Nashoba Tech High School To Return To In-Person Learning

WESTFORD, MA — Nashoba Valley Technical High School is phasing out hybrid learning beginning March 22, in an effort to keep with recommendations of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

“The goal is a phased-in approach to increasing in-person learning on the students’ academic week while continuing to follow COVID-19 restrictions,” Superintendent Denise Pigeon said.

Since September, the school has had students in school full-time during their technical week and learning remotely full-time during academic. Students with high needs have been prioritized for full-time in-person instruction since the start of the year

Although there have been coronavirus cases among both students and staff, there has been no evidence of in-school transmission, according to the school.

School officials had already planned to implement its phased-in approach to more in-person learning during the academic week, when the state's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced school districts would need to pick up the pace to return students to classrooms.

Fully remote options will remain for families who request them.

The first phase of the plan, according to Pigeon, is to have all students return for one day each academic week, as determined by their hometown.

Pigeon said the main hurdle to a full reopening for in-person learning on the academic week is the physical distancing requirements in academic classrooms, which is 3 to 6 feet, according to DESE. Capacity restrictions on buses, had also been a concern.

With the new bus-capacity guidance released by DESE, the district was able to begin implementing its phased-in academic reopening.

“We have had the full support of the communities in our district and our teachers and staff, who have all worked together to make this school year run as smoothly as possible under such difficult and unprecedented circumstances," Pigeon said.

She said the fact that the vast majority of students have already been in school for their technical learning, the return to in-person academic learning could be a smooth transition.

“Everyone — from the School Committee to the administration to the teachers — agrees that there is no replacement for in-person instruction,” she said.

The phased-in return:

• March 22: Students who live in Ayer and Shirley, as well as School Choice and non-resident students, will return to school for academics if that is their academic week.
• March 23: Students who live in Pepperell and Townsend will return
• March 24: Students who live in Groton, Littleton and Westford will return
• March 25: Students from Chelmsford will return.

March 26, will be used as a second day for students who have struggled particularly with remote academics.

The following week, beginning March 29 will follow the same schedule for students who have academic instruction that week.

At the end of those two weeks the leadership team will re-evaluate, and move to phase 2, which would bring students back for two days of in-person academic instruction a week.

The ultimate goal is to have all students back in school full time this spring "if possible" and in accordance with DESE’s plan, according to the district.

Earlier this month, Nashoba Tech began pool testing of students.