SALEM, Mass. — After a five-and-a-half-hour meeting Monday night, Salem Schools Superintendent Stephen Zrike thought he knew how school would begin, then it changed drastically.
On Tuesday, Zrike spoke with Boston 25 News about the hybrid model for students up to Grade 3 who would come in-person for classes, as well as students who struggled during the spring semester with remote learning.
Later that day, Salem would be colored in yellow on the Department of Public Health’s new color-coded COVID map for all communities.
The map’s purpose is to show cases per 100,000 people over two weeks so school districts and those living in towns and cities could determine what to do for the school year. At the time, Gov. Charlie Baker said most schools should be able to open.
>>Related: Baker maps high and low risk areas of MA, says some may return to school
On the North Shore, there was a lot of red, meaning schools with higher COVID-19 incidents such as Lynn (24.3), Chelsea (19.2), Revere (18.4), Saugus (9.0) and Salem (8.3).
“These metrics just came out and we’re doing our due diligence trying to figure out where it stands,” said Saugus Schools Superintendent David DeRuosi.
“We’re not looking to put anybody in harm’s way but on the other hand, we’ve been pretty good at analyzing the data as it comes out and making data-informed decisions,” DeRuosi said.
>> BPS pushes school start date to Sept. 21
Salem Public Schools had also picked a hybrid model, then changed course after appearing in red on the state map.
“While we don’t really know what’s going to happen between now and the beginning of school, we really need to settle on a direction right now,” said Zrike.
Revere will start remote, said Superintendent Dianne Kelly but she added that the district wants to bring in English learners and special needs students in some capacity.
A member of the administrative office said that as of Thursday morning, Saugus’ plan for a hybrid return had not changed.
Final plans from districts are due to the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on Friday.
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RESOURCES:
- Massachusetts Coronavirus Information
- Boston Coronavirus Information
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