Full School Return A Time To Reconnect In Salem: Superintendent

SALEM, MA — Salem Public Schools is putting forging connections and re-establishing relationships and routines ahead of the importance of standardized tests as students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade return to full-day, in-classroom education five days a week for the first time in nearly 13 months on Monday.https://www.facebook.com/Salem...

Superintendent of Schools Stephen Zrike said that "while academics are important" the focus of the final three months of this school year will be "making sure we reintroduce many of the routines that have been missed over time and that we prepare students for the upcoming (2021-22) school year."

"(Academics) have their place, but the most important reason we're bringing students back to school, and want students back in school, is to reconnect around those social relationships that are so valuable and such a big part of school," Zrike said during his weekly Facebook Live session.

"I know MCAS is looming and there's a lot of angst about that. But that's just not at our forefront. We may have to take the assessment (test) with it being required — it's a much more streamlined assessment. But our focus has to be on stabilizing the experience for our young people and making sure that they are afforded the time to rebuild many of the connections that have been so lost during the pandemic."

Zrike said staff has been provided a 15-page health and safety document to help navigate the return to full classrooms — with at least 3 feet of social distance between students and 6 feet between students and staff — and additional resources to purchase classroom materials.

"No one is more excited to see kids back full-day, five days a week than I am on Monday," Zrike said. "I know many families are too. I know there is still anxiety out there but we are working on overdrive to make sure it's a seamless transition for children."

Salem students in grades kindergarten through second grade had been in a four-day hybrid learning program, while third through 12th grade was in a two-day hybrid program.

Zrike said a return date for high school students to full-day, in-classroom learning will be revealed during Monday night's School Committee meeting.

Zrike said he expects there will be more quarantine requirements with more students back in the buildings and the virus still within the community. Vaccinated staff will no longer be required to quarantine in the case of a close contact, but students will be with vaccines not available to them yet.

"In some cases, it will be the entire class and in some cases it will be a small number of students," Zrike said. "But with more students in school, I expect we will see an additional need to quarantine."

Zrike said he sees around the city that people are increasing their socializing and activity, but asked that families adhere to the guidelines of physical distancing, mask-wearing and congregating to help make the return to full, in-classroom learning as minimally disruptive as possible.

"While we're excited about a return to some level of normalcy it's too early to celebrate or feel we've conquered this awful virus because it is still alive and well out there," he said.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)