Remote Learning to Continue Through June 17
UPDATE May 20: The last day of remote learning is June 17, 2020
In Governor Cuomo’s press conference today, May 1, 2020, he announced that all New York state schools must continue to offer remote classes and distance learning through the remainder of the academic year to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Cuomo said his decision to continue remote learning is based on the challenges of making schools safe for students, teachers and employees. Districts throughout the state will also continue to provide meals for students and offer daycare help to essential workers for the remainder of the school year. (The official executive order is yet to come.)
Additionally, NYSPHSAA announced that the spring interscholastic season has been cancelled.
Cuomo said that by the end of May he’ll be able to provide school leaders with a clearer picture of how and when they can hold summer school.
“We were hoping today’s directive was going to be different and that we were going to see everyone in person before the year ended,” says Superintendent Dr. Patrick McGrath. “Given the circumstances though, our students and staff have been doing an amazing job teaching and learning remotely. We know it doesn’t replace the importance of the physical classroom experience, but we have worked hard to keep nearly everyone connected and succeeding.
McGrath adds: “This is a challenging situation and we appreciate your patience and everything you’ve been doing to support your child and the schools. We too are disappointed that many year-end events are cancelled and are working with staff now to find alternative ways to celebrate our students’ successes and accomplishments. We continue to hope that we will find ways to celebrate some of the major events for our seniors. That has not changed. We will monitor the NYS guidelines and regulations regarding gathering, and keep our options open as much as possible.”
Teachers & Students Stay Connected
Although students are not physically returning to school, remote learning will continue as it has been since March. It is important that students stay connected and complete their course work. We ask that students continue to check in every weekday with their teachers via Google Classrooms (if applicable) and email, as well as visit the Remote Learning Launch Page on our website. As we move toward the end of the school year, teachers will be making decisions on whether or not students have satisfied the basic requirements for course credit and/or acquired the skills necessary for success at the next level. Please contact your child’s teacher and/or principal immediately if you feel your child is not meeting these benchmarks and is in jeopardy of not successfully completing a class.
June & August Regents Exams Cancelled
Early this week, the State Education Department also announced that the August 2020 Regents exams have been cancelled. Parents should check their email in the coming days for communication from their children’s school principal regarding end-of-year grading and report cards.
Picking Up Personal Items
Plans are also currently being made to arrange for students to return to school to pick up their personal belongings in their desks, lockers, and cubbies. Please wait for guidance from your child’s school before going to the building so that we can adhere to social distancing protocols. Also, per the Governor’s executive orders, please wear a face mask upon entering the school.
Reopening Task Force
Cuomo also announced school districts must develop plans for reopening to in-person learning. BH-BL school leaders had already organized a Reopening Task Force made up of administrators, department heads, and staff, to begin discussing what guidelines and regulations will need to be met to safely reopen school for the 2020-21 school year. This includes how to properly adhere to social distancing guidelines, proper disinfecting and cleaning protocols, etc. The Task Force will begin meeting next week and will incorporate guidance from state and local health departments in the plans. More information will be available at a later date.
UPDATED APRIL 16, 2020
NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today he has extended remote learning through May 15 in the continued response to the spread of COVID-19. Please continue to check your email daily for updates and guidance from your child’s teachers and school principal. Student meals and childcare services will also continue through May 15.
During the continued remote learning period, students should go to the district’s website every weekday to access the Remote Learning Launch Pages and Google Classroom for school work instructions, Google Meets, and other remote learning strategies teachers are utilizing to stay connected to students and provide instruction.
Please know that we are here for you and your children during this trying times. Please do not hesitate to reach out. Additionally, if your children are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals but did not signed up at the beginning of the pandemic, they can begin to receive meals at any time. Please contact Dacey Bonney at dbonney@bhbl.org to learn more or to sign up.
Other COVID-19-Related News
- School grounds remain closed to the public as we do our part to adhere to the social distancing protocols in place. Our campuses and fields will continue to be monitored by security.
