- Home
- District
- Teaching & Learning
- APS Return to School 2020 - (updated August 13)
APS Return to School 2020 - (updated August 13)
Andover Public Schools to begin 2020-21 school year in Hybrid Learning Model
Dear APS families and staff,
At the August 10, 2020 meeting, the School Committee approved submission of the Andover 2020/21 school year reopening plan required by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and voted to begin the school year offering a Hybrid model for all students along with a Remote Academy for students who require or choose to learn remotely.
We would like to thank the APS community for their engagement and feedback throughout this process, and the Return-to-School Task Force for their thorough analysis of learning models. Each potential option studied has benefits and drawbacks, but we believe the adopted models allow the best opportunity to provide students an engaging, high-quality education and related services under current circumstances.
This decision was difficult. There is no model that will satisfy everyone’s interests for returning to school during a pandemic. We realize the impact this decision will have on our students, families and staff. The APS plan prioritizes the health of our staff and students while offering the benefit of as much in-person learning as logistically feasible.
In the Hybrid learning model, APS students will be assigned to attend school in-person two full-days per week, either Monday and Tuesday or Thursday and Friday, with Wednesday being a remote learning day for everyone to allow deep cleaning of schoolhouses. Additional in-person learning will be offered to high-needs students identified through the special education process. In the Remote Academy, APS students will attend school remotely full-time.
School administrators will continue to monitor metrics related to COVID-19 rates, guidance from state and local officials, and updates from medical experts. As conditions change, the learning models offered by the district will be reassessed. We appreciate the community’s support and flexibility in responding to changing conditions.
Thank you for your engagement and patience through this process. We look forward to welcoming our students back to school on September 16th.
Shannon Scully, Chairperson - Andover School Committee
Sheldon Berman- Superintendent of Schools
District Communications
- APS Ventilation Protocols - COVID-19 - August 14, 2020
- Return to School Final Presentation to School Committee - August 10, 2020
View Document - Sample Hybrid and Remote Models - Presentation to School Committee - August 6, 2020
View Document - APS Feasibility Study/ Preliminary Reopening Plan submission to DESE - July 31, 2020
- Return to School Hybrid Learning Examples Presentation - July 30, 2020
- June 2020 Panorama Survey Results - July 30, 2020
- School Committee Return to School Workshop Presentation - July 23, 2020
- Return to School- July Update- July 13, 2020
- DESE Commissioner provides Initial Fall School Reopening Memo - June 25, 2020
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Communications
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will be providing all districts in Massachusetts with requirements and recommendations for re-opening for the 2020-21 school year. The links below provide documents released by DESE. We anticipate this will be updated frequently, please check back often.
- DESE's Additional Staff Training Days - July 27, 2020
- Governor Baker’s Travel Order - July 24, 2020
- DESE’s Fall Remote Learning Guidance - July 24, 2020
- DESE’s Guidance for Courses Requiring Additional Safety Consideration (P.E. & Arts) - July 24, 2020
- DESE’s Fall Reopening Transportation Guidance - July 22, 2020
- DESE’s Fall Reopening Facilities and Operations Guidance - July 22, 2020
- DESE’s Protocols for responding to COVID-19 scenarios - July 17, 2020
- DESE’s Guidance on Fall 2020 Special Education Services - July 9, 2020
- DESE’s Reopening FAQs- July 10, 2020
- DESE’s Initial Fall School Reopening Guidance - June 25, 2020
- DESE’s Message about Summer 2020 Special Education Services - June 7, 2020
- DESE’s Required Safety Supplies for Re-Opening Schools- June 5, 2020
- DESE’s Initial Guidance on Summer School - June 4, 2020
How to Contact Us
The district distributed a survey to all APS families on June 10, 2020 for families to provide feedback. This survey closed on June 19th and we will share the results with the community when they become available.
To provide additional feedback, please email the COVID-19 group at covid-19@andoverma.us
Previous communications from the 2019-2020 school year regarding COVID-19 can be found by clicking the image to the right.
APS Return to School Working Group Delegates
Lauren Annarelli | Scott Armstrong | Matthew Bach | Jennifer Black | Cindy Button | Sara Calleja |
Nicole Campbell | Rita Casper | Dr. Kenny Chan | Gina Chaves | Steve Chinosi | Allyson Croswell |
Linda Croteau | Kathy Crowley | Scott Darlington | Aixa De Kelley | Julie Diehl | Dan Donovan |
Caitlin Dotolo | Stephanie Driscoll | Heather Eigen | Ryan Fielding | Krista Galligani | Julian DiGloria |
Carol Green | Matthew Hall | Jennifer Hunt | Susan Hunter -Jones | Melissa Jacobo | Jamie Kaplan |
Jennifer Kolar | Gail Koutroubas | Chris Krueger | Mysha Kuhlmann | AHS Student | Bill Martin |
Lisa McDonough | Paul Murphy | Steve Nembirkow | John Norton | Rebecca Perry | Kayley Pettoruto |
Jackie Pitts | Wayne Puglisi | Elizabeth Raponi | Donna Ruseckas | Suzanne Saindon | Jennifer Sands |
Amy Schramek | Betsy Spiegel | Jennifer Srivastava | Claire Stahley | Renee Theodorou | Karen Torres |
Sean Walsh | Mary Lu Walsh | Karen Waters | Tamara Wheeler | Joseph Yarid | AHS Student |