PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — While details are still being worked out, Rhode Island’s Department of Education commissioner anticipates a mix of online and in-person classes when school starts in the fall.
The goal is to get as many students back into the classroom as possible, while ensuring that they can be protected from the coronavirus, Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green told the legislature’s House Committee on Health, Education and Welfare on Wednesday night.
It is “extremely important” to get students from kindergarten through the fifth-grade into a physical classroom because that age group learns much better in person, she said. At the same time, children that age do not handle social distancing well.
Ultimately, each district will make decisions based on the needs of the community, using state guidelines and recommendations, she said.
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NEWPORT MANSIONS REOPEN
Two of Newport’s historic mansions are reopening to tourists on Thursday.
The Breakers will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily while The Elms will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, according to the Preservation Society of Newport County, which oversees 11 properties across the city.
Capacity will be limited, guests will be required to purchase tickets in advance, wear masks and maintain social distancing.
“By reopening The Breakers and The Elms, we will bring in revenue we need to survive, and our visitors will help to jumpstart Newport’s economy and support local businesses,” Trudy Coxe, executive director and CEO of the Preservation Society, said in a statement.
The society closed all its properties to the public in mid-March in response to the coronavirus and this week announced that it was laying off nearly 70% of its staff due to the resulting revenue drop.
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