Lincoln-Sudbury HS Looks To Hybrid Model For Return To School

SUDBURY, MA — Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School officials have prepared three draft plans for a return to school in the fall amid the coronavirus pandemic. Like many districts in the state, Lincoln-Sudbury appears to be leaning toward a hybrid model, where students split time between online learning and the classroom.

The district released three draft plans on Monday covering the hybrid model, an all-remote model, and a full return to class. Each plan would be hard to implement, the officials said, but the hybrid model appeared to be the most popular.

"Although this is the hardest model to implement, a majority of staff and a significant portion of families support this as the best practical blend of the in-person experience and safety," the draft plan says.

Under the hybrid model, students would be split into two cohorts. Although students from the two cohorts would still share classes, they would never be in the building together at the same time, according to the plan. Students would be spaced 6 feet apart, and would be required to wear masks. Students would be partially in class four days per week, with Wednesdays reserved for full remote learning. Here's an example of a schedule included in the plan.

Whatever plan the district chooses, the school will look much different. The district would install Plexiglas dividers in the cafeteria to separate students, and hallways will be one-way, among other strictures.

The Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee is accepting feedback on the plan at the July 21 meeting, but is expected to vote on the final plans on July 28.

The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is requiring every school district in Massachusetts to submit three reopening plans by the end of July.