June 25 2020 by Carol Britton Meyer
Summer vacation has just begun, but school administrators, parents, and students are already thinking about the upcoming 2020-2021 school year and what the "new normal" will look like.
Gov. Charlie Baker and other state officials involved with the release of the Initial Fall School Reopening Guidance are expected to make an official announcement later today. Further guidelines are anticipated in July.
According to published reports this morning, students in second grade and up -- and all adults in the school setting -- will be required to wear face masks; desks will likely be set up between three and six feet apart -- preferably six feet; and students could be required to eat their lunches in the classroom -- all working in conjunction with social distancing requirements.
It's also likely that school administrators will determine how many students can be accommodated in each classroom based on the amount of space available and the ability to social distance.
Preliminary information available at this time indicates that school officials will be expected to prepare for three possible teaching scenarios -- a full return to a "regular" school day, a combination of remote and in-person learning, and a continuation of the remote-learning only model.
HIngham school officials will provide information as it relates to the Hingham school community once the reopening guidance has been officially released.
This is a developing story, so stay tuned for further details.
Where are Hingham’s COVID school guidelines posted? Is the school committee meeting in person or at all? One and 1/2 months till school starts and no plan. Why does the Superintendent think it’s OK to distant students in grade 2-12 at 3′ as he states in his memo? While everyone else distances at 6′, the students are OK at 3′? Let’s see the science behind that Mr Superintendent, where is it? To have in school learning, we need Hingham COVID testing available with acceptable turn around time getting results to stop the spread.