Stonington — Superintendent of Schools Van Riley announced a plan Thursday night to return kindergartners along with first, sixth and ninth graders to four-day-a-week, in-person instruction beginning March 15.
On Wednesdays all students would learn remotely, which will offer maintenance staff an opportunity to clean the schools and teachers a chance to do much-needed planning for remote and in-person leaning.
All other students will continue with the hybrid learning that has been in place since September. Any family who wants their children to continue with full distance learning — there are currently 478 students doing so now — will be able to do so.
Riley said on April 1, school officials will evaluate the return and make decisions on returning other students based on a number of factors. These include the success of the return of the four grades, vaccine distribution to teachers and staff, updates to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, staffing needs, capabilities of schools to safely handle the students and the number of students continuing with full distance learning.