Getting back to school is a good way to provide normalcy and stability to a child's life, especially a child who has seen his or her family struggle through Sandy the past two weeks. While it may be difficult to find the right transportation, or somewhat chaotic getting on buses and relocating to new school buildings, being able to socialize, learn and discuss the happenings of the past couple of weeks can make a world of difference.

Two weeks after Sandy, the learning experience for many students is still a struggle. All 1.1 million public school kids missed a week of classes immediately following the storm. And students at more than 50 schools were relocated last week because their buildings suffered storm damage.

Today, 15 schools reopened and attendance rates improved 60%. But the challenge remains for those who are still displaced. Today, the Department of Education finally was able to provide shuttle buses for all relocated students.

Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council say long-term help is on the way. Today, lawmakers approved $200 million in emergency spending for structural restorations, new boilers and electrical systems, and roof repairs for the most damaged school buildings.

What struggles have you faced getting to school the past two weeks? What has the learning experience been like in your classroom? How would you make up the lost week of instruction from the storm?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

I do understand that what happened to all of us and much more to others but this Bloomberg and Company are not prepared for any structural damage to our city. He starts much to many projects of which he has not one iota of how to do it but it looks impressive on the surface to everyone that's gullible enough to drink the cool-aid or pretend to. He and Cuomo were forewarned about any such devastating act of nature or for that matter no one in this whole state of New York ever does any up-keep on any structures of all kind. They always seem to apply a band aid effect to everything. I hate to bring up ground zero. It took much to long to even get the project off the ground and in the end no one but no one will ever convince me that we the people that pay the taxes in this city are ever considered in any shape or form. Why is it that we are still seeing the people that were devastated and have lost everything is put on the front burner and make it known to us the public that they are getting the run around. I hate to even mention any of these useless politicians at all but where are they?

OH! Silly me, Election day is over with.

It just breaks your heart to see these people living in squalor. Do these politicians ever think that this could be them?

The school children seem to suffer all the time and this is a great example of what I have been preaching for so long that this mayor wants to run everything and concentrate on his legacy and meanwhile these children should have had a plan set up for them long before this happened. Especially if this mayor goes around from city to city in his jet to visit all the mayors and distributes his PAC money It makes one wonder just what message does he send to the mayors other that preaching to them and acting as though he were king of all.

MIND YOU HE AND EVERYONE IN THE WHOLE UNITED STATES DID EXPERIENCE THE FALLOUT AFTER KATRINA HIT, WE IN NEW YORK DIDN'T DODGE THE BULLET WITH IRENE EITHER.

AND THEY ALL NEED TO STOP THE BLAME GAME:
AND PLEASE=NO MORE SPEECHES=STOP THROWING THE BOUQUETS AROUND TO ONE ANOTHER ALSO.

WHAT UPSETS THE MOST IS THAT LOCALS HELPED ONE ANOTHER AND THE PEOPLE THAT CAME IN TO HELP FROM OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK AND THE ONE THAT STANDS OUT THE MOST IS THE TRAIN FROM LOUISIANA WITH MANY KATRINA SURVIVORS ON IT THEY JUST WANTED TO GIVE BACK.

SO JOHN I SAY AGAIN THAT YOU ARE TO BE COMMENDED FOR HONORING EVERY ONE THAT HELPED AS BEING NAMED ONE AND ALL =OUR NEW YORKERS OF THE WEEK=
WHAT A PREDICAMENT TO BE IN AND WE ALL CAME VERY CLOSE TO BEING IN THEIR SHOES.

maxxiee
mp

I missed 2 weeks due to no gas and most of the teachers were understanding but there's always that one

Laura

I am a mother of a 7 year old child, we live in seagate community, Coney Island. My daughter goes to PS 215. You are talking on the TV about an importance of going back to school while we r trying to survive because we have no heat and hot water, and not expecting to have anytime soon. We contacted Fema, 311 but no one is helping. How about making sure that students have a place to live first and then talking education.

kabardinka

School have to take a back seat to food, shelter and survival

Carmen, Bay Ridge

Dominic [a caller tonight] musy either work for LIPA or live in another State. I live in Far Rockaway, no power, conditions are horrendous. My son is in school molrs away. My life is upside down. Tell Dominic to spend a week in FR then comment!

Sharon