Salem Schools To Return K-8 Students Full-Time April 5

SALEM, MA — Salem Public Schools intends to meet the state's directive to bring back all elementary school students five days per week in the classroom when it offers full, in-classroom learning to students in kindergarten through eighth grade by April 5.

A date for high school students to return full-time has not been determined.

"We are still formulating our plans (for Salem High)," Superintendent Stephen Zrike said on Tuesday. "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."

Younger grades through grade 2 are currently in school four days a week, with older students two days per week.

The district said remote-only learning will remain for families that choose it, but the hybrid-learning model will no longer be offered.

Default assignments will be assigned beginning April 5 unless the district is otherwise informed of a change.

Current in-person students will remain in-person for an extended day. Current hybrid students will move to full, in-person learning. Those in fully remote learning will remain in fully remote learning.

Families in grades kindergarten through eighth grade who want to switch their students' learning model must the respective school's front office by Friday, though Zrike indicated on Tuesday that could be extended a couple of days. That will be the final opportunity for families to change options this school year.

"You only have to fill out the survey if you don't want the default," Zrike said.

Zrike said the message from the Department of Secondary and Elementary Education last week was a "clear directive" to bring back all elementary school students full time by April 5, middle school students by April 28 and high school students at a date to be conveyed next month.

Zrike said efforts will be made to maintain 6 feet of social distancing, but there may be cases where only 3 feet will be possible. The distance between teachers and students will remain 6 feet, and 6 feet is required during mask breaks and lunch breaks.

"There is new research that distancing of less than 6 feet and more than 3 feet does not necessarily result in more prevalence of virus in the schools," Zrike said. "As a district, we are going to try to maintain 6 feet of distance for instructional time. That is something we feel strongly about."

Because of the 6 foot distance required when eating, Zrike said the district will likely be looking for volunteers and possible hires to cover breaks and other activities.

He added that March 31 will likely be an asynchronous — independent — remote learning day for all students so teachers will be able to set up classrooms.

Zrike said the exact arrival and departure times each school day will be determined shortly, but that he anticipates it will not be significantly different than the traditional times before the pandemic.

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(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.)

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