Lynbrook UFSD Reopening Plan 2020

Reconvened Task Force

Task Force Update - November 13, 2020
The district’s task force reconvened to deliberate on how to bring more students back into the school buildings full time while also keeping safety a priority. The task force consists of two subcommittees: one to examine the district’s facilities and health and safety protocols and the other to determine the impact on the instructional program based on the health and safety subcommittee’s recommendations. Both subcommittees met weekly and members visited the school buildings to assess the classroom spaces.

Led by Dr. Paul Lynch, assistant superintendent for finance, operations, and information systems the facilities and health and safety subcommittee examined New York State’s most recent social distancing guidelines and took measurements between desks to see if classrooms could accommodate more students. Each building was very different, but the committee determined that 5 feet between rows and 4 ½ feet deep between desks (front to back) worked well. As a result, the committee found that it might be possible to increase the capacity in the elementary and middle schools. Due to the irregular classroom sizes, Lynbrook High School is more difficult to assess and will need to be explored more.

Dr. Gerard Beleckas, assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and assessment, led the instructional subcommittee which examined how students from each level would be able to return to full in-person learning, if it all. They based their recommendations on the district’s survey (families who selected “very likely and “unsure”) in October and the health and safety subcommittee’s recommendations. They believe the Kindergarten Center and elementary schools can accommodate the aforementioned students given the spacing adjustments. Subcommittee members agreed that English language learners, those with individualized education plans and at-risk students at the secondary level should have the option first of returning to the buildings full time so that their academic needs can be supported properly. At the moment, it seems likely that all middle school green remote students who wish to return to the blue hybrid learning model should be able to do so, but a final determination cannot be made until commitments are returned. The high school needs to continued reexamining. In addition, the subcommittee is looking into decreasing the time between classes and decreasing student drop-off times in the morning.

The community is encouraged to watch the district’s next Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 18 to hear the task force’s final recommendations. The meeting can be viewed at https://www.lynbrookschools.org/boe/virtual_meetings. Families will be asked to make a commitment for the rest of the year soon after.


October 29, 2020
As we look to the future, a new task force was established, similar to the reopening task force that was formed over the summer. This task force will evaluate the district’s current models and present other options to the Board. Members will address important questions in the areas of facilities, instruction, and health and safety. They will also make recommendations to the Board about how schools, if possible, can operate safely with 100% of students returning to the buildings.