New York City Schools Navigate Normalcy After 4.8 Magnitude Earthquake

On Friday morning, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook New York City and surrounding areas, causing some disruption in schools. Fortunately, as of around noon, there were no reports of injuries or compromised school buildings, according to the city’s Education Department.

Despite the seismic event at 10:23 a.m., schools maintained their normal operations, with officials reassuring families that students were safe. Some precautions were taken, such as moving recess indoors following city emergency alerts advising residents to stay inside. However, subsequent alerts indicated that usual activities could continue, albeit with a warning of possible aftershocks.

During a press conference, Schools Chancellor David Banks urged calm and normalcy, assuring that school dismissal and after-school programs would proceed as planned. Building response teams were activated as a precaution, with close coordination among city agencies to ensure student safety.

In the immediate aftermath, some schools and individuals were understandably shaken. Kiri Soares, principal of the Urban Assembly Institute of Math and Science for Young Women, described efforts to reassure students and staff amidst the chaos, exacerbated by a pre-existing broken pipe flooding classrooms.

Anna Nelson, an assistant principal at Bronx Latin, recounted the experience of students feeling the desks shake during class and the swift decision to allow them to contact their families. Despite disruptions, schools quickly regained focus, although there were varied directives and little immediate communication from the Education Department.

Around noon, parents received reassurance via text message that students were safe, and dismissal would proceed normally. The earthquake’s epicenter was located just north of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, and while felt across the East Coast, other regions like Philadelphia reported no significant disruptions to school operations.