Area schools experienced their first foray into the “new normal” Wednesday as they opened their doors — figuratively, in most cases — to students for the new year.
For the most part, with a few exceptions, schools have not been open to students for any kind of formal learning since March 13, when the COVID-19 pandemic began sweeping the nation.
Not a traditional
opening in Lynn
It wasn’t a traditional first day of school in Lynn, as Wednesday kicked off five days of student orientation.
The first day of “core content instruction,” or traditional teaching and learning, in the Lynn Public Schools will not be until next Wednesday, Sept. 23, according to Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler.
“The orientation days are school days,” said Tutwiler. “There is a tight focus on acquainting students with the learning management system, ensuring that technology glitches are ironed out, and ensuring that students have books and supplies.”
Overall, Tutwiler said the first day of school went well, with predictable issues around technology, such as student log-in problems and families who have still not picked up their devices.
“Given the predictable challenges, we have a goal of 100 percent of our students having an Internet-connected device at home and able to access our learning management system, and an average daily attendance of 95 percent by week three of the school year,” said Tutwiler.
Lynn Classical High Principal Amy Dunn said the school had a great orientation on Wednesday.
“We had a morning where we set everyone’s technology who was struggling,” said Dunn. “It is really good to see the kids. This afternoon has gone pretty well. It’s just making sure everyone has technology in their hands and they’re able to use it.”
In the morning, Dunn said Classical held an open session for anyone who was having problems with technology or needed supplies. Between 250 to 300 students, many of whom came in with a parent, took advantage of that session, she said.
In the afternoon, the school held a YouTube live orientation session for students, who also spent time with their mentoring rooms, Classical’s spin on the traditional home rooms. Each student is paired with a mentor for four years, who provides them with social-emotional and first responder-oriented support, Dunn said.
A parent of three Lynn students herself, Dunn said she is looking forward to the students getting back to learning next week.
“Our kids deserve a great education and it’s really exciting to have them back with us,” said Dunn. “I think some great things are going to come out of what’s been a hard situation.”
At Fecteau-Leary Junior/Senior High School, Principal Maura Durgin-Scully said the school’s first day of orientation consisted of 20 to 25 minutes one-on-one sessions with students and their guardians.
Those sessions were aimed at getting students and families set up with technology, including the district’s new learning management system, ensuring that their consent forms were up to date, providing wellness checks with student nurses and getting them the supplies they would need for their remote therapy with the school’s art and music therapists, Durgin-Scully said.
Durgin-Scully said there were some “little bumps” with technology, but overall the first day went well. Teachers and students were happy to see each other and there were “elbow bumps” all around.
“I feel like the general overall feeling was the buzz was like happiness (and) relief on our part and the families,” said Durgin-Scully. “If this is any indication of how this year is going to go, then we are in good shape.”
Still, numerous social media posts from parents suggested that the first day of school was not entirely smooth sailing. There were numerous gripes about log-in issues and other problems with technology.
A 26-year-old mother with several children in the district said the first day “didn’t go well.” After days of trying leading up to the school year, the woman said her children still can’t log in.
The district’s learning management system, Schoology, is still not working for her three children, she said.
One of her kids couldn’t get a device because the “lines were ridiculously long,” and another one of her children, who has special needs, had a 20-minute call with his teacher during orientation, which made up the entirety of his school day, she said.
“The lack of information has been consistent,” the mother said.
In Lynnfield ‘most
everything went well
By all accounts, the first day of school in Lynnfield with a fully remote learning model was a success.
“Most everything went well and it was great to see the students,” said Lynnfield Middle School Principal Stephen Ralston. “We had excellent attendance and engagement from students.”
All school buildings have installed signage indicating social distancing separation and one-way corridors in anticipation of starting the year with some in-person learning under a hybrid plan.
At the high school, the atmosphere was far from what you would feel on a typical school day.
The halls were eerily empty and so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Other than teachers making their way in and out of classrooms, the place was pretty much a ghost town.
“It’s a whole different atmosphere without students in the building,” said history teacher Pat Lamusta. “It is so quiet in the halls and it also felt like my first day with all the new technology. But it was great to see all the students on Zoom and get to know them on the first day.”
Principal Robert Cleary said, “so far, so good. We had a few minor audio and connection problems from the home side, but overall it was great.”
Assistant Principal Brian Bates said the feedback from teachers was positive.