- The 2020-21 School Budget & Board Election date (previously scheduled for May 19) has officially been pushed to a date to be determined in June 2020. Once a date has been set, we will inform the community.-
- To reach the district, please call the main line, 518-399-9141 to leave a voicemail message. We are checking messages weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Please check our Frequently Asked Questions section on our webpage for more information about changes at the school due to COVID-19.
Remote Learning Extended Through April 29, June Regents Cancelled
In his daily press conference on Monday, April 6, NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that he has extended remote learning through April 29 in the continued response to the spread of COVID-19. BH-BL and other NYS school districts are adhering to the Governor’s executive order regarding the extension of remote learning. Student meals and childcare services will also continue through April 29. Please refer to the district’s website for the Remote Learning Launch Pages and the recently shared Remote Learning Guidelines. Also, a reminder that we’ve recently launched a new Remote Learning Support Portal where questions can be submitted and reviewed, best practices are shared, and IT support is available.
At today’s Board of Regents meeting, Chancellor Rosa announced that the June Regents exams are cancelled. [Additional Guidance]
We realize this is a challenging time for students and families, alike. We want to remind you again that we are here for you. Students should not hesitate to reach out to teachers, their school principal or their counselors. To further encourage school connectedness, we ask that students continue to check their school email or Google Classrooms daily and, if applicable, attend any Google Meets set up by their teachers. Students should not hesitate to email their teachers if they have questions about remote instruction, either. These are certainly unprecedented times for all of us, but we will get through this together.
We have a variety of community resources available for students and families listed on our website as well.
Other COVID-19-Related News
- School grounds remain closed to the public as we do our part to adhere to the social distancing protocols in place. Our campuses and fields will continue to be monitored by security.
- The 2020-21 School Budget & Board Election date (previously scheduled for May 19) has officially been pushed to a date to be determined in June 2020. Once a date has been set, we will inform the community.-
- To reach the district, please call the main line, 518-399-9141 to leave a voicemail message. We are checking messages weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Please check our Frequently Asked Questions section on our webpage for more information about changes at the school due to COVID-19.
April 1, 2020
On March 27, Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order to continue the cancellation of classes until at least April 15. During this time, schools are required to provide continuity of instruction, meals for students and childcare resources every weekday, including days originally part of the previously scheduled spring break.
BH-BL will fully comply with this directive. We will continue moving forward with our plan for remote instruction. Students should refer to their teachers’ guidance on the Launch Page and check their Google Classrooms and email daily, as they have been doing since classes were cancelled in mid March.
As Superintendent McGrath communicated with parents on March 27, the district has developed guidance for the implementation of remote learning. This should address many of the concerns parents have raised as we have made this sudden transition to a new modality of teaching and learning.
If the class cancellation directive is not extended, students will return to school on Wednesday, April 15. We will continue to monitor all available guidance and directives and keep you informed if this changes.
We know this is a difficult time, but we will get through this together. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Sporting practices and events, rehearsals, shows, school events, activities and after-school programs will also continue to be cancelled during this time. We will continue providing meals to families. For families seeking information about childcare services, please follow this link. Because the delivery of meals and remote learning requires some staff to be on site, BH-BL is considered to be an essential business. Therefore we will operate with minimal staffing during the cancellation. All building offices will be open next week, Monday, March 30 to Friday, April 3 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with access for essential purposes only. Please call the main line, 518-399-9141 for assistance.
During this time, we will continue to follow guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the New York State Department of Health, New York State Department of Education (NYSED) and our local county health department.
Specifically, school leaders continue to closely monitor guidance from NYSED about how these circumstances will impact the school calendar for the remainder of the academic year, including Regents examinations and graduation. We will share more information as soon as it is available.
We encourage you to keep the lines of communication open with your children’s teachers, continue checking the district’s website for new information, and reach out with any questions. Main phone line: 518-399-9141.
Please take care of yourself, your family, and the BH-BL community as we continue to move forward through these unprecedented times.