City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza is urging public school parents with children enrolled in blended learning to prepare for a full remote learning day on Thursday as the city prepares for a blizzard to hit the five boroughs on Wednesday.
“You should just start preparing for a full remote day on Thursday,” said Chancellor Carranza during a Panel for Educational Policy meeting Monday night. “I am not calling it yet. I’m just giving you a heads up that given what we are hearing this is going to be the real deal, the first true storm and snow of the season.”
On Monday, the National Weather Service predicted a major winter storm would hit the northeast on Wednesday, potentially covering the five boroughs in up to a foot of snow.
Tuesday morning, the Department of Education distributed a letter signed by Chancellor Carranza reminding parents that during snow days this year students will still be required to log on and attend online classes like they would on any normal remote learning day.
The letter adds that if inclement weather forces school buildings to close tomorrow extra meals for students to take home will be offered at school buildings Tuesday night and all day Wednesday.
Mayor Bill de Blasio also reminded public school parents and students that a snow day no longer means a day off of classes.
“Someone said to me the other day they felt kind of forlorn about the fact that this ends the snow day as we knew as kids when we look forward to a day off,” said de Blasio. “Now that is going to be a thing of the past … I’m kind of sad for the kids on the one hand; on the other hand, we got a lot of learning that needs to be done, a lot of catching up, so it’s the right thing to do.”
This story originally appeared on amny.com.
