From CommonWealth Magazine we share an article of interest for Franklin:
"A WEEK AFTER school committees began making decisions for reopening schools, a day after the plans were originally due to the state, Gov. Charlie Baker released a map to help guide their decision-making. It’s the latest move in what has turned out to be the Commonwealth’s embarrassing lack of leadership on school reopening.
Baker and Education Commissioner Jeff Riley realized last week they might have a problem as school districts began deciding on reopening school. At a Zoom meeting with the Boston Chamber of Commerce, Shira Schoenberg reported that “Riley is strongly urging local schools to open in person this fall, pushing back against state teachers’ unions who are calling for the school year to begin remotely.”
A few days later, Baker, also responding to the teachers unions, remarked, “There are many communities in the state that are in very good shape when it comes to their COVID rates, and there are a bunch that have work to do. I think to wipe away the idea, to say that everyone should go remote, first of all, the facts don’t support it, the data doesn’t support it, and the science doesn’t support it, and I’ll leave it at that.”
Baker shouldn’t have left it at that. In fact, he should have started with it."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) https://commonwealthmagazine.org/education/lack-of-leadership-on-school-reopenings/?
Franklin will go in person in a hybrid model, after a remote learning and planful start. With school opening Sep 16, and the ECDC and high needs students starting in person, I don't see how the MDN can say it is 'fully remote to start'.
"School officials on Tuesday continued to hammer out plans for a return to learning, ending a four-hour discussion by voting to support a fully remote start to the 2020-21 school year.
The School Committee also voted to adopt a modified school calendar that has teachers starting Aug. 31 and students starting Sept. 16, giving teachers 10 days for professional development, training and preparation. The last day of school will be June 21.
While wrinkles in the plan — which needs to be submitted to the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education by Friday — continue to be ironed out, the school board ultimately voted in support of a basic outline that calls for easing into a hybrid learning model over the course of three months. The vote was 6-0, with one abstention.
“This is a living document. We are continuing to monitor the data as it comes in, getting feedback from staff and going forward on that point,” said board Chairwoman Anne Bergen."
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200813/franklin-school-board-supports-remote-start-phased-move-to-hybrid-learning?rssfeed=true
The audio for the 4 hour School Committee meeting is here. The video will be available in a few days https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/08/fm-328-franklin-ma-school-comm-mtg.html
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| In the News: "Commonwealth’s embarrassing lack of leadership on school reopening" |
