EAST LONGMEADOW — The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is auditing the local school district after questioning its reopening timeline.
Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley notified the East Longmeadow Public Schools that it would be contacted this week regarding an audit, said Superintendent Gordon C. Smith.
“We welcome the opportunity to share information with members of the commissioner’s office and receive any additional input or support provided by them,” Smith said in an emailed statement.
State officials last month contacted multiple school districts, including East Longmeadow, that continued to conduct all-remote learning despite comparatively low coronavirus infection numbers, urging them to start bringing students back into school buildings.
“The district’s planning for this school year had four main planning groups focusing on district leadership, operations, teaching and learning, and long-range planning/contractual issues,” Smith said. “Each group helped work through the guidance received from DESE throughout the summer and with the developing of the three different instructional models for the District Reopening Plan.”
All of the groups had the common focus on keeping all in the school community safe while continuing education in one of three instructional models: full in-person, hybrid or full remote, said Smith.
Riley sent letters to 16 other school districts last month, pressuring areas that were deemed “low risk” COVID-19 areas to return to in-person learning. In addition to East Longmeadow, letters were sent to West Springfield, Amesbury, Belmont, Berkshire Arts & Technology Charter Public School, Bourne, Boxford, Gardner, Gill-Montague, Hoosac Valley Regional, Manchester Essex Regional, Mohawk Trail, Hawlemont, Pittsfield, Provincetown and Watertown.
Riley sent a follow-up letter Oct. 20 to East Longmeadow and Watertown, stating that both school districts would be audited because neither had adjusted their timeline for returning students to in-person or hybrid instruction, according to a department spokesperson.
With the audit, the state will review East Longmeadow’s remote learning program to see if the district is following state and federal regulations around learning time, and if the district has a plan to return to in-person instruction; if adequate support is being provided to students with special needs and disabilities as well as English learners; and whether the district is communicating adequately and regularly with its students and their families.
As of Thursday there were 77 Massachusetts communities designated as “high risk” for coronavirus transmission, according to a weekly report released by the state Department of Public Health.
East Longmeadow is included in that designation, with a total case count of 351 since the pandemic began. Of that number, 21 were reported in the last two weeks.
To be designated as “red” or high risk in the color-coded metric means that there are more than eight cases per 100,000 residents over a period of 14 days.
The East Longmeadow School Committee reviewed and discussed the instruction plan Aug. 3 and 6, according to Smith. At the Aug. 6 meeting, the committee invited the East Longmeadow Public Schools physician, director of health and the nurse leader to join in the final review and discussion of the plan.
Ultimately, the School Committee voted for the East Longmeadow Public Schools to begin the 2020-2021 school year with the majority of students learning remotely, while students with significant and complex needs would receive in-person instruction and related services in the district’s school buildings.
“The East Longmeadow School Committee committed to working closely with local health officials and medical advisors throughout the fall to review the local health data in order to make a decision on transitioning to more in-person learning in December for a January start,” Smith said.
Any information pertaining to the audit could be placed on the agenda or included in the town managers report at the next scheduled council meeting to be held Nov. 10, according to Michael Kane, chair of the Town Council.
“Our superintendent and town manager are working diligently together to insure a safe environment for our students and staff,” said Kane in an emailed response. “New information becomes available daily and is being monitored and evaluated prior to possibly reopening after the Christmas break.”
Related Content:
"share" - Google News
October 24, 2020 at 05:25PM
https://ift.tt/3kqpXqs
East Longmeadow school superintendent ‘welcomes the opportunity’ to share information as state urges reopening - MassLive.com
"share" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2VXQsKd
https://ift.tt/3d2Wjnc
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "East Longmeadow school superintendent ‘welcomes the opportunity’ to share information as state urges reopening - MassLive.com"
Post a Comment