“I cannot tell you how extremely excited they were to see students’ faces and get to work,” Bates said.
School committee member Rich Sjoberg, the father of Richie, a 10th grader at the high school, and Ryan, a sixth grader at the middle school, said “the day went really well.
“Richie had a perfectly smooth day, right on schedule, and other than a couple of log-in issues, Ryan also had a good day. They were both excited to be logging in and were excited to see their teachers.”
Ryan’s day even included a scavenger hunt organized by his teacher, Kaitlin Kilbride.
“All of a sudden, my son came racing out of his room, all over the house looking for dice, a set of playing cards, a ruler and measuring cup, it was so funny,” Sjoberg said.
Things were not nearly as enjoyable for high school junior Albert Berquist.
“I didn’t really like it,” Berquist said. “It was boring. We got to talk to some teachers and then did some classwork. Overall, it’s just online and it’s hard to focus. I’d much rather be in the building. It’s much easier to concentrate and not be so bored. I just hope that happens soon.”
“Today was exactly what people were begging for last spring,” Sjoberg said. “Obviously, we prefer to have kids in the building, but this is what everyone wants if we couldn’t do that.”
‘Nice to be back’
in Marblehead
School Superintendent John Buckley took a breather from the public school’s remote startup on Wednesday and exhaled: “It was so nice to get back to school,” he said.
Town public schools started remotely for grades 1 through 12 while pre-kindergarten students got a head start on their older classmates and returned to classes in person on Monday.
“Like every year, there was a mix of emotions — anticipation, excitement, anxiety and fear of the unknown,” Buckley said.
Three weeks of remote learning for local students will shift to a hybrid remote and in-person learning model on Oct. 5.
Under the hybrid re-entry model, students would be separated into two cohorts across the school district. Each cohort would receive two days per week of in-person learning for four hours on a Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday schedule with an additional four hours of in-person instruction every other week on Wednesday.
“The first day for us was very successful. More went right than didn’t. I received many emails from across the schools from parents and teachers who had a great opening,” Buckley said.
Buckley said kindergarten and grade 1 students return to class in person under the cohort system next week with grade 2 students returning the following week.
“Then everyone will be back in person in their cohorts on Oct. 5,” Buckley said.
Under the return plan, lunch will not be served at school, and afternoons would be spent learning remotely, according to Buckey’s presentation.
Students who choose to continue with remote learning only after the district shifts to a hybrid model will be assigned an educator. The remote model will vary at different grade levels, but attendance will be taken, grades will be assigned, and participation with respect to each grade level will be required, according to the plan Buckley mapped out last month.
New beginnings
in Nahant
In the best of times, the first day at a new school can be a daunting challenge for both child and parent.
For the four Palmer children, however, who moved to Nahant from Somerville earlier this year, Wednesday’s flag-raising at Johnson Elementary School marked the start of not only a new semester in a new town, but the beginning of what may very well become the most unusual year of their academic careers.
Quinn, 10, Grey, 9, Bingham, 6, and Wilder, 3, were the only children in attendance at the annual ceremony, having been invited as part of a welcome gesture by Principal Kevin Adrews to lead a pledge of allegiance that was broadcast virtually to other students and teachers via Zoom.
As they huddled together at the podium, the boys were watched carefully by their mother, Hope, and grandmother, Basia, who later attested to how difficult the last year has been for the young family, who, like thousands of other families, learned quickly how difficult it can be to navigate a world of virtual academics.
“I think (this year) is going to be a lot different,” Hope said. “Not that it was bad before, but everyone was trying to scramble to figure out what to do (with) all the teachers and the parents and the working parents. There were no good answers.”
Like nearly 80 percent of Nahant parents, Hope, who works in cybersecurity, chose to send her children back to school for full-time, in-person learning — an option very few other communities have been able to offer families.
Students attending in-person school only have one more week of remote learning before they’ll finally be allowed back inside the building for classes Sept. 21.
“I feel this is a great place to learn,” Hope said. “I’m really excited. It sounds like they’ve been scrubbing this place down and moving all the desks and educating everybody — parents, teachers, kids — so yeah, I feel good.”
As for eldest brother Quinn, he looks forward to meeting his new classmates.
“I can’t wait to go into the school,” he said.
It’s all ‘wonderful’
for Peabody students
“Wonderful.”
That’s the word School Superintendent Dr. Josh Vadala used to sum up Peabody’s first day of school Wednesday.
