Peabody Schools Need More Staff To Reopen

PEABODY, MA — Peabody Public Schools could reopen for all students with a three-foot social distancing requirement but would likely have to switch to a hybrid model if the state requires schools follow the Centers For Disease Control's recommendation of six feet, new Superintendent Josh Vadala told the school committee Friday.

The school committee approved Vadala's request to hire a new fourth grade teacher, something the district already knows it will need under the tighter coronavirus restrictions, and a middle school adjustment counselor.

Vadala said the school system has enough wiggle room in the $74.8 million budget to make the two additional hires. But the district will likely have to hire additional elementary school teachers and school adjustment counselors to comply with the still yet-to-be-finalized state and federal guidelines for reopening.

School systems across Massachusetts are working on three return to school plans: a full reopening, a fully remote school plan, and a hybrid that combines classroom and remote learning. The plans need to be flexible enough that teachers and students can move from one plan to another as the coronavirus ebbs and flows this fall.

To prepare, Peabody is working on securing grants to provide all students with take-home computers by the first day of school.

Dave Copeland covers Peabody and other North Shore communities for Patch. He can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).