Re-opening Task Force Update

School Re-opening Task Force Update - June 11, 2020

If you need this document translated, please call your child’s school principal - Si necesita este documento traducido, por favor comuníquese con la escuela de su hijo - Se você precisa este documento traduzido, entre em contato com a escola do ses filho - Si vous avez besoin de traduire ce document, s'il vous plaît contacter l'école de votre enfant - 如果你需要这份文件翻译,请联系您的孩子的学校 - ،إذا كنت تحتاج /تحتاجين إلى ترجمة هذه الوثيقة إلى اللغة العربية يرجى الاتصال بمدرسة طفلك/طفلتك

The School Re-opening Task Force is two weeks into the process of planning for the fall.  While we will not know specifically the form that school will take come September until the Commissioner of Education announces the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s prescription, we know enough about what to expect to begin some of the planning.

The task force includes the following individuals:

  • Brad Morrison                    School Committee
  • Jon Sills                              Superintendent
  • Tricia Clifford                       Assistant Superintendent
  • Julie Kirrane                        Finance Director
  • Marianne Vines                   Special Education Director
  • Taissir Alani                         Director of Facilities
  • Beth Benoir                          Davis School Principal
  • Rob Ackerman                     Lane School Principal
  • Kevin Tracey                       JGMS Principal
  • Heather Galante                 BHS Principal
  • Donna Clements                 Director of Technology and Library Media
  • Alicia Linsey                        Director of Counseling
  • Akil Mondesir                      METCO Director
  • Ken Whittier                        Food Services Director
  • Jim Sunderland                   Bedford Educators Association President
  • Tracy Fernald                      School Lead Nurse
  • Heidi Porter                         Town Human Services/Health Dept. Director
  • Kerry Barker                        Statistician/Epidemiologist
  • Danita Kelley-Brewster        Secondary School Parent
  • Kevin Finn                            Primary School Parent

The parents were selected from among active school council members.  We may add one or two additional parents as well.  Please know that we welcome all input, which you may send via email to jon_sills@bedfordps.org.  We will also be conducting parent surveys over the summer to gather important information needed to inform our planning.

The task force is made up of three subcommittees: 

  • Health, Safety and Wellness
  • Teaching and Learning
  • School Operations

While the work to date has largely comprised the generation of questions and issues to be addressed, the Health, Safety and Wellness subcommittee has identified key supplies (PPE, disinfecting and safety equipment) that needed to be ordered as quickly as possible, or will soon be ordered, given the backlogs that we expect to face.  We are using CARES Act III and state technology funding to address these needs.  Some of these pieces of equipment and materials include:

  • Hand sanitizer dispensers to be mounted in all classrooms, offices and common spaces
  • Masks (we are exploring clear masks for teachers so that students can see their expressions, particularly their smiles, which are so important to building relationships and creating emotional safety
  • Disposable masks for students who leave theirs at home, lose or contaminate theirs
  • Spray bottles and paper towels for spot cleaning potentially contaminated areas (e.g., something touched after a student sneezes into his/her/their hand)
  • Fogging machines and non-toxic disinfectants to clean each classroom nightly
  • Gloves and smocks for teachers who may need to assist young or disabled children in the bathroom
  • Sanitizing gel or the materials to make it/ non-toxic disinfectant liquid for spray bottles.

For remote learning, which we anticipate in some form:

  • Approximately 400 Chromebooks to replace the devices that were loaned so that families may keep those into the fall.
  • iPads for K and 1st grade students for home learning
  • Additional hotspots (beyond the 30 we have purchased and distributed thus far)
  • Online learning platforms like Lexia, Razz Kids

We are exploring swivel cameras for secondary school level classrooms so that teachers may simulcast when teaching, if significant numbers of students are at home.  

We are also purchasing plexiglass so that our facilities department can construct clear shields for main office counters, guidance desks, etc.  And, we are identifying food transporting equipment in anticipation of serving cold lunches in the classrooms.

Please stay tuned for further updates.                                       

Jon Sills - Superintendent