I am elated, Manyanga said. We already have so much stress coming back to school. Everyone felt like there had been a weight lifted.
MCAS testing would have fallen at the same time as advanced placement testing, which many juniors take part in, and most have already sat for the SATs and ACTs as of April.
Manyanga said while happy, she hoped in the future more students at the district level would be able to weigh in on these decisions that affect them directly. Everyone has something to say, Manyanga said, adding most students in Billerica respond to opinion emails and polls when it comes to their education especially during the last year.
Finding success through virtual learning
For Billerica grandmother Dina Favreau, taking on the role of remote learning supervisor for her9-year-old granddaughter Destiny Yancy, a fourth-grade student at the Hajjar Elementary School, has been one of the biggest changes of the pandemic.
She said while it has been rewarding, the adjustment for Destiny was one of having to set aside the idea of the fun, traditional grandma, and see her in more of an authoritative role. A person who is there to care for her, but help make sure her work is done and virtual school runs as smoothly as possible.
Updated on February 24, 2021 at 7:26 pm
NBC Universal, Inc.
How far apart is far enough? That is a key question for educators and parents as Massachusetts moves toward getting kids back in the classroom full-time come April 1.
While it’s certainly about safety during a pandemic, it’s also about getting as many students as possible into the room. At three feet apart the World Health Organization s recommendation the typical classroom can handle 25 desks. A six-foot spread, recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cuts that down to 12. Download our mobile app for iOS or Android to get alerts for local breaking news and weather.
New rules for live teaching meant to limit student isolation
By Katie Lannan
State House News Service
New regulations adopted Tuesday after fraught discussion about student mental health and the concerns of teachers on the ground will set minimum requirements for how much live instruction Massachusetts schools must provide if they are still conducting at least some remote teaching.
Described by Elementary and Secondary Commissioner Jeffrey Riley as an urgent step towards addressing the isolation and disconnection casued by the COVID-19 pandemic that are driving a youth mental health crisis, the changes were adopted on a 7-4 vote during a meeting where teachers union representatives presented a declaration of no-confidence in Riley that had been signed by more than 100 locals.
Wicked Local
After nearly 13 inches of snow, Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Abdul Alkhatib said clean up after the first storm of the season went better than anticipated.
Speaking with Alkhatib on Friday, Dec. 18, he said the cold temperatures kept the snow fluffy and manageable for plow drivers.
Currently, the DPW has 27 town-owned plows and sanders on the road, and 91 private plow driver contracted through the department. We typically average in the 90s, said Alkhatib, adding the town did a call out earlier in the month looking for more drivers this season and is still open to those looking to help on the road.