District to monitor students’ social and emotional well-being with return to school

BRANFORD — When the town’s elementary school students are welcomed back to the classroom for fulltime instruction on March 22, the focus will not be on academics alone.

At the urging of school board members and parents, the social and emotional well-being of students also will be a priority.

“We will use all staff to make sure students get what (they) need,” Charles Cicarella, student services director for the district, assured the board during a recent presentation.

School, as everyone knew it, came to an abrupt halt last March when the pandemic arrived. Students finished the 2019-20 school year with remote learning. Since the fall, a hybrid model has been in place that has most students attending in person two days a week.

But in pushing for a full return to in-person learning, many parents told the board that their kids are frustrated to tears being forced to stare for hours at a computer screen. High school students described being unable to focus and missing their friends.

“There is ongoing stress,” parent Stephanie Carvin said in urging a quick return to the classroom. “Children are struggling.”

An announced phased-in reopening plan that wouldn’t put all students in school until after April break was widely panned.

Superintendent of Schools Hamlet Hernandez returned last week with a stepped-up timeline.

In addition to restoring in-person learning for elementary schools on March 22, Walsh Intermediate School will follow on March 29 and the high school on April 6.

Hernandez and others called it a “second first day” for the district.

To support students in the transition back, the district will monitor student emotional well-being, looking for signs such as frequent trips to the nurse’s office or poor grades, poor attendance and poor behavior.

Supports will be offered to students who are struggling.

There are advisory and or support programs already in place in the district, said Raeanne Reynolds, principal at Walsh.

Many Branford students have already been introduced to the skills of identifying and regulating their emotions. Much of the efforts

are embedded into the academic day.

But as much as some students can’t wait to return to the classroom, it may cause some students angst, officials say.

“We need to be prepared for that,” Cicarella said.

Cicarella said COVID has blurred lines been services offered to regular and special education students.

“Between (last) March until today, the level of integration between staffs (is) an invisible line now,” Cicarella said.

With the return to full in-person learning, there will be adjustments to social distancing protocols and lunch routines. All will be outlined on the district website.

A parent survey conducted last week by the district found 58 percent of those responding want the inperson model by the end of

March. Another 23 percent wanted the hybrid model to continue until indicators improve and 19 percent were OK with the plan to reopen schools on April 19.

The survey generated

1,591 responses. There are 2,585 students in the district.

The survey also asked about summer school.

Hernandez said he was surprised by how many parents said they would take a pass on a summer or extended learning experience for their children despite a perceived learning loss caused by the pandemic.

Only 16 percent said they were highly likely to take advantage of a summer program offered by the district. Another 46 percent said they were unlikely to send their kids.

The survey did not ask for reasons why parents made their choices..