School Committee To Discuss More In-Person Learning Thursday

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — North Andover officials will discuss a plan to increase in-person learning Thursday, two days after state officials called on school districts to have elementary students in school full time by April.

"It continues to be vital to get as many students back in school as possible, preferably before the end of the year," education department Commissioner Jeff Riley said.

The district did not share any details on the plan, but it will be presented live at the Thursday 7 p.m. School Committee meeting, which can be viewed on Comcast Channel 99 and Verizon Channel 28 in town. The virtual meeting will also be streamed live on Youtube.

The district will send out a parent survey following the presentation.

Gov. Charlie Baker agreed with Riley's proposal Tuesday that school districts should start bringing back elementary students for full-time, in-person learning as soon as April. Baker said the pandemic has been tough on everyone, especially students.

"But it's been really tough on kids, and their parents, as they struggle to be out of the classroom and detached from their teachers and their peers," Baker said.

When the coronavirus pandemic began, the state education board allowed districts to implement remote and hybrid learning to meet learning time regulations. Riley said he plans to ask the board to amend those regulations to give him the authority to determine when the hybrid and remote learning models no longer count for learning hours.

Riley and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended keeping students and teachers 3 feet to 6 feet from one another. Riley said that anecdotally there hasn't been evidence it has made a difference in COVID-19 virus exposure.

"The science is pretty clear on this one," Baker said. "There are now dozens of reports from all over the world that it's safe to be in school. Doctors and public health experts, including Dr.[Anthony] Fauci, all agree that getting kids back in school needs to be a top priority."

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