Students ease back to in-class instruction

School districts in Ulster County and Northern Dutchess are moving toward in-person instruction for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down all school buildings in March, though not all students will be in their buildings every day.

Districts also are providing parents the option of continuing online-only instruction for their children.

Here’s a rundown of what’s planned. • Kingston: Starting Oct. 13, elementary school students are to return to their buildings, while middle school and high school instruction is to remain completely online.

• Ellenville: Starting Oct. 5, all students in grade K-6 will be in their classrooms Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, while their Wednesday classes will be online. Students in grades 7-12 will have all instruction online.

• Highland: Starting Oct. 5, students whose last names start with A through K will be in their classrooms on Mondays and Thursday; those whose last names start with L through Z will be in classrooms Tuesdays and Fridays. All other in

struction will be online.

• Marlboro: Starting Oct. 5, all Monday classes will be taught online, and classes the other four days of each week will be split between online and in person.

• New Paltz: An announcement is expected Oct. 1 about a planned mix of online and inperson classes.

• Onteora: Starting Oct. 1, all elementary school classes will be taught in person. Middle schoolers and high schoolers will shift to a hybrid of online and in-person instruction starting Oct. 5 and 13, respectively. The hybrid plan calls for one day per week of in-person instruction and four days of online classes.

• Red Hook: All classes so far this school year have been taught online. Information was not immediately available about when that might change.

• Rhinebeck: Elementary school students have returned to their buildings, while middle schoolers and high schoolers are taking a mix of in-person and online classes.

• Rondout Valley: Starting Oct. 5, students, divided into two groups, will have two days per week of online instruction and three days per week of inperson classes.

• Saugerties: Starting Oct. 5, students whose last names start with A through K will be in their classrooms on Mondays and Thursday; those whose last names start with L through Z will be in classrooms Tuesdays and Fridays. All other instruction will be online.

• Wallkill: The week of Oct. 5-9, a hybrid schedule will be in effect that keeps building occupancy to 25%. Starting Oct. 13, capacity will be increased to 50% and classes will be taught in person two days per week and online the other three days.