Malden Back-To-School Plans Start Taking Shape

MALDEN, MA — The Malden Public Schools has begun shaping its plans for the upcoming school year, Superintendent John Oteri said in a letter to families Thursday. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is requiring districts to develop models for in-person, hybrid and remote learning.

District officials have been doing walkthroughs of school buildings to determine needs for possible reopening under health and safety guidelines, Oteri said. The district has also started ordering PPE and protective barriers, as well as improving the ventilation and air circulation systems in school buildings.

The aim is to provide each student with a Chromebook by the start of the school year in the likelihood that remote learning is a component of the plan, Oteri said.

According to the Malden Public Schools' reopening website, the district is planning for a fall 2020 "re-entry." This plan is due at the end of July, per DESE regulations. The district said it is committed to adhering to six feet of social distancing – as opposed to the three feet suggested by the DESE – and including masks for students in grades 2-12 to wear.

MPS is recommending Pre-K, kindergarten and first-grade students to wear masks as well.

Re-Entry Advisory Task Force Team:

● Kelly Chase, Assistant Superintendent
● Michael Wood, Assistant Superintendent
● Toni Mertz, School Business Manager
● Ashley Pierre, Human Resources Director
● Leonard Iovino, School Committee
● Adam Weldai, School Committee
● Peg Crowe, City Council and Malden YWCA director
● Eric Rubin, Director of Public Facilities
● Deborah Gesualdo, Malden Education Association President
● Caitlin Filteau, Malden Food Service Department
● Patricia Tramondozzi, Director of Nursing for the Malden Schools
● Charlie Conefrey, Director of Athletics, Phys. Ed., and Health
● Pam Skinner, Forestdale educator and MPS grandparent
● Robin Doherty, Malden High School educator
● Marie Motley, School Adjustment Counselor
● Adrienne Desantis, Linden Educator
● Denise Keating, MPS parent
● Salima Slimane, MPS parent and President of Malden SEPAC
● Daniel Gilligan, MHS student
● Lynn Sarah Georges, MHS Student
● All 7 MPS building principals: Peter Dolan, Kariann Murphy, Abdel Sepulveda, Don
Concannon, Ray Garcia, Van Huynh, Chris Mastrangelo
● Chris Webb, Malden Board of Health Director
● Captain Glenn Cronin, Malden Police Department

The team has focused its work on evaluating safety guidelines and developing scenarios for each scenario required by DESE. Draft plans will be released this week.

Three community listening sessions will be held via Zoom this week:

● Tuesday, July 28th, 7-8:30pm
● Thursday, July 30th, 5-6:30pm
● Friday July 31st, 12-1:30pm

The video link will be posted to the reopening website. Anyone with questions or concerns should email 2020reopen@maldenps.org.