During her weekly COVID-19 press briefing earlier today, Governor Gina Raimondo announced that based on the recommendations of both Rhode Island Department of Education and the Rhode Island Department of Health, the state is pushing back the start date on the statewide school calendar by two weeks.
Instead of starting school on August 31st, students will now begin on September 14th.
The Governor said this change will give schools more time to prepare for a successful start of the year. “It’s so important that we do this right, and we’re not going to rush it. We will not fully reopen until we are absolutely confident we have made it (schools) as safe as possible,” Governor Raimondo said.
The timeline to make the decision on how schools will return (in person, distant learning, hybrid) has also been moved, that decision will be made during the week of August 31st.
Shortly after the announcement, What’s Up Newp caught up with Colleen Burns Jermain, Superintendent of Newport Public Schools, to discuss the announcement and upcoming school year.
