POLL: Do You Agree With Parents Petitioning For Full-Time School?

SAYVILLE, NY— Sayville is one Long Island district currently employing a hybrid system of remote and in-person learning. Although the district is following New York State guidelines for social distancing among students to prevent the spread of coronavirus, some parents feel there is not enough effort or communication from school administration when it comes to planning a full return to in-school learning.

Kristina Bartlett O'Malley created a Change.org petition asking for "action to implement a phased plan with measurable and attainable goals to return all students, K-12, to their buildings full-time, five days a week." Her two children are in third and fifth grades and O'Malley feels the district isn't doing enough to come up with a phased return to full live instruction.

She told Patch she feels "There is nothing like live instruction. We are not at the point where technology is ready to take the place of being in buildings where children are not only learning, but they are socializing and fostering relationships. All we have done up until this point is restricted screen time and ask them to limit because it’s detrimental their developing brains- now everything is virtual. There is something to be said for social interaction."

O'Malley wants to see school districts be more transparent with a full plan to reopen.

"They need to communicate how the district is doing in terms of infections vs the predictions. Similar to the state of New York, they need to set forth a plan where they can safely enter each new phase based on what’s happening with the district. Start small. Open the valve, measured and evaluate."

"Other districts are figuring out how to move forward and interpreting those guidelines in what seems to be a safe way. I ask the districts to interpret the guidelines in favor of the students, or in favor of more brick and mortar instruction and less remote. Also I expect the districts to lean on local legislators to help fight the fight with the state of New York and loosen up some of those guidelines especially in terms of the current infection rate and mortality rates."