It’s time for an update on Massachusetts schools reopening in the time of COVID-19. Here’s what’s happening in schools across the state. ARLINGTON Sept 2020: A staff member at Pierce Elementary School tested positive. The school delayed the start of in-person learning and began classes remotely instead. ATTLEBORO Sept 2020: About 30 students and staffers at Attleboro High School were told to quarantine after a student who had COVID-19 entered the school. DEDHAM Sept 2020:…
In recent weeks, many parents have realized the truth about school this fall: if it happens in person, it might not feel safe; if it happens remotely, it will be inadequate, isolating, and won’t provide the child care working parents need. Desperate for a better solution, parents around the country have started organizing homeschooling pods for the fall, in which groups of three to ten students would learn together in homes under the tutelage of…
With September fast approaching, we thought it was a good time for an update on the plan for schools reopening in Massachusetts. After a push from teachers unions, Massachusetts is allowing schools to start 10 days later so districts can have more time to prepare for the school year amid the coronavirus pandemic. Teachers unions and state officials signed a memorandum of understanding Monday that shortens the upcoming school year by 10 days, from 180…
As school districts in Massachusetts submit their fall proposals to the state, many parents are coming up with their own contingency plans. Normally, students would be wrapping up their summers and preparing to return to school at the end of the month. But these aren’t normal times, and we’ve never seen a back-to-school season like this. Homeschooling pods are being discussed as a viable alternative to returning to schools or enrolling in online education. This…
Books are everywhere in our houses, but sometimes it seems they’re not being read. It’s summer, and kids have so many other things they’d rather do. But we’ve consulted the experts, and these are our top tips to encourage summer reading. 1. Foster an early love of reading. Reading can be a family activity, and instilling this value of reading at a young age sends a powerful message that can be for kids. You should…
For many young people, sheltering at home means missing milestones and public recognition of their achievements. This is especially true for seniors graduating from high school and college, and many are feeling lost. Kendall Smith, a high school senior who lives in Tallahassee, Florida, says her school has many traditions leading up to graduation. One of the most eagerly anticipated events is “Grad Bash,” a rite of passage when all graduating seniors head off to…
May 7 is the date that Montana Gov. Steve Bullock declared it was safe for schools to reopen in his state. But according to the state’s Office of Public Instruction, just a few school districts in small towns have taken the governor up on the offer. That gap — between a state executive proclaiming schools safe to open and the reality of tiny groups of students gathering in just a few schools — shows the…
In a typical summer, more than 14 million campers and staff attend overnight and day camps in the United States. But summer 2020 will be far from typical. To prepare for that, the nation’s largest summer camp associations, the American Camp Association and the YMCA of the USA, have released a field guide for how summer camps can operate more safely during the coronavirus pandemic. The 82-page guide, prepared by a private consulting firm, offers…
There is a lot to take into consideration when choosing a school. When students begin to hear back from Universities this winter and spring, they will have to make their decision based on several different components. Other than academics, a lot goes into making a college unique and fun to attend. When choosing which college they are going to attend, students should take into consideration things like clubs, class size, Greek life, charity organizations, and…
When working on a grade point average (GPA), students should keep in mind that there is both weighted and unweighted scales, and understand what makes the difference. With the beginning of a new decade, high school students should feel inspired to raise their grade point average so they can get into their dream universities, whether they are freshmen, sophomores, or juniors. Starting fresh and creating new goals, or getting back on track with prior goals,…
