Brookline Votes On Phased In-Person School Reopening Plan

BROOKLINE, MA — The School Committee voted on a school opening plan. The plan involves a phased reopening with some students coming back to school physically immediately, tents outside schools for classrooms and a remote academy for those who choose to keep students out of school.

The plan was presented on Aug. 10 and then adjusted and voted on after hours of discussion Wednesday night. The final plan has to go to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education by Aug. 14.

"This is the plan to open school. Our goal is to return students to school," said Interim Superintendent Jim Marini.

The new "RemotePlus" plan is a change from a previous hybrid recommendation. The plan would start by having only BEEP, kindergarten students and students in any grade considered high-needs, or who cannot learn remotely due to a disability, who lack internet or computer resources, come from low income families or are not very proficient in English head back to in-person learning on Sept. 16.

Under the RemotePlus plan, students in grades 1 through 12 would begin with a fully remote start for the 2020-21 school year.

The plan then would have children in the rest of the grades to slowly roll into the in-person model as classrooms and buildings are certified with health and safety benchmarks from well ventilated classrooms to new air filtration systems.

The district will set up tents to augment remote learning by having students meet teachers and friends and develop "socio-emotional supports."

The district will also have an option for families to opt into a Remote Academy for those who want to keep their kids in a remote mode of education. Officials said they'll send out information on this next week.

Faculty and staff will return to school buildings without students on Tuesday, Sept. 1, for protocol training, professional development, and remote learning support. Student learning will officially begin on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

Marini said in an effort to keep from getting stuck in the opening model, he wanted to keep at the forethought the goal of returning students to school, with the caveat that the building meet standards of safety.

Not everyone on the school committee said they were comfortable voting Wednesday.

Susan Wolf Ditkoff acknowledged the disagreement between teachers and parents as to which model should be put into play, but said she was more concerned about a lack of a clear educational model.

"I believe parents when you voice concerns, parents are not trying to force teachers into unsafe buildings," she said. "Parents are talking about sending their own kids into these classrooms -kids that they would walk in front of a busses for."

She called the disagreements a false divide.

"Parents are scared that the kids won't get the education and services they need," she said, adding it was the school committee's responsibility to address that.

But she also said she took educators at their word.

"I hear your fear, I believe you when you say we need standards and benchmarks," she said.

Marini said part the district would have to negotiate an MOU with the educators.

District officials said there are 485 kindergarten students registered so far this year, but expect that enrollment to rise now that the plan has been finalized. The total enrollment is 230 students less than last year, they said, noting the decrease was not enough to create space for in person learning for everyone indoors and maintain a distance of 6 feet.

Watch the full presentation, conversation and vote, courtesy of Brookline Interactive Group:

See more details of the plan:

Read more: Brookline Town Hall Employee Tests Positive For Coronavirus

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