Hundreds Of Stratford Students Won't Be Back In The Classroom

STRATFORD, CT — Stratford’s school district is preparing to reopen its doors next week, but hundreds of students will start the school year at home.

As of last week, 700 students had signed up for the district’s full-time distance learning option, superintendent Janet Robinson said at a school board meeting Aug. 24. The full-time remote option was introduced in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, which forced students across the state to finish the previous academic year at home.

Stratford students who did not choose full-time distance learning will be in the classroom two days a week and learn remotely the other three days, attending school in alternating cohorts, with buildings closed Wednesday for deep cleaning.

“I have, still, a lot of concerns about our reopening and our preparedness for it,” board member Andrea Corcoran said at the meeting, streamed live via YouTube.

Corcoran confirmed all classrooms have the necessary technology to start the school year, and asked for additional details about the hybrid model’s distance learning component.

As for the challenges of in-person school, public works is cleaning the ventilation systems and putting in new filters across the district to prepare for the reopening, Robinson said, adding fans and air conditioning are not recommended by health officials during the pandemic. In addition to required face masks and hand sanitizer use, protective trifolds will be available for desks. Public health officials will handle contact tracing for the district.

“We all have to keep urging our students to maintain social distancing and wearing masks,” Robinson said. “… Please remember, it isn’t over yet.”

If there are no local coronavirus spikes after schools reopen, the district may return to full-time in-person education, Robinson said earlier in August. If cases increase significantly, students will revert to a distance-learning-only approach.

Coronavirus cases in Stratford have been relatively flat in recent weeks. As of Monday, the town had a total of 924 confirmed and probable cases, compared to 897 one month prior, according to state data.

The board will meet 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to consider policies related to coronavirus emergency measures and face masks. The first day of school is Sept. 9.