also explored situations where staff and students could start school at different times, with some children perhaps starting their school day in the morning or evening.
If social distance regulations still exist, schools must “think creatively” about scheduling to limit capacity.
“We see so far that other countries have modified schedules, and / or started groups of students directly at different times,” Carranza wrote.
“This year for us, the time of return to the building, and under what circumstances the building may be closed or have limited access, will be determined in close coordination with NYC Health and based on health and safety indicators.”
Whatever the scenario applied, Carranza stressed the need for “improved health measures” for faculty and students, including schools equipped with adequate personal protective equipment and monitoring of strong health indicators to ensure students and staff do not appear in sick schools.
“We will engage with families, parent leaders, community partners, students and staff in the coming weeks to learn more about what they want to see reflected in the reopening plan,” Carranza wrote, adding that DOE had considered options since the door The school is closed in March.
DOE did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
