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Yonkers Board of Education votes to increase in-person learning

In a unanimous decision Wednesday, the Yonkers Board of Education voted to increase in-person learning from two days a week to four days.

News 12 Staff

Mar 18, 2021, 2:27 AM

Updated 1,374 days ago

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Westchester's largest school district will soon return to mostly in-person learning.
In a unanimous decision Wednesday, the Yonkers Board of Education voted to increase in-person learning from two days a week to four days.
Currently, less than 20% of the district's students are learning in-person.
There are four schools where nearly all of the students are in the classroom, posing problems for distancing students. The district's plan is to reduce distance but put barriers between each desk.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edwin Quezada says this is a major step.
"We are here to support everyone to ensure that we begin to provide our children additional in-person instruction in the coming months," said Quezada.
This decision comes as a surprise to the teachers' union, which is demanding more transparency.
"We have demanded that the superintendent hold town hall meetings with our teachers because if any plan is to work, this plan or any plan, everybody needs to understand what the plan is," said union president Samantha Rosado-Ciriello.
As of Wednesday, schools are set to increase capacity starting April 6, after spring break, in order to give time to prepare the buildings.
A recent survey of teachers showed 75% of teachers do not feel safe with the protocols currently in place. They say they won't hold students up from returning but more needs to be done on the district's end to gain their confidence.