North Shore Schools Mixed On Mask Decisions: Patch Weekender

SALEM, MA — Many schools will have a dramatically different look than at any point over the past two years when students and staff return from vacation to mask-optional classrooms across the North Shore next week.

While Swampscott will wait until March 14 to drop its mask order, and the Salem School Committee is set to make a decision on the mandate that is still in place in that district next Monday night, Feb. 28 will be the day that students in Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody and several other districts will have the mask-free option for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis closed schools in March 2020.

Read some of the reasons behind each district's decision, and anything you may have missed on the North Shore this past week in this special edition of Patch 3-Day Weekender:

All Marblehead Schools To Go Mask-Optional On Feb. 28

"If we start to try to take some of that back it leaves me sitting in a conundrum and I worry that our teachers and our administrators are going to have to fall back into that (mask-policing) role.," Marblehead School Committee Chair Sarah Gold said. "It's not what school should be about at this point — discipline over a mask."

Swampscott Sets March 14 As School Mask-Optional Target Date

"Two years is a long time to be teaching the way we've been teaching and educating the way we've been educating. Some of our youngest kids don't know what normal school looks like," Swampscott Superintendent Pamela Angelakis said.

Salem Schools Will Not Immediately Lift Mask Order As State Mandate Expires

"I get that people are super tired of this pandemic. I am very tired of this pandemic. I've thought a lot about this over the past few weeks, and past few months, this transition. I think this transition is really hard. It's hard for some people because they just want it done. It's hard for others because they are really concerned," Salem School Committee member and Salem State professor Dr. Kristin Pangallo said.

Danvers Schools To Go Mask-Optional Upon Vacation Return

"This is a family choice. That's what people have been advocating from the beginning. That they want their individual families to make that decision. We are agreeing that now is the time for that choice to be made," Keith Taverna, Danvers co-acting superintendent, said.

Beverly Superintendent Makes Mask-Optional Call

"We've all been working together throughout this pandemic on a lot of things. Yes, the message needs to be: 'Mask-optional' Not: 'Mask elimination.' The difference is that it's not a requirement. It will be a choice whether or not someone does that," Beverly Superintendent Sue Charochak said.

Early Decision To Go Mask-Optional In Peabody

"We have done a very good job of following the DESE mandates and they have served us well. We've maintained a safe environment in school. I would support on Feb. 28, if this (state) mandate isn't extended, I would support going mask-optional in all of our schools when we come back from February vacation," Peabody Superintendent Josh Vadala said.

Swampscott's Town Clerk, Communications Director Resign

Swampscott will be looking to fill two more key positions in town government after Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald said Town Clerk Susan Duplin and Communications Director Allie Fiske are both leaving for other employment opportunities.

Salem Schools To Consider 'November Break' In 2022-23 School Year

Superintendent Steve Zrike told Patch on Wednesday that the week off shortly after Halloween — which was used to assess the start of 2020-21 mostly remote-learning COVID-19 pandemic year — could make a comeback next year if there is interest among families and staff.

Danvers Acting Superintendents Extended At Least 2 More Months

Keith Taverna and Mary Wermers will be charged with jointly guiding Danvers Public Schools for at least another two months after the School Committee approved and extended their respective contracts Monday night.

Swampscott Narrows Police Chief Search To 2 Finalists

Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald told Patch on Monday that a screening committee of town educational, religious, civic and community leaders met with semifinalist candidates on Thursday with two finalists chosen out of that group.

Body Of Missing Peabody Man Found In Beverly

The body of a Peabody man who had not been seen since walking away from Beverly Hospital nearly three weeks ago was found in Beverly last Saturday afternoon.

Peabody Fire Victim Dies 1 Week After Ellsworth Road Blaze

"On behalf of the Peabody Fire Department, I want to express our deepest condolences to the victim's family and loved ones. This was a tragic event for them and the community, and we
believe the tragedy could have been even greater if not for working smoke alarms in the building," Peabody Fire Chief Joseph Daly said.

Kaffmandu of Danvers To Open New Downtown Beverly Location

A popular Danvers cafe is opening a new location in downtown Beverly as it takes over the space of another beloved coffee shop. Owners of both locations said that Kaffmandu Coffee House of Danvers will takeover the Gusto Cafe on Cabot Street at the end of the month.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)