Page 12 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, July 31, 2020 SCHOOLS | FROM PAGE 1 late as Wednesday, Sept. 16. The first 10 days of the school year will now be used to provide teachers and staff with time to redesign classroom lessons, to learn techniques to help students overcome trauma they may have experienced during the pandemic and to learn and acclimate to the many new safety and health protocols developed to keep students and school educators and staff safe from COVID-19. For Malden Public Schools (MPS) students, according to sources, this means the first day of classes would be Monday, Sept. 14. The school year, classes-wise, was originally set to begin on Wednesday, Sept. 2. In conjunction with the 10day delay, the deal includes a lifting of the mandate of 180 school days required for 202021 and allowing 170 days this academic year. In addition to the state-level news on the start of school date, locally, Malden Public School Supt. John Oteri on Wednesday released to the public a draft plan titled “Preliminary School Reopening Summary.” He has stressed this is a “draft plan,” with the possibility and probability it will be updated and include some changes before final implementation. According to the plan, the major premise is that most MPS students are planned to be part of a hybrid learning system which will feature alternating weeks of in-person and remote learning. Some of the district’s most vulnerable students will be able to have in-person or remote learning exclusively, according to their individual situations. The report states, “MPS is John Oteri Supt. of Schools ~ Legal Notice ~ THE MALDEN HOUSING AUTHORITY 630 Salem Street Malden, MA 02148 PH: 781-322-3150 FAX: 781-322-3543 TDD: (800) 545-1833 x 103 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING The Malden Housing Authority (MHA) will conduct a Public Hearing to discuss and obtain input relative to the submission of the MHA’s Proposed FFY 2021 Annual Public Housing Agency Plan (PHA Plan) as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Proposed revisions to the MHA’s Section 8 Administrative Plan, Public Housing Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy, Public Housing Lease and/or House Rules, and planned HUD Capital Fund Grant Program construction projects will be presented for discussion during this hearing. MHA Resident Advisory Board Members, Public Housing Residents and Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Participants, elected and other local government officials, representatives of social service agencies and advocacy groups, community leaders, concerned citizens and all other parties having interest in these hearings are invited to attend to express their priorities and concerns and/or offer comments and suggestions. Depending on Governor Baker’s Re-opening guidance, this Hearing is intended to be held on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, beginning at 9:00 A.M. in the 630 Salem Street Community Room, which is accessible. If held onsite, face masks will be made available to attendees and will be required to be worn, and social distancing will be practiced and strictly enforced. If an onsite Hearing is not possible, MHA will hold this Hearing on GoToMeeting at: MHA HUD PHA Annual Plan Public Hearing Tue, Sep 22, 2020 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM (EDT) Please join this Hearing from your computer, tablet or smartphone at: https://www.gotomeet.me/StephenFinn/mha-hud-pha-annual-plan-public-hearing Attendees can also join this Hearing by dialing in on their phones: (For supported devices, tap a one-touch number below to join instantly.) United States (Toll Free): 1 877 568 4106 - One-touch: tel:+18775684106,,613501125# United States: +1 (646) 749-3129 - One-touch: tel:+16467493129,,613501125# Access Code: 613-501-125 Attendees can also attend this Hearing from a video-conferencing room or system: Dial in or type: 67.217.95.2 or inroomlink.goto.com Meeting ID: 613 501 125 Or dial directly: 613501125@67.217.95.2 or 67.217.95.2##613501125 Please download GoToMeeting at the following link if this Hearing will be held online: https://global.gotomeeting.com/ install/613501125 For questions, please contact the MHA’s Executive Director, Stephen G. Finn, at (781) 322-3150. By: Mark A. Lawhorne, Chairperson MHA Board of Commissioners The MHA is an Equal Opportunity Housing Provider and a Drug-Free Workplace July 31, 2020 SCHOOLS | SEE PAGE 15 committed to returning to teaching and learning using a blend of three approaches to meet student needs: in-person learning, hybrid learning, and remote learning. While the majority of students will participate in the hybrid model alternating between in-person learning and remote learning, families will also have the option to select a full-time virtual academy for their student. “The virtual academy will provide synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities. Students with high needs – such as those who cannot engage in remote learning due to their disability-related needs, those requiring sub-separate programming, emergent English learners and /or students who are homeless – will be eligible for full-time in-person learning.” In the report, the Superintendent and his staff share the results of a citywide survey of parents and caregivers, which drew a tremendous response of nearly 4,000 entries. The majority of the respondents, in every instance asked, favored a hybrid form of learning for their children this year. Hybrid models include a mix of in-person and remote learning. Another telling response to the survey was that a full 98 percent of those who answered indicated they did have access to Wi-Fi internet in their homes, which is essential to remote learning. More than 96 percent also indicated they had a device in their homes which would allow them internet access. This past school year, as the pandemic forced a seismic shift nationwide to remote learning, Malden, like many other communities, went to great lengths to ensure educational equity by making sure that every MPS household had both Wi-Fi access and a device available to their student. Over 4,000 Chromebooks were distributed by the district; in the report, it is indicated that the goal and intent of MPS is to have over 6,000 Chromebooks in students’ hands, in a district of over 6,700 students. According to the report, MPS will offer full-time in-person learning for a small group of students requiring specialized supports. Students qualifying for in-person learning are described below: • Students already identified as “high needs” through the Individualized Education Planning (IEP) process on the IEP form entitled “Primary Disability/Level of Need-PL3.” Such students must meet at least two of these criteria: • Services provided outside of the general education classroom
13 Publizr Home