“Teachers were engaging with students virtually today and there was a feeling of excitement in the air,” he said. “The creativity and compassion they have brought to their lessons this year is inspiring.”
At Higgins Middle School, eighth grader Collin Carlson was picking up his Chromebook. He said he had a good summer but is “kind of nervous to be going back.”
But not because of COVID-19.
“I’m nervous about having new teachers,” he said. “Today we did introductory activities like meeting teachers and other things.It really felt nice to be able to talk to them and meet them before we are back.”
Middle School physical education teacher Lisa Keene said her day was full of Google meets with students.
“It was fun to see their faces again and I am really looking forward to seeing them in person,” she said. “We had a few questions here, but there were a lot of smiling faces.”
Keene said there is ample safety signage throughout the building. The parking lot and interior of the building have school-mascot inspired hawk decals to indicate where students should be when in line and where to sit in areas like the cafeteria. Keene said most of the hallways are now one-way.
Carlson said it may take a little time adjusting to the configuration of the interior of the building.
“It may be hard at first, but I think that everyone will figure it all out.”
School Committee member Beverley Griffin Dunne said she was thrilled with the response she heard from parents.
“Everyone I have heard from says things went very well today. Parents were pleased with the way things went, they were getting a good idea of how things would proceed in the upcoming days and students were becoming familiar with their teachers and their classmates,” said Dunne. “I didn’t hear about any problems, and I got the feeling that the energy level among everyone was one of excitement.”
While the first day was remote only for all students, Vadala said he is looking forward to the beginning of in-person learning.
“There were a few technological glitches here and there but our amazing technology team and incredible educators were able to troubleshoot with students and families to overcome these challenges,” Vadala said.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming students to in-person learning (Thursday) and Friday. There is a great sense of hope and optimism permeating the schools right now. We’re looking forward to a great year!”
Dunne said that even in a pandemic, “no matter how the “First Day of School” occurs, people are really happy and excited to see each other and to begin working on learning and teaching.”
Playing pays off
for Revere
Anthony D’Ambrosio is relieved but not surprised Revere is off to a good start on city students’ return to school.
“We’re a tough city,” the School Committee member said, explaining that Revere’s diverse population, heavily represented by immigrants, has forged hard-working and optimistic residents ready to tackle tough challenges — COVID-19 being no exception.
Revere initially had planned to start with using a hybrid model, but with coronavirus transmission rates rising in the city, state guidelines made remote learning the safest model for now.
D’Ambrosio said local teachers and paraprofessionals embraced remote learning and worked for months to make it a success.
“They are really creative and that is giving me hope that people can work hard even in the face of uncertainty,” he said.
D’Ambrosio and fellow School Committee members evaluated top school administrators’ recommendations to shift to a fully remote start of school, even though Superintendent Dr. Dianne Kelly has stated that the initial restart focus embraced a hybrid school model incorporating in-person classroom and at-home learning.
D’Ambrosio said the shift to a full remote start didn’t faze teachers and other school employees.
“Over the past few months I have seen the progress they have made up close and I got a real appreciation of how hard the school administration is working,” he said.
D’Ambrosio knows school’s start — even in remote mode — means parents who endured months of uncertainty over how the school year would unfold are finally getting definitive answers.
“Parents are happy there is a step forward and I am really happy about our staff stepping up to the plate,” he said.
Kelly has stated it is school policy to shift to a hybrid model as soon as possible.
In Salem, parents
seeking childcare
Salem educators worked to connect parents with childcare options even as pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students started school on Wednesday, two days after grades 1-12 began classes.
Salem started the school year remotely and worked with childcare organizations across the city to operate Hub Extensions — groups of up to 13 students learning in school buildings.
“Salem Public Schools is working to expand options for those families who are struggling with a lack of childcare,” the School Department posted on its website, adding a childcare space shortage means efforts to meet local school year childcare demand means prioritizing “those most in need.”
The Salem YMCA will operate a Hub at Bentley, Bates, Horace Mann, Carlton and Witchcraft schools. For more information, contact Libby Trejo at [email protected], (781) 990-7085.
The Boys & Girls Club will operate a Hub Extension at Saltonstall as well as two Hub Extensions for elementary school students from any school operating at Collins.
Please contact Barbara Marino at [email protected] or call (978) 744-0915.
