Gov. Cuomo makes executive decision: New York schools closed for the remainder of the academic year

NEW YORK STATE — Shortly after the coronavirus pandemic hit New York hard back in March, Governor Andrew Cuomo prioritized the health and safety of students and staff by temporarily closing schools. Despite having more questions than answers about the future, administrators, faculty and teachers alike remained cautiously optimistic and worked to keep students and their families in the loop, posting the latest information on their district websites, providing distance-learning instruction and offering free meal deliveries/pick-ups for students who rely on them. After waiting anxiously to learn of their fate, school districts around the state received their answer on Friday, May 1, when Cuomo announced that schools would be closed for the remainder of the academic year.

“There will be no opening of any school for the remainder of the school year,” Cuomo said at a press conference.

Addressing the press’s questions about whether the state would consider re-opening schools with the same regional approach as businesses, Cuomo said it would be “virtually impossible” to keep classrooms running while adhering to the social distancing guidelines.

“Look at this room,” he said, noting everyone was spread 6 feet apart from one another. “How many schools can you run like this… We have to err on the side of caution now.”

Though he acknowledged the burden the closure would place on school personnel and that money will be tight as a result, Cuomo also pointed out that the end of the 2019-20 school year is in a few weeks anyway and that the big question at hand is whether school districts will be ready to open in September. As for summer school and other related programs, school district administrators can expect an answer later this month. 

The majority of local school superintendents said they weren’t surprised by Cuomo’s decision.

“I was cautiously optimistic that there would be an opportunity to be able to finish the school year in a normal fashion or a semi-normal fashion,” Webutuck Superintendent of Schools Raymond Castellani admitted. “I was disappointed for our students, for our faculty, for our staff, because you don’t realize how much you love being in school, being with your staff and being with your students, until you’re not able to do so, and we’re looking forward to that.”

As far as how the closure might impact funding or whether it might lead to job losses, Castellani replied that Webutuck’s concern are focused on the 2020-21 school year and whether there will be a reduction in the state aid. He said without additional funding from the state and voter approval of Webutuck’s proposed budget, there will be a reduction in programs, which could lead to a reduction in the district’s workforce. However, Castellani did recognize Cuomo’s efforts to balance the state budget, given how New York’s economy has been faring during COVID-19.

The state has lost more than $13 billion due to revenue shortfalls since the pandemic hit. The governor has said he may have to cut state education aid 20% – possibly even as high as 50%.

Castellani reported that the North East (Webutuck) Central School District will continue its distance learning program through the end of the school year. He shared his satisfaction with the work teachers and students have been doing at this difficult time.

“It’s a different perspective for students and teachers,” said Jenna Garofalo, an English Language Arts teacher at Eugene Brooks Intermediate School and Webutuck High School, “and it really worked nicely that we did the one-to-one iPad initiative, so students are truly utilizing the technology the district has offered.”

As much as she missed the classroom routines and seeing her students face-to-face, Garofalo noted there are benefits to meeting with her students digitally, adding that sometimes they open up more through virtual communication. And while many students have kept in close contact and turned in their work, others haven’t be in touch as often. Nevertheless, she said she understands some students are struggling and wants to be sensitive to their individual circumstances while making sure they’re doing their schoolwork.

As far as whether she has any concerns about students cheating on their assignments — especially now that they’re far from the watchful eye of their teachers — Garofalo said, “I can only speak for myself on that and I haven’t seen that. I’ve given them a lot of work on creative writing and quizzes, and I have not seen it thus far.”

Garofalo commended the weekly Zoom calls between administrators and teachers that are being used to addressed different areas of instruction and to stay up to date on district news.

One of the big issues at Webutuck right now, Castellani said, is the school district’s end-of-the-year activities for students, such as the high school graduation ceremony and the moving up ceremony for the district’s eighth-graders. At this time, he said the district is working as an administrative team to host those events, adding that they are working on hosting a virtual graduation ceremony. The district is also working on a plan for the Extended Year Program for students with disabilities and is waiting for guidance from Cuomo on how to make the program possible during the pandemic.

Like his Webutuck counterpart, Pine Plains Superintendent of Schools Martin Handler remarked that the Pine Plains district was expecting schools to stay closed, adding he wished Cuomo had told them sooner.

“I agree with the decision,” Handler said, “and it was the right thing to do because there was no way at this time with this pandemic that we could open schools and protect the kids and staff.”

Handler reported the closure shouldn’t have any specific impact on his district. While he isn’t anticipating any job losses or gains, he remarked there may be some employees who decide that they don’t want to return to work, though he said he hasn’t heard that yet. As for finances, Handler said the Pine Plains Board of Education adopted the 2020-21 budget on Tuesday, April 28, making note of the 1.81% budget increase and 2.43% tax levy. With the budget set for next year, the big question now focuses on whether the Pine Plains district will have enough money for 2020-21, since it’s unclear as to whether schools will re-open in September.

And while Pine Plains won’t be able to host its end-of-the-year programs due to the closure, the district has plans to organize the events on a virtual platform. Handler said the district is going to hold its Awards Dinner and give out the awards and scholarships virtually, and record a video of that and post it online so that everyone can see the students who were awarded the honors. As for graduation, Handler said the district will have a formal gradation ceremony — whether the ceremony is held in August or October — a ceremony will be organized once restrictions are lifted. Once the date for what would have been the Pine Plains Class of 2020’s graduation day comes around on Saturday, June 27, Handler said the district will do something to celebrate its graduating seniors.

With regards to what will happen in the fall, Handler said what happens next will depend on a variety of circumstances.

“We’re going to rely heavily on the Department of Health to tell us what we can and can’t do,” he said. “We’re not bringing the kids back into the building unless we are sure their health and safety are protected.”

Though the administrators at the Millbrook Central School District did not reply to multiple attempts for comment before presstime, a notice about Cuomo’s announcement was posted on the district website to inform Millbrook students and their families of the update.

And in a statement released to the public hours after the governor spoke, New York State School Boards Association Executive Director Robert Schneider commended Cuomo’s decision to keep schools closed for the remainder of the school year.

“No doubt everyone — school board members, administrators, teachers, students — are anxious to return to school and some semblance of normalcy,” Schneider stated. “But there is nothing normal about the times we live in.”