N. Andover Schools Plan To Have Elementary Kids Full Time April 5

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — North Andover Public Schools officials are planning to have kindergarten to fifth grade students in school five days a week on April 5, they told the School Committee Thursday.

District officials had to scramble after the state education chief said Tuesday that he'd like to see elementary students in school full time as soon as April.

District officials had previously planned to bring first and second grade students in full time in mid-March and older elementary school students in after April Vacation.

With the state announcement, the focus switched to bringing all elementary kids in full time on April 5.

"This is what the year has been like," School Committee Chair Helen Pickard said. "The administration is making plans, getting ready to implement, when something changes."

The state announcement was accompanied by a suggestion that the distancing guidelines, outside of meal-times and mask breaks, could drop from 6 feet to 3 feet.

The district is planning to send a survey Monday to elementary school parents on whether they would prefer online-only learning or full-day in-person learning with meals in school. The survey will not be binding but will help with planning, they said.

The district is also working on getting a health care provider to administer vaccines to teachers in town, when possible.

The administration is still working on plans for older students and the fall. They plan to present a fall reopening plan in early May.

The administration's presentation is available here and the full committee meeting is here via NorthAndoverCAM.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.