Waltham Schools Delay In-Person Reopening Plan Amid Pandemic

WALTHAM, MA — Waltham Superintendent is delaying Phase 2 of the district reopening plan, he said Friday. Students in second, third sixth, 11th and 12th grades will not begin in-person as part of the hybrid learning plan on Nov. 9, as the district had previously indicated.

"Unfortunately, local COVID data does not support the return of additional students on November 9," Superintendent Brian Reagan said in a letter to the community Friday.

Waltham has been classified as a high risk community for the past four weeks in the commonwealth’s weekly public health report with pandemic case numbers steadily rising.

Earlier this week, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency issued alerts through cell phones to residents in more than 20 communities where they consider the coronavirus to be a “serious threat.” Waltham was one of these communities.

"While we are not seeing evidence of school-based spread, we continue to see evidence of household spread that is impacting both remote and in-person students and staff of the Waltham Public Schools," said Reagan.

As of Friday, 50 people had tested positive since the beginning of school for the coronavirus, among members of the Waltham Public Schools community, according to Reagan.

"I have confidence in our internal protocols designed to help us manage cases safely, but our capacity has limits and given the city’s current COVID data, it is not wise to welcome additional students back into buildings at this time," he wrote.

Those students who are currently experiencing in-person learning will continue to do so, he said.

Responses have been mostly supportive, Reagan told Patch.

"I think people realize how problematic Waltham's COVID numbers have become," he said.

As of Friday, there have been 1,704 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus in Waltham since March. There have been 79 people who have died in Waltham.

Reagan said there is a small number of parents who are not happy with decision.

The plan right now is to aim for in-person in early December.

But, he said, that's contingent upon the direction the cases go.

"I am concerned about how Thanksgiving will impact cases," he said.

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how .