Woburn Schools Plan To Bring All Students Back Full Time April 5

WOBURN, MA — Woburn Public Schools officials are working on a full return to in-person learning April 5, Superintendent Matthew Crowley told the School Committee Tuesday.

"We will plan for April 5, because that's what the date set was," Crowley said. "That may change."

District officials plan to go beyond what the elementary full return that state officials are calling for, although the date of return and other elements remain up in the air.

"The state is advocating a phased-in approach — they want to prioritize the youngest kids first," Crowley said. "We would probably just say it's everybody when we come back because Woburn can do it that way."

The administration will present plans to the public an upcoming School Committee meeting.

"It's important to emphasize that we have no clear return date from the state, and haven't received new guidance yet that would allow us to make this move," School Committee Member Andrew Lipsett said. "The plan is to await more specifics from the Commissioner, while doing our best to anticipate possible changes."

Gov. Charlie Baker and education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley said Feb. 23 that they want to see elementary kids back in school in April. The state education board is set to decide Friday whether to give Riley the emergency power to effectively force in-person learning.

The district is planning for an April 5 return because that's the target date the state has set, but plans may change, Crowley noted.

"I'm enthusiastic that we're thinking about coming back to school, I really am," Crowley said. "I just want to make sure we're doing it safely and we're doing it the right way."

Crowley noted that while transportation guidance has been relaxed, making busing easier, there are other issues the local officials are looking for updates from the state on, like distancing guidelines during meals and other mask breaks.

"This has been incredibly frustrating," Crowley said. "The goal posts keep moving."

If Riley gets the emergency power he has requested and the district does not return to full in-person learning, it stands to lose over $100,000 per day in state funding, Crowley noted.

District planning includes family and staff surveys, meetings with the teachers union and reconvening the planning groups from the summer. Most hybrid families said in response to a survey that they would come back in-person, with only a few dozen saying they would switch to the virtual academy, which would continue to operate.

The full meeting is available here, from Woburn Public Media Center.

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