School’s Out for Summer…and possibly longer? While schools are hopeful to have students back, they’re also preparing for the possibility of remote learning that continues into fall 2020.
Since mid-March, students have been ushered out of schools and into their homes, using Zoom and their parent’s laptops to continue learning. A month later, Governor Baker closed schools for the rest of the year, leaving students and parents alike with many questions about what the fall will look like.
Just last week, the Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, Jeff Riley, the state is “ working to have schools up and running in the fall with appropriate safety protocols.”
That said, remote learning will be a large part of planning this new school year. With the second wave of coronavirus looming, educators have to be prepared for the possibility that any in-person education could be interrupted again.
The CDC also recently released its guide to reopening schools, which includes the following recommendations:
- Wearing face coverings at all time
- No school assemblies or field trips, instead, virtual events
- Desks spaced six feet apart
- Drop-off and arrival staggered times
- Bathroom sink dividers
- Have students bring their own lunches, no cafeteria-style eating
As of now, Commissioner Riley is still working on an entry plan for schools in the state. When questioned about it, Governor Baker said the state is hard at work on a plan, and citizens will hear the plan “sooner than later”
“I certainly believe we have the ability here to do imaginative and creative things that are safe for kids and faculty and administrators as well,” Baker said.
