Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - More students will be allowed to return to Buffalo Schools buildings beginning Monday, March 15th following a lengthy discussion by school board members Wednesday night.
Phase II reopening will clear the way for a controlled return to school for grades 3, 4, 9 and 11. Students in those grades would join pre-k, grades 1, 2 and high school seniors who returned to school buildings for hybrid learning February 1 in the phase I reopening plan.
The phase II reopening recommendation came after an extensive discussion on school facilities and transportation issues that are both key in allowing for a safe return to school for students, families, teachers and staff.
School Board member Larry Scott tells WBEN there could be some schools that bring in different grades, based on academic and attendance data.
The additional five thousand students in phase two will bring a total of 17 thousand students and staff in school buildings starting March 15th.
Transportation is probably the biggest challenge for the district. "We are responsible for transporting public as well as all of the non public students, private, Catholic and charter school students. That becomes a logistical challenge for us, but we will get it done by March 15th," said Scott.
Distancing in Buffalo classrooms is currently eight feet, not the standard six feet, under CDC guidelines. "Superintendent Cash asked his staff to recalculate the numbers if the district adopted the 6 feet rule," said Scott. But he did not think that is something that would be applied for the phase two reopening. He thinks it may
be necessary for future phases.
Schools Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash, in a WBEN interview last week, said the phase II reopening will substantially increase the in-school population and be a key barometer in future phases of reopening.
"The second phase is key because it represents about half of our student population when we take phase one and add it to phase II," Cash said. "If we know we can get that done and done safely and if we still have room left in our transportation routes, we can continue to move forward after that."
Additional phases of reopening will be considered every two to three weeks according to Cash.
Fifth and sixth grade students will be in phase three. Seventh and eighth grade students would be in phase four.
