After 48 days of hybrid learning, yesterday, the NYC DOE, along with Mayor Bill de Blasio, announced that schools will go to full remote learning indefinitely. The city’s seven-day positivity rate reached 3%, which was the threshold the mayor stated is when schools would close. 

Upon hearing the news, many iSchool teachers expressed their frustration.

“It’s definitely discouraging news that schools are closing again,” said Mr. Jones, who teaches English. “I also worry about the impact this will have on students who have been coming into the building.”

That same sentiment was shared by many students including Sydney Johnson, a junior. 

“School was kind of the place where I was most myself,” said Johnson, who commuted to school three days a week. “Being isolated takes a huge toll on my school performance and my emotional state.”

This setback came after months where COVID-19 cases were lower in NYC than much of the country. Among those who had been optimistic about continuing to see students in person was Ms. Turso, who teaches history and economics at the iSchool.

“I can’t help but feel sad about the news that school will go 100% remote again, just as I was looking forward to seeing more students, and especially more of my advisees in person with the start of Quarter 2,” she said. 

For some teachers, abiding by the city guidelines has always been a top priority.

“I appreciate the city’s commitment to student safety and recognize that having healthy students should be our top priority during a pandemic,” said Dr. Snyder, who teaches English.

But the silver lining for some is that this isn’t a permanent closure.

“I take my solace in knowing that it’s temporary, and hopefully we’ll be returning to the “new normal” soon,” Mr. Jones added. 

A new normal, that might even include being able to enjoy the lively neighborhood around the iSchool.

“I’m glad I made a Trader Joe’s run the last time I was in the building,” Ms. Turso said.