Page 12 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2020 RevereTV Spotlight CHILDCARE | FROM Page 1 I n partnership with the Rossetti-Cowan Senior Center, RevereTV produced a Halloween craft show for the city’s senior citizen viewers. It is called “Eek and Boo” and is now airing on the RTV community channels every morning before and after the daily “Senior Health Series” episodes. Not only is this an instructional program, but supplies for the craft were given to 35 seniors who called the senior center during the show. You can still call the senior center to see if there are any craft kits left! The City of Revere is marking the end of Hispanic Heritage Month with a virtual celebration of the culture. Unlike in the past, this year the celebration was made virtual and includes a word from Mayor Brian Arrigo, who recorded his segment in the new studio at 261 Washington Ave. RevereTV is replaying this program on television throughout the next few weeks. You can also fi nd it on the RTV Facebook and YouTube page. Last Thursday, RevereTV covered another Revere Youth Baseball championship game. It was Indians versus Phillies, and although it is aired live on all RTV outlets, you can watch past games on YouTube at any time, or catch the community channel on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights for replays. A Creature Double Feature movie special typically airs on RTV every Saturday afternoon. That will stay as is, but the staff at RevereTV loves to celebrate Halloween and the start of the holiday season. To get everyone in the spirit, a scary movie will play on the community channel every weekday at 3 p.m. throughout October. For Advertising with Results, call The Advocate Newspapers at 781-286-8500 or Info@advocatenews.net sues with childcare and remote learning, but she said the possibility of a private company operating childcare within the schools was never discussed in negotiations with the RTA. “Teachers are asking how this can happen and that this is not what we bargained for,” said Garro. “If the district wants to pursue this plan, it would be sensible to off er teachers the option to work from home. Not only would this decrease the number of people in the school buildings, but it would also spread out space for students in the daycare program.” Several teachers who spoke on Tuesday raised the possibility of having teachers work from home fi ve days per week, rather than the two days agreed upon in the negotiations over the summer. Garro said the city could also explore the option of having the daycare take place in one of the currently empty municipal buildings, rather than in the schools. “We are all aware that the number of Covid cases is rising all over, especially in Revere,” said Garro. “Putting additional people in school buildings that are already occupied does not seem sensible or safe.” Hill Elementary School Teacher Victoria Vitale Bingham said many RTA members are uncomfortable with having more people in their buildings. “I have personally worked very hard to keep my family, some of whom are high risk, and my small circle safe,” she said. “The space for this program is not isolated; they will need to leave the space to use the bathroom, or if they are ill, they will have to use the isolation room.” Vitale Bingham said the program violates the agreement between the City of Revere and the RTA. However, she said she did see a bright side to the move. “Revere Public Schools want to help families who are in desperate need of childcare,” she said. “It’s great there will be a program out there to help a small amount of families have a safe space during the day. I know that students and their families need support more than ever now.” But, Vitale Bingham added, staff should not be put in a situation where they do not feel safe and should have the option to work fully from home. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dianne Kelly said that school principals have taken extreme precautions to make sure the AlphaBEST programs can operate safely in the schools. “There is no reason whatsoever that any Revere Teachers Association member would need to engage with the AlphaBEST program,” Kelly said. “The one place I will acknowledge is at the Hill School, where the program is designated for the gym, which is on the second fl oor, and students in the AlphaBEST program and staff members might need to use the restroom. They will need to traverse the hallway to the bathroom, which is about an eight foot walk.” However, Kelly said it is the expectation that all students and staff will be masked while going to the restroom, as well as while in the program in the gym. She said operating the childcare in the gym also offers more space for social distancing. “This is an incredibly difficult time for everybody,” said Kelly. “I don’t want to diminish how incredibly diffi cult it is for our teachers, but I need to highlight how incredibly diffi - cult it is on families. We have some kids right now who are trying to learn remotely from home with no parental supervision because their parents are working, and we have other students learning from home where the parents are on the verge of bankruptcy because they need to get back to work, but they have no place for their children to go during the day.”
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