Natick Picks Hybrid Plan For Back-To-School

NATICK, MA — The Natick School Committee on Monday voted to return to school this fall under a hybrid model, where students attend a mix of in-person and online classes — a strategy meant to minimize the spread of coronavirus.

Under the plan created by Superintendent Anna Nolan, school would start on Sept. 16 with most Natick students split into two cohorts. The cohorts would alternate between one week in class and one week of online learning.

"This allows for time to pass for cohort attendance should we see infection trends rise," Nolin wrote in a draft of the policy released in July.

The district will also give parents the option of letting their children attend school fully remote. Surveys will be sent to parents this week to probe how many might select that option. Nolin is set to submit the full district plan to the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) by Friday.

Natick Facilities Director John Gadson spoke during the meeting about how schools would be upgraded to minimize the spread of coronavirus. Schools will have directional arrows in hallways for when students pass between classes, HVAC systems will get upgraded filters, and bathrooms will eventually have touchless sinks and soap dispensers, among other items.

The School Committee also voted on a mask policy requiring all students from kindergarten to 12th grade wear one.

This is a pivotal week for many districts to decide how to proceed with the school year amid a pandemic. Some local districts, including Wayland and Framingham, are returning in September fully remote, and will only move to a hybrid model later in the fall if virus trends look promising.

Natick has seen a minimal rise in cases recently compared to other local communities. According to state Department of Public Health data released Aug. 5, Natick's cases are on the decrease, and the 14-day positive test rate was about .80 percent. A 14-day test rate under 2 percent is generally considered positive, according to health officials.

At the beginning of Monday's meeting, School Committee Chair Julie McDonough read a statement on behalf of the board. In part, she said the district would collaborate with the Natick Health Department to monitor health data in case the district's learning plan needs to change.