LYNNFIELD — While Governor Charlie Baker is strongly encouraging school districts to begin offering more in-person learning, the Lynnfield School Committee isn’t quite convinced that route is in the district’s best interests.
“We all, more than ever, want our students back in school for full-time in-person learning, that has never been an issue,” said Superintendent of Schools Kristen Vogel. “But the issue is logistically it is not feasible considering the current DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Schools) guidelines. It is impossible for us to have 100 percent of our students in school for full-time learning.”
Vogel said that there are three factors working against increasing in-person learning in Lynnfield: things that are within the control of the district and School Committee; guidance and direction from the state; and community impact and input.
“As an example, DESE guidelines allow only 23 kids on a bus that normally fits 77, so there is no way we can get students to school on buses,” Vogel said. “Also, facility guidance on the six-foot distance requirement for kids to eat with their masks off means it is not logistically feasible for us to fit all of our students in classrooms or the cafeteria.
“It comes down to, until guidance changes, it is logistically not feasible to bring all of our students back.”
Vogel said that another major obstacle is the classroom piece, saying that even if three-foot spacing is used, only 70 percent of students would fit in most classrooms.
“We can never get to 100 percent,” Vogel said.
COVID-19 Liaison Toni Rebelo said another factor at play is the fact that the guidelines with respect to close contact have not changed.
“If we change from six-foot spacing to three, the number of students in close contact will double,” she said. “That would mean more kids would be going into quarantine if someone comes down positive,” adding that there have been three positive cases in students at the middle school and one at the high school.
“That shows the hybrid system is working and my concern is there could be a big ripple effect if we change the distances. It’s not spreading within the schools. We are keeping people healthy. Even if we are red, it’s not spreading in schools.”
Lynnfield High Principal Bob Cleary said downsizing the distance requirement would result in a “wildly revolving door with way more disruption than what we have now. We are just starting to get into a groove and to bring more people back into the building will cause more problems.”
Committee member Rich Sjoberg asked what effect three-foot distancing would have on teachers if a student tests positive.
Huckleberry Hill School Principal Melissa Wyland said she would “definitely lose more teachers due to close-contact guidelines.”
Director of Teaching and Learning Kevin Cyr noted that the district has already had days requiring “serious juggling among staff when teachers are out. The greater concern would be our ability to maintain appropriate staff levels.”
Committee Chairman Jamie Hayman expressed his concern that, while he agrees that it may not be logistically feasible to have all students return full-time, the district cannot lose sight of its goal to have more students in school.
“I agree that the overriding factor is that, with the guidelines, and knowing that six feet is safe, the reality is Lynnfield is not able to do anything other than what we are doing,” committee member Tim Doyle said in response. “But we need to do more long-range planning and we need to nurture this. Our students are facing a gigantic void and we need to explore whatever we can do to get more kids back in school.”
For Cleary, it comes down to consistency.
“The governor is shutting things back down state-wide yet is saying we need to bring more kids back, so that is frustrating for us,” he said. “He is sending a widely mixed message to all. I appreciate the School Committee support for using common sense. Nobody is sitting back and sipping piña coladas. We need to be consistent and use common sense and do what works for us.”
In terms of the community component, Hayman said he is “alarmed” that the total of student cases in Lynnfield is “three times than North Reading, Reading and Marblehead combined.
“That’s a recipe for going remote,” he said. “We are hearing from teachers that kids are still having lots of playdates and birthday parties and gatherings, while our educators are saying they can’t see their families for holidays. This is a mixed message so people need to not beat the crap out of the School Committee when they, themselves, are having playdates and parties. It’s really that simple.”
Anne Marie Tobin can be reached at [email protected].