Andover Schools Plan Elementary Return April 5, Middle April 28

ANDOVER, MA — Andover Public Schools elementary and middle school students will be in school full-time by the end of April, the superintendent said in a letter to parents Sunday.

In accordance with state guidelines, elementary students will go first, returning to full in-person learning April 5. Middle schools will follow on April 28.

Due to a recent change in state guidance, hybrid learning will not count toward learning time requirements after those dates. There is not yet a deadline for high school students.

Under the new state rules, remote learning is only permitted for families that choose it.

Andover already brought its youngest students — kindergarten and first grade — back full time, March 8. That plan was in the works before state officials announced their intention to mandate full in-person learning.

In her letter, interim Superintendent Claudia Bach said the administration is "continuing to explore avenues to increase in-person learning" for high school students, but for the moment they will continue in the current model of hybrid and remote learning.

The district plans to send high school families a planning survey Tuesday that will ask about their preferences for in-person or remote learning.

Families of younger students will receive a registration link to pick between in-person and remote models as well as bus preferences. Responses are due Sunday.

The administration will present to the School Committee Thursday a plan to expand bus service to grade 8; currently, bus transportation is only available for kindergarten through grade 7 students.

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

Correction: An earlier version of this article headline suggested the district planned to bring high school students in full-time April 28. There are no firm plans for the high school. It has been corrected.