Live education updates: The latest on the COVID-19 pandemic and education in Mass.
106 students, 57 school staff members tested positive for COVID-19 over the last week, state reports (Oct. 9)The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced Thursday that 106 students and 57 school staff members at districts across Massachusetts have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week. According to the state, districts that reported a handful of positive cases among students include Burlington (five cases), Haverhill (eight cases), and Hudson (five cases). According to the state, the weekly report represents the number of cases reported by school districts to the department between Oct. 1 and Oct. 7, representing cases from charter schools, approved special education schools, and collaboratives. The report excludes any cases among students who are only enrolled in remote learning. It also excludes any confirmed cases among staff members who have not been in district buildings during the seven days prior to the report of their positive diagnosis. View the full report here.
37 Marlborough High School students, staffers in quarantine after individual tests positive (Oct. 8)
Thirty-two Marlborough High School students and five staffers are in quarantine after an individual at the school tested positive for the coronavirus, The MetroWest Daily Newsreports.“The building administration followed our established protocols, notified parents and guardians and the entire school,” Superintendent Michael Bergeron told the newspaper in an email.The positive test comes days after the city’s School Committee opted to have students return to a hybrid learning model, the Daily News reports. Last month, the school shifted to fully remote learning when seven students tested positive for the virus. None of those students had attended classes in-person this school year before testing positive, according to the newspaper.As of the committee’s vote Friday, there were no positive cases at the school.Bergeron told the news outlet he does not recommend the school return to fully virtual learning based on the recent positive test.
195 UMass Amherst students could be disciplined for breaking COVID-19 protocols (Oct. 7)
Nearly 200 UMass Amherst students could be disciplined due to breaking COVID-19 protocols throughout September.WCVB reports that incidents happened both on and off campus. The disciplinary action could result in anything from being spoken to up to being expelled from the school.So far, 132 students have tested positive for the virus since Aug. 6, according to the UMass Amherst website.“Emphasizing a confrontational approach can be counter-productive and discourage participation in contact tracing efforts,” university spokesman Edward Blaguszewski told The Boston Globe in an email. “However, if students are involved in egregious or repeated acts in violation of the UMass Amherst Community Agreement, such matters are forwarded to the Dean of Students for review and potential sanction under the Code of Student Conduct.”
Some Woburn students placed in quarantine (Oct. 7)
Woburn Superintendent Matthew Crowley said “a few” students in Woburn have tested positive for the virus in a letter obtained by The Boston Globe.The students will be in quarantine for 10 days and they show no symptoms, according to the letter.“Everyone has worked incredibly hard to open our schools in both the hybrid and virtual models,” Casey said in the letter. “We must all be diligent in our efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.”Woburn schools remain open in a hybrid model, and school officials will continue to monitor the situation, Crowley wrote.
Sharon Teachers Association issues vote of no confidence against school committee chair amid ongoing issues within district (Oct. 6)
Members of the Sharon Teachers Association say they don’t have confidence in Judy Crosby, chair of the district’s school committee, due to her “hostile, unprofessional, and dismissive treatment of educators, district administrators, parents, and other members of School Committee.”A statement from the group says Crosby has dragged out union negotiations, has spread misinformation, and has “stonewalled requests for information from select community members and educators.” The union says Crosby has also tried to play down educators’ concerns over HVAC systems.In response, Crosby said the union’s statement includes “substantial inaccuracies” in a statement to the Boston Herald.“It is unfortunate that the union has chosen to attack me personally,” she said in the statement. “Without addressing the substantial inaccuracies contained in the union’s statement, since I became chair six weeks ago, the school committee has greatly expanded opportunities for input from educators and will continue to negotiate in good faith.”This is just the latest amid upheaval in the Sharon school district.District Superintendent Victoria Greer was recently placed on leave, and she alleges it was due to racial discrimination.
Framingham Public Schools to remain remote after climb in COVID-19 case numbers (Oct. 6)
Students in Framingham Public Schools are set to continue learning remotely until at least January, according to an announcement from the district.District officials cited an increase in COVID-19 cases in the city, and city officials say the “current spike in COVID-19 cases can be attributed to gatherings across the City.” Fines of $500 are planned to be issued to those violating gathering rules for the first time; there will no longer be warnings.In schools, officials plan to convene on Dec. 7 to discuss possibly switching to a hybrid model in January if the city’s case count trends down, according to the announcement.Students with the most needs are continuing in-person lessons at this time, but more students will not be headed back on Oct. 26. A return to school for some of these students is planned to be discussed on Oct. 19 with a potential return on Nov. 2, the announcement said.
Most Leominster public schools to switch to hybrid model (Oct. 6)
Most Leominster public schools are switching from fully remote learning to a hybrid model by Nov. 9.WHDH reports the school committee voted on the moving during a virtual meeting on Monday night.“We have been preparing and making sure that all of our structures, all of our resources, our communications from the largest items to the smallest detail are in check,” Superintendent Paula Deacon said during the meeting, according to the news station.
https://www.facebook.com/leominsterschools/posts/3663964736956420
Westwood middle school staffer tests positive; school switches to remote learning (Oct. 6)
Westwood’s Thurston Middle School switched to remote learning Tuesday after a worker at the school tested positive Monday, the same day they were at school, according to Superintendent Emily Parks. The staffer learned of their positive result Monday evening.Contact tracing is underway, Parks said. Having a remote day Tuesday gives officials time to disinfect the school. Wednesday was an already scheduled remote day, Parks said in a letter to the community.“We completely understand that this situation is anxiety-producing and that community members will want to know which grade level, team or program the staff member works in,” Parks said. “However, we are not permitted to share that information due to privacy requirements.”
3 students dismissed from Harvard on-campus housing following party (Oct. 5)
Three Harvard University freshmen students were sent home after they held a party in Mather House, where they were living, in September, The Harvard Crimson reports.The gathering included three or more additional guests, in violation of university rules during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the trio are the first confirmed to be sent home due to breaking protocols, according to the student newspaper.Harvard classes are completely online for this semester, and the students will be able to continue their studies remotely, the Crimson said.
Falmouth High School goes remote after students attend party (Oct. 5)
Some Falmouth High School students allegedly attended a party at Woods Hole this weekend, and didn’t maintain social distancing or wear masks. Now, the school has gone completely remote, according to a letter from Principal Mary Gans on the school’s website.Gans didn’t say when the school will return to in-person learning.“I am profoundly disappointed that Falmouth High School students would put our school community at risk during a public health crisis, especially after all of the hard work and planning we have done to ensure that the school year would start off safe and healthy for all,” she said in the letter.
https://www.facebook.com/falmouthhigh/posts/10157523385857890?__cft__[0]=AZUoGRUl9nXrx0_TF1Y_1V7XyARV7ih3Pfn9-QwR2Ws61832tJ0sU1O-y4daCNu-K1zVM0y1Nqxvx7g-JS3l3BC0Z7Mr0feGACkX9uwX8a_rejgJ4JR1IoTMdMsFyKCQ0quFuteCEKHEtNeYB-o_h1xCPwrDm4GR9jU1MwnUjB75wEJJDULVKJX6HlQMXjVBoQs&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R
Live education updates from last week can be found here.
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