Dear Lawrence Families,

Have a healthy and joyful summer break.  May your days be filled with love, laughter and learning!  

The message below is from Interim Superintendent, Ben Lummis, sent to all families and staff on June 26, 2020.

Dear PSB Families and Staff,

Yesterday, Governor Baker’s office and the Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley released the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) Initial Fall School Reopening Guidelines for all school districts in Massachusetts. I applaud the level of thought and care that went into the development of this guidance, and share its goal of the safe return of as many students as possible to in-person school settings in order to best meet students’ academic, social, and emotional needs.

As I let the school community know earlier this week, our planning teams will be reviewing this guidance in the coming weeks to understand how it impacts the PSB planning that is already underway. I also want to acknowledge that these initial guidelines do not address every topic and that additional guidance will be shared with us throughout the summer.

Based on this guidance, Brookline and all other Massachusetts school districts will develop three separate plans - one for return to full in-person instruction with safety requirements, one for full remote learning, and one for hybrid learning that combines in-person and remote learning. Based upon the current medical situation, the expectation today is that students will return to full in-person instruction in September with significant safety requirements in place; however, that is subject to change based upon how the medical situation develops. Here are some key components of DESE’s guidance:

• Current medical research supports a safe in-person return to school - with preventive measures in place - as infection and transmission rates are lower for children than adults
• Preventive measures include masks/face coverings, physical distancing, handwashing, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces
• Masks/face coverings will be required for all students in Grade 2 and above and for all adults; they are recommended for students in Grade 1 and below
• Based upon current medical research, and in conjunction with other preventive measures, DESE has established a minimum physical distance of three feet for safe social distancing

There are likely to be more questions than answers at this time. Incoming Interim Superintendent Jim Marini and his team will continue to communicate with families and staff in the coming weeks and months. I also encourage you to read the full  Initial Fall School Reopening Guidelines  from DESE.

Sincerely,

Ben Lummis
Interim Superintendent