Hamilton-Wenham Schools Taking Steps To Bring Students Back

HAMILTON-WENHAM, MA — A new Massachusetts Department of Secondary and Elementary Education plan was announced on Tuesday that could require elementary students to return to in-person learning full time — and Hamilton-Wenham schools are on board.

The district has been planning a safe return to in-person learning and is arranging a survey for parents and staff to see how they feel about social distancing at less than six feet, in preparation for the full return to in-person learning. Over the last several weeks, a parent group in the district vocalized their frustration with the perceived slow move towards full in-person learning.

The calls for a push to prioritize in-person learning were coupled with complaints about a lack of transparency and ultimately, a petition that called for a vote of no confidence in Superintendent Mary Beth Banios. The School Committee did not offer a vote and vocalized support for Banios.

Hamilton-Wenham recently moved to bring K-1 students back into the classroom — the rest of the district is operating under the hybrid model.

Education department Commissioner Jeff Riley said he plans to ask the state education board to amend regulations to give him the authority to determine when the hybrid and remote learning models no longer count for learning hours. It would all be part of a plan to bring students back in-person by the spring, using a phased approach, starting with the youngest students.

Banios said the district will continue to work on their plan but look forward to hearing more from the state:

"We continue to work on a plan to bring all students back to full in-person learning as soon as that can reasonably be accomplished. This week, we are surveying families and staff to gauge their comfort level with a level of social distancing less than six feet, which we would need to implement in order to bring back all students at any level.

We share the commissioner’s sentiment and look forward to learning more details on how the state can partner with us to clear the remaining hurdles, which are not insignificant, to make this vision a reality."

Banios added that the state could help districts by prioritizing a vaccination plan for teachers.