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"This was not an easy decision to make, but please know that it was made with the best interest of all of our students, teachers, staff and parents in mind," wrote Superintendent Eric J. Rosser in a letter to district parents.
"Additional factors that informed this decision include a great need to guarantee that the safety and health of students and staff will be protected while high-quality instruction is being provided in school and needing additional time to address this need under the school reopening requirements of the New York State Department of Health and the New York State Education Department."
Before school starts on Sept. 10, the district will distribute Chromebook laptops to each student that does not already have access to one, along with musical instruments and other instructional supplies.
The school district will also facilitate reliable internet access for families who do not already have connectivity. Parents and students, according to the Superintendent's letter, will be given "multiple opportunities to better understand how to navigate the online instructional experience."
The district is taking multiple approaches to the statewide problem of online class attendance.
The district will hire additional caseworkers to follow up with students who are not logging in to their classes.
Thirteen locations, said the letter, will be established to provide free breakfasts and lunches to underprivileged students in the district.
While they are teaching and planning their online lessons, the district plans to engage administrators and teachers in "professional development," and will prepare them to implement new state protocols for the schools' eventual reopenings.
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