State closes all schools for 3 weeks
Baker asks everyone to ‘take a deep breath’
Public and private schools across the state will be closed for at least three weeks, Gov. Charlie Baker announced in unveiling series of “unprecedented” restrictions as the state battles to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
“I realize these measures are unprecedented, but we’re asking our residents to take a deep breath and understand the rationale behind this guidance,” Baker said Sunday at the State House.
All K-12 public and private schools will shutter for educational purposes beginning on Tuesday until Monday, April 6, Baker said. The order excludes residential and day schools for special needs students and allows for school operations around providing food and special needs services to students.
School closures are even more drastic in Boston, where Mayor Martin Walsh on Friday said all campuses would shut down beginning Tuesday until April 27. Baker said the state’s mandates are the minimum threshold and left open the option for more drastic closures and cancellations by local cities and towns as deemed appropriate.
“Although schools must suspend in-person educational operations, staff should be planning for how best to equitably provide alternative access to student learning opportunities during this period and potentially beyond,” Baker said.
Walsh attempted Sunday to quell concerns about Boston Public Schools’ upcoming closure saying BPS is exploring online learning with Google Classroom, providing free and low-cost internet service and a Chromebook for every student to keep pupils engaged, with details to emerge in the coming days.
Teachers will also share printed learning materials with students Monday and provide them at food access shelter sites for economically disadvantaged families.
Teachers and officials will make additional efforts to aid English language learners, IEP students, pupils nearing graduation and those at risk of dropping out, Walsh said.
Odette Williamson, a parent of two Boston Latin Academy students, said Sunday she’s concerned for children who will be isolated without their peers with no programs similar to summer activities currently available.
“It’s not ideal, and it’s going to be a challenging situation,” Williamson said.
Parents were in agreement that the closure was the right move by officials, calling the pandemic uncharted territory for everyone.
“We certainly didn’t think last week or even a few days ago that we would be here,” said City Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George. “We tried to keep the schools open because we know our kids have such need and our families have such need.”