Andover Public Schools To Host Reopening Forum Aug. 13

ANDOVER, MA — Andover Public Schools will host a public forum on Aug. 13 as it plans for fall reopening, Superintendent Sheldon Berman said in a letter to the school community Monday.

The district's sixty-member "Return To School Task Force Working Group" is working on three plans for the fall, as required by state guidelines: in-person, remote and hybrid learning. The Group is focusing on six areas: health and safety; logistics; learning tools; social-emotional learning and mental health; instruction; and arts, health and physical education.

The state's chief education official has asked school districts to prioritize in-person learning when school resumes in the fall and keep reopening announcements close to the vest for a few more weeks. Districts need to provide the state with a reopening plan by July 31 but are not supposed to announce final decisions until August.

>>MA School Reopening: Districts To Prioritize In-Person Learning

In his letter, Berman noted that the state has not covered certain areas the district views as critical, such as the school year calendar, transportation and extracurricular activities.

Residents can contact COVID-19@andoverma.us with your questions or suggestions.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.