THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 Page 7 HYBRID | FROM PAGE 1 –Cohort A of the students in grades Kindergarten through 5 will return to the Hybrid model on Thursday, Feb. 25. During the regular week, they will have in-person classes on Tuesday and Thursday. –Cohort B of the students in grades Kindergarten through 5 will return to the Hybrid model on Friday, Feb. 26. During the regular week, they will have in-person classes on Wednesday and Friday. –Students in grades 6 through 12 are scheduled for their return to the classroom on Tuesday, March 2 at the Saugus Middle High School Complex. –Parents of students throughout the entire school system will continue to have the option of having their children remain in remote learning at home, but will have to at least remain there for five weeks if they request to transfer into the hybrid learning model later. –“Grab and Go” lunches will be provided instead of the traditional school meals served in the cafeteria, at least for the current time. –Parents with questions should contact the building principal for the school that their child attends. School Committee supports DeRuosi The full committee publicly supported the superintendent wholeheartedly at last week’s (Feb. 12) meeting. There was no formal vote, because it was DeRuosi’s decision to make. Committee members called on the community at-large to help by not engaging in activity that could lead to another spike in confirmed COVID-19 cases in Saugus. “If we spike again, it’s out of our hands,” Committee Chair Tom Whittredge said. “We can keep kids safe in school, but we can’t control what goes on outside of school,” he said. Committee Member Arthur Grabowski said it would behoove the community to reflect on the spikes in COVID-19 cases which occurred after the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday vacations because some town residents didn’t practice social distancing, wear masks or face coverings and wash their hands frequently. “It’s up to the community,” Grabowski said. “If you want your child in school, then let’s abide by the guidelines,” he said. Grabowski said it’s obvious from what he has observed that some residents are still participating in family gatherings and not taking proper precautions to protect themselves by practicing social distancing and wearing face coverings. Quarantines present “biggest challenge” In his 10-minute video, which can be viewed by clicking the bar for school administration on the town website or going to https://www.saugus.k12. ma.us/, DeRuosi talked about the uncertainty of going into the hybrid mode. “The biggest challenge we face is the inevitable moment that a classroom or a school is faced with the need to quarantine staff members and students,” DeRuosi said. “Other districts that are already back have struggled with this as we will as we come back to an in-person learning model. We will be monitoring our numbers related to any kind of COVID absenteeism or quarantining daily,” he said. Classrooms where students may be required to work remotely. “This is part of the new reality we must face and deal with as we move forward in an in-person TELLING IT LIKE IT IS: Saugus Public Schools Superintendent Dr. David DeRuosi, Jr. provides parents a briefing on what to expect and how to prepare while announcing plans for the school district to begin reopening classes next week for K-5 and the following week for Grades 6 through 12. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) or staff come in close contact with COVID-19 will be required to switch from in-person learning to remote for a 10-day period. Like an unanticipated snow day, parents should be prepared to field an early morning call that their child’s class, team or school learning model,” DeRuosi said. “On March 13, 2020, we closed our schools for what we all thought would be two weeks. Almost a year later, we are just attempting to bring our students back,” he said. “We all have to make the adjustments to deal with life in a COVID world.” Then DeRuosi offered the simple advice which state and federal health officials are telling citizens every day: • Wear masks. • Do your best to socially distance. • Wash your hands. “These are simple procedures that have been demonstrated to work to curb the spread of this virus,” DeRuosi said.
8 Publizr Home