North Shore Districts React To Proposed State Classroom Mandate

DANVERS, MA — The state is looking to give a big shove forward to North Shore school districts as they discuss bringing back more students for in-classroom more often this spring.

While superintendents told Patch they were reevaluating coronavirus metrics regularly, and working with teachers' unions on plans to reexamine agreements made in August on the parameters for in-school learning amid the coronavirus health crisis, state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Jeffrey Riley said on Tuesday that he was seeking authority not to count remote and home hybrid learning hours toward education mandates as soon as April.

"At some point, as health metrics continue to improve, we will need to take the remote and hybrid learning models off the table and return to a traditional school format," Riley said.

Gov. Charlie Baker agreed during his Tuesday news conference.

"With COVID cases and hospitalizations continuing to decline, and vaccines well underway, it's time to set our sights on eliminating remote learning by April," he said. "The science is pretty clear on this one. There are now dozens of reports from all over the world that it's safe to be in school."

Peabody was the latest district to make a big move in that direction Tuesday night when the school committee voted to bring back students in pre-kindergarten through 5th grade back five days per week beginning March 15 with the hope to bring all students back five days by March 29 pending negotiations with the teachers' union.

While most have agreed the ultimate goal is to get students back in class as much as possible, superintendents said they also want to work with teachers and local boards of health to plan for a gradual return that makes everyone feel comfortable.

Danvers Public Schools increased in-school for students in grades 2 and 3 from two to four days a week as of Monday in a plan the school committee approved on Feb. 8.

"We continue to provide the school committee with monthly presentations on next steps while educating during a pandemic," Danvers Superintendent of Schools Lisa Dana told Patch.

She said the next review is scheduled for the March 8 meeting.

Peabody Superintendent of Schools Josh Vadala told Patch earlier Tuesday that while "our goal has consistently been to safely return as many students to in-person learning as possible" the 6-foot social distancing guidance agreed to when schools reopened in September prevents that for older students in some buildings.

Riley said on Tuesday state guidance requires only 3 feet of social distancing, with 6 preferred only if possible. He added that schools in other states and countries have found low transmission rates when social distancing protocols were "at 3 feet, or less."

While coronavirus rates across the state have fallen dramatically since their peak in early January — the statewide seven-day rolling average positive test rate as of Tuesday was 1.89 percent, down from a high of 8.6 percent in January — cases remain higher than they were when districts and unions agreed on in-classrooms parameters in August.

"It's safe to teach kids in the classroom, regardless of the community transmission rates, as long as people abide by the protocols,” Baker contended on Tuesday.

Vadala added Tuesday: "Prioritizing vaccinations for educators would go a long way to expediting that (return-to-full-classroom) process."

Baker and Riley both noted on Tuesday that teachers are among the next group of priority professions eligible for vaccines in Phase Two of the state's vaccination rollout — which is on pace to begin sometime in March — but Riley added: "Vaccinations are not required to go back to school."

Marblehead Public Schools were to discuss their proposal to open schools five days per week for grades kindergarten through sixth grade at Tuesday night’s school committee meeting. A proposal to return students in seventh through high school would require the lowering of the 6-foot social distancing mandate within the buildings to 3 feet.

Salem Superintendent of Schools Stephen Zrike said before vacation that his goal is to have all students back full-time "by the end of the school year."

"We all believe that getting our students back on a normal routine is important so we can start next year strongly," Zrike said. "We don't have a lot of time to waste."

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

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