MENANDS — State Education Department Commissioner Betty Rosa was on hand to welcome Menands School District students back to class for the 2021-22 year on Thursday, Sept. 9.
“We got the call and she wanted to tour the building. Like the commissioner said, ‘this school is a hidden gem’ and we say that all the time,” said Superintendent Maureen Long. “The cultural diversity of our student body and the diversity of our kids and to see them all happy coming back to the first day of school today was just awesome.”
She said the first day went pretty smooth outside of a couple minor transportation hiccups and she is looking forward to the school year with some sense of normalcy after the chaos caused by COVID-19 last year.
“If last year taught us anything it was that we figure it out and we make it work,” she said.
Rosa did not field questions from media.
Like other school districts across the state, Menands is following a layered mitigation strategy based on transmission rates in Albany County and anyone entering the school building at any time for any reason is required to wear a mask.
Parents are advised to check the district website for any updates on COVID protocol.
Long took the opportunity to show off the district’s multi-million renovation and expansion project that broke ground in 2018. It includes five new classrooms and extensive upgrades throughout the kindergarten through eighth grade building.
Click on a photo below to view a slideshow of the rest.
