New York City public schools will reopen for in-person learning on Tuesday after a one-day shift to remote instruction due to the snowstorm, officials said.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar H. Samuels made the announcement Monday afternoon, saying all programs and activities will resume as scheduled.
“As dedicated city workers mobilized across all five boroughs to clear our streets and keep New Yorkers safe, teachers and students this morning came together online – reading, learning and staying connected,” Mamdani said in a statement.
Crews have been working since the weekend to clear snow and ice from school entrances and ensure buildings are heated, officials said.
"When it mattered most, our communities worked together to weather the storm,” Samuels said in a statement.
The city made the call to go remote on Monday to prioritize safety while still meeting the state’s 180-day instructional requirement. City officials said about 375,000 students, nearly 80% of those expected, successfully logged on for remote learning, supported by more than 125,000 educators.
"Mayor Mamdani gets an A for his first snow day. He led by example," Michael Mulgrew, president of the 200,000-member United Federation of Teachers, said in a statement. "I want to thank our students, educators, administrators, and families. We all came together to make the remote day as engaging and as smooth as possible."
Mulgrew continued, "The one glitch seemed to be Google," referring to reports of Google Classroom crashing for some users on Monday morning. "They had the same notice as our students, parents, and teachers, so they need to do better."
High schoolers and students at 6–12 schools were already off Monday for a planned professional development day.
City officials said the success of the transition was due in part to interagency coordination, tech support and previous stress-testing of remote learning systems.
NYC Public Schools families can call 718-935-5100 for remote learning assistance.
This story has been updated with comment from Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers.
