The coronavirus crisis has students of all grade levels finishing the school year from their home. In New Orleans, school leaders are preparing for what next year will look like if students return in the Fall.
“When schools reopen it probably will not look like what we saw in previous school years,” Superintendent of New Orleans Public Schools, Dr. Henderson Lewis explained to WWL-T. “We’ve been working with our school leaders to prepare for a school year … How we will limit gatherings in schools, how we will reduce the number of students in a classroom at a time. How we will make sure that students are coming into schools, how we’re doing wellness checks, and checking temperatures.”
Lewis said there is not yet an official date as to when students will return to the classroom but he says they could return sooner than normal to make up for the time lost during the pandemic. He also says remote learning is still an option they can utilize.
“At the end of the day, this guidance will come from the state and local level and we’re doing our best to be prepared,” Lewis said.
Lewis praised how quickly teachers, parents, and students adapted to the shift to a virtual classroom environment but says there is more work to be done.
“Now as we prepare for the long haul and brand new school year we want to make sure that we work through these gaps,” Lewis said.