The New Normal: What should this school year look like?

News 12's Elizabeth Hashagen was joined this morning by Dr. Joseph Ricca, the White Plains Public Schools superintendent, and Dr. Robert Zywicki, the superintendent of the Mount Olive Township School District, to discuss how schools are preparing for the new year.

News 12 Staff

Aug 9, 2021, 1:55 PM

Updated 1,214 days ago

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News 12's Elizabeth Hashagen was joined this morning by Dr. Joseph Ricca, the White Plains Public Schools superintendent, and Dr. Robert Zywicki, the superintendent of the Mount Olive Township School District, to discuss how schools are preparing for the new year.
How has the back-to-school plan evolved over the summer, and what has the process been like?
What should this year look like? We asked parents on Twitter about what kind of plan they hope their school district will implement.
How do you make these plans when there are so many opinions?
The U.S. Department of Education released a "Return to School Roadmap" for communities to safely reenter the classroom. What are the new guidelines to keep students and staff safe at school?
The plan focuses on three goals:
1- Accelerate academic achievement.
2- Support students' social, emotional and mental health.
3- Prioritize the health and safety of the entire school community – with a big vaccination push for staff and qualified students.
The education commissioner also calls for the hiring of additional school personnel, such as nurses and custodial staff, to help keep schools healthy and safe. Is this roadmap helpful?