East Williston, Jericho kick off Long Island's back-to-school today
The majority of Long Island's school districts will welcome students back into the classroom on Wednesday.
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The calendar hasn't hit September yet, but two of Long Island's school districts will welcome students back into the classroom today.
The Jericho School District, which is usually the first district on the island to start classes, is joined this year by the East Williston School District.
East Williston Superintendent of Schools Danielle Gately told News 12 that the decision to open today is only slightly earlier than the district's usual start time, but with Labor Day falling slightly later this year, the district worked to balance the required number of instructional days while preserving scheduled holidays and vacations.
"We're looking forward to welcoming everyone back and getting the school year underway," she said.
East Williston is kicking off year four of its five-year Strategic Plan, which has been underway to identify key district goals and come up with funding for them.
This year, the district said it is weighing how to balance the emergence of artificial intelligence.
"We are taking a thoughtful and balanced approach to AI, helping students and teachers understand how these tools can support learning, creativity and efficiency while continuing to emphasize critical thinking," Gately said.
Today's reopening comes about a month after a Jeep crashed into the media center at North Side Elementary School. The district previously said the building would be ready for kids in time for the new school year.
School districts will welcome kids throughout the week. A total of 49 of them will have their first day on Wednesday.
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