Salem Public Schools Adjusts For Full-Day Classroom Return

SALEM, MA — Salem students will see slightly adjusted arrival and departure times, as well as a half-day on March 31, as the district prepares to bring back all younger students five days per week to full, in-classroom learning by April 5.

The district said that school start times will adjust between five and 10 minutes to accommodate the transportation protocols of the coronavirus crisis. End times will also be extended as well with all revised times available here.

Kindergarten through eighth-grade students will return full-time by April 5, with high school students likely following by the of the month.

The district also said that March 31 will be a half-day to allow for staff and educators to set up classrooms for the April 5 return, as required for elementary students through a state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education directive.

"We recognize that this can be disruptive to families and hope you understand our teachers' need for planning to return to the classroom full-time," the district said.

Some grade levels will also be issued more independent work time over the next two weeks to enable collaborative planning time.

"We appreciate your understanding as we do our best to navigate through this year and work to support our educators and school staff," the district said.

A date for high school students to return full-time will be determined soon.

"We are still formulating our plans (for Salem High)," Superintendent Stephen Zrike said last week. "But it is our expectation that before the end of April we will have students back five days a week at the high school level. … I think it would be a safe bet to say that it will be following the April vacation the third week of April."

Did you find this article useful? Invite a friend to subscribe to Patch.

(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.)

More Patch Coverage: Salem Schools To Return K-8 Students Full-Time April 5

Salem Seeks Vaccination Help For School, Childcare Workers