School Superintendent Philip Conrad is hammering out plans to bring another cohort of students back to full in-person learning, albeit a small group.
Conrad told the School Committee on Tuesday that Bedford High School seniors whose academic struggles could jeopardize fulfilling graduation requirements likely will be accommodated. The cohort, which he said will total “one or two dozen,” will also include other BHS and John Glenn Middle School students identified as falling seriously behind academically.
Meanwhile, he reported encouraging progress on returning other cohorts:
All kindergarten students are expected to return to Davis School four days a week around Feb. 1.
Students in all four schoolhouses identified with “moderate” learning needs will return to a four-day week on Jan. 4, although Lane School may be delayed by a few days as additional classes are added there.
Other possible in-person considerations will be clearer after next Tuesday’s School Committee meeting. At that time, Director of Facilities Taissir Alani plans to present a detailed breakdown of vacant space in school and municipal buildings with the potential for classroom use. “We will keep pushing to talk about more elementary age students and where we can fit them,” Conrad said. Earlier in the meeting, he emphasized that the commitment to six feet of physical distancing will not be compromised.
Conrad said the needs of struggling high school juniors and seniors were emphasized in recent messages from the state education commissioner. The cohort also would include students in grades 6-12 who recently returned from hospitalizations, Conrad said.
In answer to a question from committee member JoAnn Santiago, the superintendent said BHS Principal Heather Galante and her staff are identifying the seniors who are struggling to meet graduation requirements. Committee member Sarah Scoville noted that sixth-grade students also should be acknowledged as navigating a difficult transition.
The superintendent said additional hiring for kindergarten sections should be complete early next month, and student furniture needed to ensure safe distancing is expected to arrive during the third week in January.
Every kindergarten class will have a classroom and it appears there will be no need to move first graders, he added. Still being addressed is the dismissal lag time affecting kindergarteners with older siblings at Davis.
Conrad praised Davis School Principal Beth Benoit, Assistant Principal Jessica Colby, and the kindergarten teachers for their efforts to restore full in-person learning. There is much to do not only before and during the move but also after, he said, “so students can stay connected to their teachers and classmates, and everyone can make sure the transition as smooth as possible for families, students, and teachers.”
The so-called Cohort C, comprising students with moderate learning needs, totals almost 150 students, and Conrad told the School Committee that about 30 percent of those families have chosen to remain with the hybrid format. That will open up space for the new group of struggling high school students, as well as elementary school English language learners, he noted.
At Lane School, Conrad said, it appears that Principal Rob Ackerman will not need to create as many new classrooms as first expected, “and just do some tweaking, having some Cohort A and B students switch a little bit. It’s really good news that there isn’t going to be as much disruption.”
Alani is coordinating the ongoing space utilization study, Conrad said, “and he is also quietly looking at spaces that belong to the town.”
During the public comments period at the beginning of Tuesday’s meeting, several parent speakers lauded efforts to bring children back to the school buildings while continuing to push for more in-person accommodations.
Coreen Garrett said first through fifth graders “still need the opportunity to return. We have to consider their total health and well-being.” She urged school officials to use data on actual virus transmission in schools rather than more general numbers.
Sheila Mehta-Green said this is the time to start considering meaningful celebrations in the spring to mark student transition points from school to school. She encouraged the use of community space for classrooms if possible. Nicholas Howard suggested that “safety is largely a subjective matter. Safety also means getting the kids back,” to foster mental well-being. Melissa Lynch pointed to inconsistency in the hybrid model, echoed concerns about student health under current conditions, and called for a survey of the entire parent community.
Three speakers cited what they saw as issues with communication and decision-making. Kelly Horton, acknowledging that “I don’t think anybody thinks people aren’t doing everything they can,” alleged that Board of Health members “have not been involved in conversations with school reopening policies.” Katie Guerino said “communication is not transparent to us anymore. We losing faith in the system.” Stephanie Keep charged that “communication has largely been one-way since the beginning.” She said there have not been opportunities “for people to ask questions directly. Not understanding who the people are who are making these calls is a problem.”
Mike Rosenberg can be reached at [email protected], or 781-983-1763
Click this link to learn more about The Bedford Citizen’s first community reporter.
Loading ...
