Teacher, parent ideas on the upcoming school year

One-size-fits-all won’t work as New York lays out a path forward for schools in the fall. We asked readers to share their thoughts about how the upcoming school year should be changed because of coronavirus concerns. Read the ideas shared below and add yours to the conversation here.

Some type of hybrid format, in which schools can create part in person part virtual instruction. This allows schools to create a socially distant environment while reducing populations in schools and individual classrooms. This is also an opportunity to create non traditional instructional pathways that allow students to have some say in some of the choices of study. I think this a great opportunity for us to create a richer educational experience. — Aden Smith, parent and teacher, Middle Island

Combo of in-person and on-line. Masks required. Limited capacity in schools. Not "in-school" every day. No extra-curricular activities yet. — Ed Plaia, parent, East Moriches

Five days a week with half the students in the morning, the other half in the afternoon. Masks required for all and PPE equipment, including face shields, gowns, etc. for teachers who are afraid they'll catch the virus; 6 ft. distancing in all rooms. — Irene Laheney, Port Washington

Younger students (K-5) should be in the classroom four days a week, spread out through all buildings in a district to ensure ample space between kids in any given classroom. Students with special needs should have as much in-person instruction as possible as well. Older students who don’t require hands-on parental supervision to navigate distance learning should learn remotely four days a week, with one live day to check in. All students — yes including kindergarteners — should be required to wear masks at all times, except lunch, with scheduled breaks. — Amy Keyes, parent, Patchogue

Concentrate on the core subjects of English, math, social studies and language. Skip gym, tech, art and other nice-to-have courses. With only four periods you could have a split day and avoid lunch with half the students in the morning and half in the afternoon. This would also avoid crowding on buses. — Gerry O'Brien, Ronkonkoma resident

100% online. My child is going into pre-K in the fall and I simply don’t see how it will be possible for this age group to adhere to social distancing rules. — Ginnette Fenty, parent, Freeport

Open all schools. All students go back to school and have a normal education. No social distancing, no masks. We have to get back to living life. Childcare should be back to normal operations and families can plan accordingly. —Thomas Puglia, parent, Jamesport

Put as many students as possible in classrooms using safety procedures to safeguard everyone. — Joseph Feleppa, Ronkonkoma resident

Kids with no medical issues should go back in school with masks on. Kids deemed high risk should do remote learning and call into their classes via Google or Zoom for live streaming of classes. — Melissa Schombs, parent, Huntington Station

Let the children get back to school. Some social distancing and face masks for the children who are in middle school and high school. Teachers need to of course wear face masks and of course use social distancing between the adults in school because that, according to the studies, is where the transmission will occur. It is unlikely for the children to spread COVID-19. It is much more likely to be spread between the adults. Also there should be no changing of rooms, keep the kids in rooms and change the teachers wherever possible. Have gym class outside weather-permitting. — Adrienne Connolly, parent, Roslyn

I believe that the fall 2020 semester should be tiered system. High school students should have most of their classes taught remotely. The remote classes would need to be much improved over those of last year. Teachers would be required to give real-time lectures each day. Middle school students could have a blend of in-person and remote classes. With most of the upper grades learning from home, space would be freed up for the younger grades. They need in-person teaching to learn effectively. The classes for the younger grades could be held at the high school, allowing for much smaller classes. They could utilize the buses not used for the upper grades, allowing for less children on each bus. — Lisa Przybylo, parent, Holbrook

100% remote because it’s too risky to be indoors in classrooms during a pandemic. The virus will spread and sickness and death will be inevitable. —Tracy Gleckler, teacher, Glen Cove

I would personally adopt a hybrid model of half in-school and the other half online. Only English Language Arts, social studies, science and math would be taught in school, perhaps double periods each day. Special area subjects would be taught through distance learning. The bus runs will have to be very different. Instead of a single run of 45 students, there would have to be two or three runs. Elementary schools will have to greatly stagger start times to accommodate the increased transportation time. Sports and clubs will have to wait until there is an effective vaccine. —Steve Freeman, teacher, Bellmore

Students should be scheduled for either morning or afternoon sessions of three hours each in order to facilitate smaller class sizes. All specials like art, music, physical education, can be done online at home. No meals should be served at school. —Steve Scarallo, Levittown resident

Many different approaches have been offered as we look to the opening of the 2020/2021 school year. While I believe the best education for K-12 students is the traditional one we have in place, that doesn’t seem possible with the virus still viable and no vaccine yet available. That being said, our most vulnerable in terms of education are our youngest K-5 students where the seeds are planted and must tenderly be sown. I have heard one approach where districts will open all the buildings to these students thus allowing the smaller class sizes and social distancing necessary. Grades 6-12  will continue with online learning. — Joyce Koestenblatt, teacher, Freeport

I think they should just begin the year with remote learning as authorities say we can expect another COVID-19 wave in the fall. —Denise Zani, parent, Lake Ronkonkoma