St. Agnes Academic High School in College Point officially reopened to students on Thursday, Sept. 10.
The school has been preparing for its first day for months, Principal Susan Nicoletti told 1010 WINS. In June, Nicoletti started scheduling regular Zoom meetings with parents, she said.
“We could really hear their concerns, their worries, their frustrations,” she said. “And then we came up with our plan.”
Students at the school will attend four full days of in-person classes each week. Wednesdays will be remote days, with pupils learning from home via Chromebooks. Pajamas, however, won’t be allowed, science department chair Leslie Powell said.
“They have to wear their uniforms at home,” she said with a laugh. “At least their tops.”
Students will get a break on gym days, though, when they'll be allowed to wear their gym uniforms all day.
The school is taking myriad precautions in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Staff members and students alike will have their temperatures taken on a daily basis; desks will be spaced out to allow for social distancing; markers in the hallways will direct traffic flow; and hand sanitizer stations will be set up throughout the school building.
The cafeteria will also have its own set of safety measures, Nicoletti said. The school has traded in its long cafeteria tables for round ones that will seat three students at a time. Cafeteria workers, meanwhile, “will not be cooking on premise,” she said.

“Students can order their lunch online,” she explained. “And then it will be boxed and delivered for them with their name on it.”
Powell told 1010 WINS she has already decided on a major project for one of her classes.
“My bio class, the college one, their first project is, they’re going to be making a pandemic plan for a city,” she said.
Sophomore Britzy Caldas said she couldn’t wait to return to school.

“I feel more comfortable, because it’s like a second home to me,” she said. Her parents also feel safe sending her back, thanks to the school’s preparations and proactive communication.
“After talking with the principal, and Zoom meetings, they’re comfortable enough sending me to school,” she said.