AMHERST — Almost all of the 2,400 students in the Amherst, Pelham and Amherst-Pelham Regional schools are being taught remotely, but a privately run distance learning center is allowing some students to be at the high school.
Superintendent Michael Morris told the school committees last week that 13 students, all of whom have intensive needs, are able to be in the building for the K-12 program and have “access to distance learning with that in-person support.”
Since health metrics in a memorandum of understanding between the school district and the Amherst Pelham Education Association have been triggered, based on the rising caseload of COVID-19 in the region, all teachers, paraprofessionals, and other union staff are not able to teach in person. That prompted turning to a private entity to run the program.
“This is additional costs,” Morris said. “We are looking at grant funding to offset some of these costs.”
The precise way in which the program is being run, and the costs, are the subject of a Gazette public records request.
Even with the added expenses, Morris said establishing the distance learning center is cost-effective as a way to provide for families who might otherwise seek out-of-district placement for their children. If students do have to be placed in other schools, that would be more expensive for Amherst and the other regional towns of Pelham, Shutesbury and Leverett.
Morris said the district is offering the space at the high school as an in-kind contribution, and picking up some of the transportation costs from the students’ homes.
The district is providing some in-home service to students, as well, but Morris said the distance learning center may be safer because it is well ventilated, cleaned regularly and everyone is wearing masks. And without other students in the building, Morris said there is “space galore” to offer the program.
Amherst representative Peter Demling said he appreciates that the district has been able to help those struggling and who needed in-person learning
“The fact that we’re able to do this, even for a small number of students, is very noteworthy given the circumstances,” Demling said.
Demling wondered if there is a way to serve more students, even those with less intense needs.
Morris said the district is also working with staff at the town’s Leisure Services and Supplemental Education and the Marks Meadow After School program to provide more assistance to students, especially those with a high rate of absences during remote learning.
