Good Evening Beverly Parents and Families,

As we approach the opening of school many feelings and concerns are being expressed. It is understandably a period of conflicting emotions for our students, families, and staff. We all want school to return to “normal” but need to face the reality that, however, we return to school this fall, it will look very different for all. I want to update you on the decisions made at last night’s Beverly School Committee Meeting regarding the fall reopening of schools. The members adopted three models for the various grade levels.

Preschool:  

• Our 4-day integrated preschool program will be in person as scheduled (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, both AM and PM sessions). 
• To maintain small class sizes, peers may need to be reassigned to a new session, depending on enrollment. 
• Classrooms will be cleaned between the AM and PM sessions. 
• Our five day intensive and intensive-integrated programs will meet daily at 8:15 a.m. and end with a staggered dismissal schedule from 12-12:30 pm.
• Lunch will not be served, but a grab and go lunch will be available.
• If your child is eligible for related services only, those services will be scheduled to occur in person, unless remote services are requested. 

 Grades K-4:   

• All students will attend school in person five days a week on a modified schedule from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
• Grab and go lunch will be available at dismissal and be eaten at home.
• Students will participate in an additional 75 minutes of learning remotely from home from 1:00 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
• Students will arrive on a staggered arrival and dismissal schedule with 10-minute intervals from (7:30 - 8:00 and 12:00 - 12:30).
• In this model, a minimum of 4.5 feet of social distancing maintained (greater distances when available).

Grades 5 & 6:

• Students will be divided alphabetically into two cohorts (A & B) and attend school in a model that provides for 2 Days in-school and 3 Days remote.

• Students will be dismissed at 1:00 pm BMS.

• Grab and go lunch will be available at dismissal and be eaten at home.

• While teachers will work in school each day, all students will be remote on Wednesdays with small group instruction and teacher check-ins in the morning and independent work for the remainder of the day.

•  In this model, 6-foot social distancing is maintained. 

Grades 7 -12:

• All students will participate in remote learning to begin the year, with the anticipation that students will move to a hybrid model during the school year.
• Students will follow their regular schedules remotely with their teachers.

Remote Learning Academy K-12:

• Any student that desires to be remote for the entire year may enroll in the Remote Learning Academy. Expectations will be the same for students participating in a full in-person or hybrid model as it relates to attendance, time on learning, grading, and scope and sequence or curriculum. Students in grades K-6 will follow a district created program. As a result of the breadth of courses our high school students require, we are weighing options for our high school students. One option includes an independent on-line curriculum supported by Beverly teachers, and the other consists of a blended approach that provides a combination of a separate online program and some direct instruction from Beverly teachers. 
• We will provide additional information by Monday, August 17th. 
• While we anticipate that families that choose the Remote Learning Academy will remain in this pathway for the entire school year, there will be natural points at the end of each grading period where a student may change and start to attend in-person or hybrid, based on being able to maintain safety guidelines.

Building principals will reach out in the next week to confirm with parents which option they will select for the child for the upcoming school year. As a district, we need to know by Friday, August 14th, what choice all children will attend school this September to finalize our plans for the safe return of all students and staff members.

Finally, the school committee revised the 2020-2021school calendar. All students will begin school in their approved model on Wednesday, September 16th, 2020. We will continue with updates as the days grow closer to the opening, but please, as always, know that you may contact me with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Sue Charochak

Superintendent of Schools

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Dr. Suzanne M. Charochak
Superintendent of Schools
scharochak@beverlyschools.org
978-921-6100