Williamsville schools revise reopening plans, parents and teachers raise concerns in meeting

Parents and teachers tuned in to Friday night's Williamsville special school board meeting via Zoom with questions and concerns, as the school year quickly approaches.

GOOD EVENING -- JEFFAND ASHLEY ARE OTONIGHT.SOME PARENTS INONE SCHOOL DISTRICTWANT THE START OFTHE SCHOOL YEAR TOBE DELAYED.PARENTS ANDTEACHERS RAISEDMANY MORECONCERNS TONIGHT.GILAT MELAMED ISLIVE IN EAST AMHERST-- WHERE PLANS TOBRING STUDENTSSAFELY BACK TOSCHOOL ARE STILL UPIN THE AIR.HANNAH THE SCHOOLYEAR IS QUICKLYAPPROACHING.BUT PARENTS ANDTEACHERS TUNING INTO TONGIHT'SWILLIAMSVILLESCHOOL BOARDMEETING VIA ZOOMSTILL HAD MANYCONCERNS.THE SPECIAL SCHOOLBOARD MEETINGONE OF THE BIGGESTANNOUNCEMENTS.

ISFOR ELEMENTARYSCHOOL STUDENTS.HYBRID STUDENTSWILL NOT HAVEONLINE INSTRUCTIONTHE DAYS THEY'REHOME.THIS IS A RETURN TOTHE INITIAL HYBRIDPLAN.THAT PLAN WASCHANGED A FEW DAYSAGO TO HAVESTUDENTSLIVESTREAM CLASSESTHE DAYS THEY'REHOME.THAT IS STILL THECASE FOR 5THTHROUGH 12THGRADERS.TEACHERS WILL HAVEA CAMERA IN THEIRCLASSROOM.TEACHING TO THE INPERSON AND REMOTESTUDENTS AT THESAME TIME.SEVERAL TEACHERSTONIGHT OPPOSEDTHAT PLAN.

SAYING ITWOULD BEINEFFECTIVE TOTEACH TO BOTHGROUPS AT ONCE.OVERALL.

MANYPARENTS SAY THEREWAS A LACK OFCOMMUNICATIONTHROUGHOUT THEPROCESS.PARENT JIM SIKORSKIWANTS A DELAY OFTHE SCHOOL YEARUNTIL A PLAN ISIRONED OUT.

ANDSAYS THERESPONSIBILITY FALLSON THESUPERINTENDENT."ANYBODY WOULDAGREE THAT IF YOUELECTED SOMEBODYTO KEEP YOUR KIDSSAFE AND TO HAVEPOLICIES THAT YOUCOULD REST YOURBACK ON OURSUPERINTENDENT ISNOT THAT MAN."TONIGHT INRESPONSE TO ABOARD MEMBERSCONCERNS.

THESUPERINTENDENTSAYS THE PLANCONTINUES TOCHANGE TO TRY ANDMEET PEOPLE'SNEEDS IN THE BESTWAY POSSIBLE.ADDING IT'SUNFORTUNATE THATPEOPLE FOUND OUTLATE.

BUT THAT ITWASN'T DONE OUT OFHARM AND INSTEAD TOMOVE THE PLANFORWARD.OTHER TOPICSDISCUSSED HERERANGED FROM MASKBREAKS, LUNCHES,AND BUSSING.THE NEW DATE FORPARENTS TO SELECTTHE FULLY ONLINEMODEL ISWEDNESDAY.LIVE OUTSIDEWILLIAMSVILLECENTRAL SCHOOLS,GILAT MELAMED, 7EYEWITNESS NEWS.