Will my school be open Wednesday? What to know about Long Island closures
First Student buses in Bellport were grounded Monday as roads were designated for essential workers only. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
Most Long Island public schools will open on schedule or on a two-hour delay Wednesday, with a few opting for remote instruction after the massive blizzard shut down schools for two days this week.
Marie Testa, president of the Nassau County Council of School Superintendents and superintendent of North Bellmore schools, said the majority of Nassau districts will open with a regular schedule.
“It's really a concerted, collaborative effort that allows us to be able to open school tomorrow,” she said, thanking the crews who worked overnight and extended hours to make it safe for schools to reopen.
Many districts in Suffolk County also will open on a regular schedule, including Babylon and South Huntington.
“I'm ready to go back. It's been a long stretch since we haven't seen the students,” Babylon Superintendent Carisa Manza said. “Definitely ready to get back to … what it is that we do — teaching and learning.”
The Middle Country district will start with a two-hour delay. Superintendent Roberta Gerold said the conditions on side roads in the community were faring worse than she anticipated.
Others that also will open with a two-hour delay include Sachem, Longwood and Riverhead schools.
A few others, including Brentwood, East Hampton and Amagansett, announced students will learn virtually, citing unsafe road conditions.
In a letter to families Tuesday, Brentwood schools Superintendent Wanda Ortiz-Rivera said school officials are concerned about students who walk to school as sidewalks and neighborhood pathways remain difficult to navigate. Her letter also noted high snow accumulation was pushed to the sides of streets and at bus stops, making it difficult for students and buses to travel.
“This decision was not made lightly,” she wrote of going remote. “We know how important in-person learning is for our children, and we remain hopeful that we will resume in-person instruction on Thursday.”
Remote instruction is generally unpopular as many educators view it as less effective than in-person learning. It also complicates the lives of families where parents must juggle their children's care and supervision with work.
On Tuesday, some districts had to switch to the virtual format to meet a mandated 180-day instruction minimum, despite challenges with power outages and students' ability to access their devices. Long Island students were on winter break last week and some may not have had their devices at home.
'Be safe'
School officials cautioned families to allow extra time Wednesday morning in case of delays due to road conditions.
“Understandably, there might be some snowbanks as you're traversing throughout the village and near the schools,” said Manza of the Babylon district. “Be patient. Be safe.”
In a letter to families Tuesday, Levittown’s deputy superintendent, Beth Zirogiannis, alerted students that there would be reduced parking spaces in the school lots due to snow mounds and said schools will offer flexibility for Wednesday's arrival.
“We understand that winter weather can create circumstances beyond anyone’s control,” she wrote. “Please know that our schools will be flexible tomorrow with regard to lateness as everyone works safely through these conditions.”
Dandan Zou covers education for Newsday. Previously, she worked for a community newspaper in Maryland and a personal finance magazine in Washington, D.C.
