Over 600 North Andover Students Chose Online Learning Academy

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — Over 600 North Andover students opted into the Online Learning Academy, superintendent Gregg Gilligan said in a letter to the school community Friday.

While the district was still in the process of confirming the 618 opt-ins, that would represent over 12 percent of the district's students, based on 2019-2020 enrollment.

The North Andover School Committee voted Aug. 10 to approve a hybrid model where students above kindergarten spend two days per week in person and three days remote. The School Committee modified the district's plan to include full in-person days for high school students.

Kindergarten students will be split into a.m. and p.m. cohorts.

Under state rules, all families were eligible to opt into an remote-only model, called the Online Learning Academy in North Andover.

"Student schedules and cohorts are being reviewed and adjusted to reflect the impact of Online Academy numbers and the change to a full day schedule at North Andover High School," Gilligan wrote, Friday. "This is intensive work, and we expect that you will receive an update towards the end of next week from your building principals regarding cohort assignments."

The School Committee is due to discuss the calendar Thursday, with the first day tentatively scheduled for Sept. 16.

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