Local reactions to school closures

Gov.

Andrew Cuomo announced schools would not return to school for the rest of the academic year.

On march 13th.... they didn't know that would be the end of traditional classroom instruction for the year.

Today -- the announcement parents, students and educators we waiting on.

The governor saying they will not be going back....and distance learning will continue through the end of the academic year.

The governor said safely reopening schools now would be nearly impossible.

(impossible to reopen schools safely) s/ gov.

Andrew cuomo/new york :23 "how do you operate a school that socially distanced with masks, without gatherings, with the public transportation system that has a lower number of students on it?

How would you get that plan up and running?

We don't think it's possible to do that in a way that would keep our children and students and our educators safe."

(-- sot --) (meals continue, childcare continues for essential workers) s/ gov.

Andrew cuomo/new york :10 "any decisions on summer school will be made by the end of this month.

But in the meantime meal programs will continue, and childcare services for essential workers will continue."

A decision on the next phase of 'new york pause'... will be announced in two weeks, according to the governor.

Local teachers and parents were sitting at their computers several minutes before the governor even began his daily address.

Would schools resume or stay closed?

Either decision would carry challenges and potential consequences....risk of sickness.....or missed milestones.

Newschannel 2's joleen ferris is live outside deerfield school with more from those parents and students.

Joleen?

If school resumed, there would have been worry....about catching and spreading the virus.

With school done for the academic year....there is disappointment and missed memories.

Julie dutcher's son, jordan, is one of hundreds of local students to have the end of senior year erased by a ruthless virus.

When they walked out of their high school back in march...they didn't know it was for the last time.

.

None .

None :53 "for my son, yes, it's disappointing and they had no closure.

Expecting schools to reopen they thought they would have that closure and after today's announcement, they have no closure and we're still wondering if graduation will be held" dutcher understands the decision...but in addition to robbing her son of a huge milestone....it throws others into uncertainty 2:06 "we have the place booked for june but we haven't heard if it's gonna be canceled or not so we don't know if we should send out invitations, so we're at a standstill with that" 2:30 "we're wondering if it's gonna be a driveby graduation, beeping the horns and saying goodbye through the car windows" 1:04 "sad, cuz like i can't see my friends and teachers anymore" similarly, charlie golden, a fifth grader in the oriskany school district, had no idea when he left school back in march, that he'd return a six grader.

His mom, a teacher assistand at the school, misses his friends, too.

2:27 "i miss their faces every day.

I'm in kindergarten and when you get the hugs and the kisses and just the affection that you get from these kids every day" this partly illustrates why, although golden misses her kids and routine, she understands the decision not to return 3:09 "do i miss being at work eery day?

Absolutely.

Did governor cuomo make the right decision?

I 100% stand by his decision bebcause to think about social distancing in a school, you just, you can't do it.

There's just not enough classrooms toso" the goverr said there ll be aecision aboutummer scho, wheth that will beattendet school, by the end of the