What to Know
- New York City principals will have a direct line to request from the city immediate PPE supplies before and during the school year, Mayor Bill de Blasio said, adding that it is one of the latest measures to ensure safety when students and staff partially return to school this upcoming fall.
- The PPE hotline for principals is the latest safety measure the city has taken. Last Thursday, the mayor announced that every New York City public school building will have a certified nurse in the building this fall.
- The news of the New York City hotline and the unannounced spot checks comes on the same day that the Department of Education of Newark, New Jersey's largest city, announced that schools will remain remote for instruction for staff and students until, at least, the end of the first marking period
New York City principals will have a direct line to request from the city immediate PPE supplies before and during the school year, Mayor Bill de Blasio said, adding that it is one of the latest measures to ensure safety when students and staff partially return to school this upcoming fall.
"This is about being ready. It’s about moving past fear to resiliency. Getting ready to have a school year where our kids get served in a safe way and putting in place the precautions needed," de Blasio said.
The city is aiming for a hybrid reopening Sept. 10, with most of the 1.1 million students spending two or three days a week in physical classrooms and learning remotely the rest of the time. Parents were given the option of requesting full-time remote learning for their children.
According to the mayor, the city will send supplies in bulk before school begins "and then constantly resupply as needed."
"This is about anything a school could need, whether it be hand sanitizer, wipes or soap, you name it. Face shields, surgical masks – whatever our educators need, whatever our staff needs, whatever our kids need, we are going to make sure it’s there," he said.
News
The hotline for principals will be up and running at some point this week, although principals will receive information at some point Monday.
"Any principal can call with any requests and there will be action right away to get it to them. Everything our educators need, of course, it will be provided for free. Their health and safety is crucial here," de Blasio said.
According to the city, Richard Carranza, the New York City Schools Chancellor, will also perform unannounced spot inspections of schools to make sure everything is in place before and during the school year.
"We’re going to have ongoing monitoring by a number of our education officials, unannounced safety checks to make sure things are right for the whole school community," de Blasio said.
Additionally, parents of children attending New York City Public Schools could receive their fall schedules as soon as Monday -- meaning students will find out what days of the week they will be in school for in-person instruction and what days they will be learning remotely. The city's DOE announced last week that it approved hybrid learning schedules for roughly 1,200 schools.
The PPE hotline for principals is the latest safety measure the city has taken. Last Thursday, the mayor announced that every New York City public school building will have a certified nurse in the building this fall.
De Blasio said the availability of nurses had been a top concern of both teachers and parents.
On Monday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said it is imperative that school districts listen to the concerns of parents and staff and engage them when it comes to information pertaining to school plans for the upcoming fall.
He reminded school districts across the state that they must conduct three to five public sessions with both parents and teachers by Aug. 21. Cuomo said that he personally would "not make a decision on a school district saying a 'blended program.' I don't know what that means, I have questions."
One question that some parents have for the city is why aren't COVID tests required for teachers expected to return to classrooms in three weeks.
"Discussions have led to a simple model that it is available for all educators and all staff for free, and we are strongly encouraging them all to take that up," de Blasio said.
The news of the New York City hotline and the unannounced spot checks comes on the same day that the Department of Education of Newark, New Jersey's largest city, announced that schools will remain remote for instruction for staff and students until the end of the first marking period, around mid-November, when the NBOE Reopening Task Force will once again reassess.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced last week, noting local control of schools districts, he is allowing schools to open in-person, virtually or a combination of both this school year as the spread of COVID-19 continues.
Murphy announced an executive order for pre-K through grade 12 schools and universities to officially reopen for the upcoming academic year if they desire and if they meet social distancing and other health and safety standards, including social distancing. However, students who choose remote learning "must be accommodated."