Campfire of the Northshore will operate two Hub Extensions for elementary school students from any school operating at Collins.
To inquire about participation please contact Mary Cole at [email protected] or (781) 732-0223.
Catholic Charities, while not operating in conjunction with Salem Public Schools, is running a program in Peabody with full-day spots available. For information contact Nancy Shea at [email protected] or (978) 532-3600.
LEAP for Education will operate Hub Extensions at Collins Middle School and Salem High School beginning in October.
To inquire about participation please contact Teen Center Coordinator, Vicki Tzortzis at [email protected].
Originally Salem had opted for a hybrid model with students pre-K through third returning for in-person schooling while older students worked remotely, but after being designated as a red city by state guidelines, meaning more than eight cases per 100,000 residents over 14 days, the district had to adopt the remote model for all students.
Saugus family
survives day one
Saugus parent Jenn D’Eon had been bracing herself for the first day of school for months.
After a tumultuous spring semester of helping her children, Ally, 17, and Jake, 13, adjust to online classes, she was apprehensive to begin entirely remote in the fall.
She noted that computer issues last year made online schooling nearly impossible, particularly for her daughter, an AP student who was unable to take any of her final exams due to compatibility issues with the family’s laptop.
Like many other parents, she took a day off from her job at MassHealth in anticipation of the big day and, as she expected, spent Wednesday battling a host of tech problems that were only exacerbated by the amount of mass confusion held by all involved.
“Middle school had small glitches, like in some classes, the audio was having a hard time catching up,” she said. “But my daughter, she’s in 12th grade and has four online classes. She could not log into them and it took us hours before we were finally able to get hold of a person (to help).”
Like many during these times, however, D’Eon sought solace from fellow parents through social media, finding humor in the situation by providing her online audience with hourly updates on how her children’s first day was shaping up.
“Live! Jake no issues, already speaking with teacher,” she posted to Facebook early Wednesday morning. “Ally. Disenrolled from her homeroom. Working on it!!”
Five hours later she posted a picture of her son hard at work at the family’s kitchen table with the caption: “Eating chicken nuggets during class. CLASSIC!”
As difficult as the last several months have been for families, D’Eon acknowledged the efforts of those working around the clock to make sure Saugus students have safe environments to learn in, adding she understands the first several days will be a learning curve for all.
“It’s a significant change for everybody. Parents, kids, all of us. There’s no way anybody’s going to be rocking it right away. You have to have patience and try to find humor in it any way you can,” she said.
D’Eon signed off for the day around 5 p.m. with an encouraging thank-you message to Saugus teachers and staff.
“We survived day 1! Thank you to everyone who made it possible,” she said. “Teachers, staff, Saugus School Committee … It’s new. We will figure it out!”
In Swampscott,
it all went well
Nancy Malcuit said she was pleasantly surprised with how well the first day went for her three children who attend the Swampscott Public Schools.
“I was a little concerned but it went pretty well,” said Malcuit, 44. “Overall they were engaged and everyone was pleasantly surprised with how it went today. The teachers did a lot of work to get ready.”
Wednesday served as an orientation day for students, with teachers telling some of Malcuit’s children to expect some remote instruction on Thursday.
Malcuit has two children, a boy and girl, who attend Swampscott Middle School and a daughter who attends Clarke Elementary School.
She said she was a bit nervous about how remote instruction would go this fall, after a hectic spring when schools had to scramble to shift to a remote learning model.
There were some “hiccups,” she said, particularly with so many kids being on the same Zoom call for their respective schools. She is hopeful that the Zoom calls, one of which contained about 180 kids, are broken down into smaller groups in the future.
“(My kids) thought it was a little unorganized, (in terms of) overwhelming numbers in some of the Zooms,” said Malcuit. “We’re hopeful as it gets broken down a little bit more in periods, it will get worked out.”
As a stay-at-home parent, Malcuit said remote learning can be a bit crazy at times. In addition to her three children who attend the public schools, she also has a 3-year-old running around during the day.
And two of her kids are in band, which means their flute and trumpet lessons will also be remote starting on Thursday.
To prepare for the school year, Malcuit “panic” bought separate desks for her three school-aged children, which she placed in each of their rooms so they would have their own designated work spaces. Her youngest child is downstairs and mostly at the dining room table, she said.
“Overall, it actually went pretty well,” said Malcuit, who noted she was waiting to see what tomorrow brings.
