HADLEY — All students will be able to return for in-classroom instruction at both the Hadley Elementary School and Hopkins Academy on Oct. 26 as the town’s public schools move to the next phase of reopening.
With the health metrics related to COVID-19 continuing to be favorable, the School Committee voted unanimously Thursday to allow students throughout the district to resume in-person learning.
“I feel fairly confident in the safety measures we have in place,” said committee member Tara Brugger, adding that the committee and school officials have taken a conservative approach so far.
Committee member Humera Fasihuddin said she has confidence the schools are ready for students and that any possible spread of infection can be controlled.
Superintendent Anne Mckenzie said that even though daily COVID-19 incidents rate per 100,000 residents in Hampshire County have gone from 2.8 in late August to 5.5 in the past two weeks, this is well below Harvard Global Health Initiative’s key metrics for COVID-19 suppression. That metric advises school reopening is safe so long as cases remain below 9 per 100,000 residents.
In addition, the data shows the total COVID-19 case count in Hadley was 48 on Aug. 26, and rose to just 52 cases by Oct. 14.
Emma Dragon, chairwoman of the Board of Health, told the committee her panel backed moving to the next phase.
Under the plan, adopted over the summer, all students will be in school daily but will be dismissed two hours earlier than during normal times.
About 196 elementary students, in what is known as a cohort model to limit children’s interactions with others, will have classroom instruction from 8:25 a.m. to 1 p.m., and get a grab-and-go lunch. Specials, such as art, music and physical education, are being taught remotely when students return home.
At Hopkins, roughly 120 students will be following a similar schedule, from 7:35 a.m. to noon. They will also be in cohorts in school, where they will participate in classes online, but have access to adults in the building.
“It’s essentially remote learning, but in person,” McKenzie said.
Some students have been in school building since the beginning of the school year, McKenzie said, identified by standards set by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, including preschoolers, English language learners, students with special education plans and/or disabilities, students qualifying for free and reduced cost lunches, children of teachers in the district and students in congregate or foster care.
Chairwoman Heather Klesch said the committee will review data over the coming weeks and be ready to adjust should the landscape change.
