Braintree Schools Considering 3 Hybrid Reopening Plans

BRAINTREE, MA — The School Committee presented three versions of hybrid learning plans for the reopening of Braintree schools amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The committee is expected to vote on one of the three plans Monday after getting an extension from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Originally, the district was considering a plan that involved a lot more remote learning

Under that draft, most students would take part in remote learning beginning Sept. 16, and younger students in prekindergarten through grade 3 would attend school under a hybrid model. But Mayor Charles Kokoros said more in-person learning was considered following Gov. Charlie Baker's call for cities and towns to use new state guidelines when developing their school plans.

"I feel it's important to give every one of our students a chance to go into a classroom," Kokoros said at Thursday night's committee meeting. "I believe we should utilize every building we have."

Plan 1

Beginning Sept. 16, students in prekindergarten through grade 3 would attend in-person classes two days half days per week and remote learning three days. Prekindergarten classes would be held at Braintree High School, while the other grade would be housed at the East Middle School.

Under this plan, all other grades would start fully remote before transitioning to a hybrid model. The start date and buildings for these grade are:

• Oct. 13 - Grade 4 at East Middle School
• Oct. 26 - Grade 5 through 8 begin, and grades 1 through 4 return to their home schools. All grade 5 would attend East Middle School, while grades 6 through 8 would be divided between and the East and South Middle schools.
• Nov. 9 - High school students would return to Braintree High School

Plans 2 and 3

The other two plans would bring all students into the district's hybrid learning model on Sept. 16.

One option would bring Monatiquot Kindergarten Center students to Braintree High School. Grades 1-3 would attend three elementary schools as follows:

• The Flaherty School would host students from Flaherty and Ross.
• The Liberty School would host students from Liberty and Highland.
• The Morrison School would host students from Hollis and Morrison.

Grades 4 through 5 would attend South Middle School, grades 6 through 8 at South Middle School, and high school students would return to the high school.

In the other plan, all students would attend their normal school. Under all three plans, parents would have the option to put their child in fully remote learning.

Students enrolled in special education programs and English language learners would also qualify for additional in-person learning days.

Masks would be required at all times with the potential exception of during designated movement breaks. Students must also be at least 6 feet apart.

"During movement break, we can hopefully get kids outside, so they can take off their masks and breathe a bit," Superintendent Frank Hackett said.

Since the in-person days are half days, Hackett said students will be served "grab and go" lunches as they leave school.

And with social distancing, bus capacities will be limited to just elementary school students that live more than 2 miles from their school. Hackett said buses normally have a 77-person capacity, but school officials have dropped that to 25.

School officials said at least an hour of public comments will be taken before Monday's vote. Questions on the plan can be sent to schoolcommittee@braintreeschools.org or by calling 781-380-0130. The meeting was scheduled for 6:30 p.m., on Zoom.