Buffalo, NY (WBEN) Now that a fully-remote learning environment is in its second month in the Buffalo Public Schools, Superintendent Kriner Cash is envisioning a phased reopening for students.
During a Board of Education work session Wednesday, Cash said hybrid learning is not optimal for students, so he wants to bring students back in, but it must be done safely.
Starting near the end of the first quarter, Cash says he'd like to bring in students with the highest needs, mainly those in special education and English language learners. "We want to look within that population and see who's struggling the most and bring them back into a physical school setting," says Cash. "Research suggests younger students could benefit from an early return to a brick and mortar scenario if we categorize them correctly, and if parents are agreeable," says Cash.
VIEW: Buffalo Schools Reopening Update
Parent involvement is a key, Cash says, and he will be looking for important input. "If there ever was a year of the parent, and what the parent wants, the more parents we can get information from the better. They have to feel it's safe for children to return in person," explains Cash.
Transportation is another matter. "That has to be done safely, and done with only a handful of students on each route and on each bus. That's the district's biggest challenge once we know how many students will be coming back," notes Cash.
Cash says he'll need several weeks to pressure test how things are going, getting feedback from teachers, principals, and parents to see if more students can be accommodated. "We also consider bringing pre-K, kindergarten and first grade in the early phases," notes Cash.
Cash says toward the end of the first semester in January, additional students could be brought into schools.
