Ellington School Officials Plan Return to 5-Day In-Person Classes

ELLINGTON, CT — Students in Ellington public schools will soon return to full in-building classes, according to a message Friday from Superintendent Scott Nicol.

In mid-August, the Board of Education had announced a plan to move from the hybrid plan currently in place to a five-day in-person model by October. On Wednesday, after receiving "a significant amount of input from parents, faculty, staff, and students," the school board met to discuss the plan, then communicated with school administrators Thursday, Nicol said.

Since opening day of school Sept. 8, students have attended classes two days per week in their buildings, with three days a week of distance learning. The return to full-time in-building classes will begin Oct. 1 for grades K-2, and Oct. 5 for grades 3-12. The Silver Group, a full distance learning program, will continue to be offered, Nicol said.

Each Wednesday in October will be an early release day, with the high school dismissing at 11:05 a.m., the middle school at 11:12 a.m. and elementary schools at noon, Nicol said.

"The administration and Board of Education continues to receive a great deal of constructive input from all stakeholder groups," Nicol wrote in a letter to the school community. "Feedback has focused on all aspects of the school district’s reopening from recommended operational health and safety measures to staffing adjustments to instructional programming improvements and so on. Please be assured that not a day has gone by that adjustments have not been made. In the coming days and weeks, both internal and external communications will be made outlining these improvements. Communications will be coming from principals and other district administration next week on the various adjustments and improvements designed to ensure a smooth transition from the hybrid to five day in-person model."

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