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Education State Department of Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona, right, and Gov. Ned Lamont
Photo: Hearst Connecticut Media FileEducation State Department of Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona, right, and Gov. Ned Lamont
Education State Department of Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona, right, and Gov. Ned Lamont
Education State Department of Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona, right, and Gov. Ned Lamont
The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference now has the guideline it needs to try and make a determination whether or not it will even be possible to have some semblance of a spring sports season.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced on Thursday afternoon that all state schools will now be closed through May 20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That extends the first deadline by exactly one month.
Miguel Cardona, the Connecticut commissioner of education, said a decision whether or not schools would stay closed for the remainder of the school year likely will come before the new deadline.
“I don’t interpret the May 20th date as a return-to-school date. I see it as a deadline that the next update will be given on the potential return to school,” CAS-CIAC Executive Director Glenn Lungarini said.
Lugarini said more virtual meetings with a variety of groups will be held beginning Monday. Lungarini said an additional CIAC Board of Control meeting has been added on April 23 where a final decision could be made on the spring season. There is still a Board of Control meeting scheduled for May 7.
“We will have more detailed conversations with superintendents, principals, athletic directors, member leagues, medical professionals and coaches. Then we will review feedback (at the April 23 meeting) from each group and discuss safe and realistic spring sport experiences,” Lungarini said.
June is realistically the only month where any type of season could happen. June 13, the last possible day to play spring sports, has not been waived yet. Lungarini had also previously floated the idea of playing into July.
“July have raised more questions than answers. Nobody we’ve talked to has taken July off the table, but in those same discussions, we certainly have raised additional questions and areas of concern,” Lungarini said.
There was one athletic event canceled on Thursday. The Connecticut High School Coaches Association announced on social media that the John Fontana Senior All-Star Football Game, normally scheduled for late June, will not be played.
joseph.morelli
@hearstmediact.com; @nhrJoeMorelli
