As schools across the country make plans to restart classes this fall, Monroe College is offering a hybrid learning plan and will bring back about 20% of its students.
After closing its doors on both campuses in the Bronx and New Rochelle in mid-March due to the pandemic and taking its classes virtual, Monroe College is preparing to welcome some students back into the classroom.
"We're really mostly offering a limited in-person for the classes that don't do well online," says Marc Jerome, president of Monroe College,
Monroe College will offer some in-person learning for nursing and culinary classes, as well as some other subjects like math that are more difficult to teach virtually. The students still have the choice to attend in-person or online.
"Classes are going to be smaller 10 students in each room," says Jerome.
Desks have been spread out and students will have assigned seats in class after going through safety protocol and answering a daily coronavirus questionnaire when they enter the building.
"We're taking everybody's temperature when they come in. Masks are required for everyone throughout the school even in class," says Alan Mechanic, director of facilities at Monroe College.
Throughout the pandemic, the school's president gave all students his cellphone number to contact him at any time with any issues, especially since they were located in two national COVID-19 hotbeds of New Rochelle and the Bronx. School officials say they feel prepared to continue learning this fall.
President Jerome said if they have any issues or if there's a public health outbreak they are prepared to transfer all learning online once again.