With all of the news around school reopenings, I decided to check out how our other public school and the private schools based in our town are handling this fall.
The vocational school for our district, Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School, will reopen on September 15th. The plan is to begin with a weekly Hybrid Model. Students will alternate weeks in-school and remote learning. Grades 9 & 11 will make one cohort and 10 & 12 the other. September 15th kicks off Freshman orientation.
You can learn more about their plan here.
Fay School is currently planning to hold in person classes starting on September 9th. The boarding school will welcome boarders the day prior. The 8th is also the day of orientations and “Meet the Teacher” events.
While all students are welcome to join the in-person classes, the school will offer remote options for students unable to take advantage. (Some students may not even be able to enter the country based on federal travel restrictions.) Boarding students have the option to attend school through Thanksgiving, then return home for remote schooling through the end of Winter Vacation. (They can also return to school after break as long as they follow protocols.)
Last week, St. Mark’s School announced that in-person education will be delayed until mid-October. Online learning will begin September 14th. The announcement noted that on-site boarding won’t be available:
At this time, we are planning a return to in-person academics and athletics—without boarding—on Monday, October 19. We will welcome all students—whether originally day or boarding status—if they are able to make it to campus, as part of our day experience.
Those who can’t (or won’t) attend school on campus will participate in remote learning. Between Thanksgiving break and winter break, all students will learn remotely.
Parents are invited to ask questions during a zoom call this evening. The school plans to issue updated information on the situation on September 25th.
The announcement echoes another message on the website from earlier last week. The school is promoting that faculty were engaged in professional development this summer to well prepare for both hybrid and remote learning:
Throughout July, St. Mark’s faculty members were deeply immersed in a special course entitled “Designing & Building for Student-Centered Hybrid Learning at St. Mark’s.” The faculty is now well-prepared to present the curriculum in both a fully-remote format and, when practical and safe, a hybrid model for 2020-2021.
