Waltham On Track To Return Students Full, In-Person By April 5

WALTHAM, MA — Waltham is on track to return students up through grade eight to full, in-person learning five days a week, per the state's timeline, according to Superintendent Brian Reagan.

While Reagan previously said he planned to look into applying for a waiver request to delay the in-person learning, he said that after reviewing the State's application process, how long it would take to apply and reviewed it with the district task force on returning to schools, and guidelines that they would have to meet, they didn't think it was worth it.

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He recommended the district forego a waiver and use the time to plan for a return based on what The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has published.

"It doesn't seem fair to keep people hanging," he told the School Committee March 17, noting the process seemed intentionally cumbersome. "It just didn't seem right."

Waltham pre-k through eighth grade classes have all begun returning to school in a hybrid model. The district welcomed everyone who chose to be in the hybrid model in grades 4, 5, 7 and 9 and 10 into the hybrid as of March 22.

Reagan said the energy was high in the schools.

"Teachers are smiling. They're really happy to see their kids back," he said, thanking them and parents for their work and patience.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's timeline calls for elementary schools to be in person five days a week by April 5.

DESE indicated it only planned to grant a few waivers in extenuating circumstances. And districts needed to submit waiver and alternate plans to officials by Monday. Of the 74 districts that requested waivers, the state approved 58 district exemptions, Boston.com reported.

Thirty-two of the waiver requests will allow districts to begin with an elementary school hybrid model by April 5 and date before incrementally moving to full in-person classes in April or early May.

The timeline for a return to full-time in-person learning five days a week in Waltham:

• Elementary school (grades PreK-5): Full-time starting Monday, April 5.
• Middle school (grades 6-8): Full-time starting Wednesday, April 28.
• High school (grades 9-12): Most high school students will remain remote until the district receives guidance from the state.

The deadline to switch students out of a remote learning model to hybrid or in-person was March 19, according to the district. As of March 17, only about 30 families had reached out to the district to change their choice.