NYC plans to reopen middle schools Feb. 25

NEW YORK - New York City's public middle school buildings will open this month after being closed since COVID-19 cases began to surge in November, officials announced Monday.

The 62,000 students in grades 6 through 8 whose families have chosen in-person learning will be back in their classrooms on Feb. 25, a city Department of Education spokesperson said.

During his coronavirus briefing Monday, de Blasio said children of parents who had signed up for in-person education in grades 6-8 would return to the classroom with teachers returning on Feb. 24.

The timing of the return to classrooms will allow officials to prioritize COVID-19 vaccine appointments for affected school staff members during the midwinter school vacation from Feb. 15 to Feb. 19, the spokesperson said.

Families in New York City's massive public school system were given the choice of all-remote learning or a hybrid system with students in their classrooms part time when when the school year started in September, but rising COVID-19 cases prompted de Blasio to close all school buildings on Nov. 19.

Some elementary school students returned to school buildings on Dec. 7, but middle schools and high schools remained closed to in-person instruction. No plan for reopening the city's high schools has been announced.

"Of the 471 middle schools we fully expect that more than half will be able to open their doors five days week," said Education Chancellor Richard Carranza."The other schools will program and reprogram to get to the goal of five days a week."

With the Associated Press