New Haven Register (Sunday) (New Haven, CT)
Amity school district returning to full in-person learning
WOODBRIDGE — A year into the coronavirus pandemic, students here will be returning, for the most part, to some semblance of normalcy.
In a major shift since the pandemic began, Amity Regional High School will move to full in-person learning March 22 and the two district middle schools in Orange and Bethany will return to a full day of instruction four days per week.
Parents still have the option to have their student learn remotely, child be a voluntary remote learner, Amity Superintendent of Schools Jennifer Byars explained in an email. The coming changes eliminate the hybrid education model.
“Several consistent weeks of declining data in both the leading and secondary indicators in the community support an increase of in-person learning,” Byars wrote in a letter to parents dated March 1. “Rates of COVID-19 isolation and quarantine have also dropped since the holiday peak.”
Byars said in her letter that all students will be expected to attend school in person five days per week at the high school and the school day still will end at 12:47 pm.
“There will be no lunch served during the school day, but a free grab-andgo meal is available to all students,” Byars’ letter states. .
Both Amity Middle Schools, in Orange and Bethany, will move to a full day of instruction four days per week, from 7:34 a.m. to 2:18 p.m.; there will be early dismissal on Wednesdays at 12:12 p.m.
The early dismissal on Wednesdays is intended to give teachers time to plan for and work with and students who choose to be remote learners.
“Students will have a lunch period during the school day. These meals will also be provided to all students free of charge,” the letter states.
A grab-and-go lunch will be available to students on Wednesdays, Byars’ letter states.
“While these changes are set to start on March 22, 2021, we will continue to monitor leading and secondary indicators and will make adjustments if needed,” Byars wrote. “We are providing students, staff, and families the courtesy of advance notice for planning purposes, but will also monitor data up to the target date and will adjust plans if necessary.”
She wrote that the school system has “worked collaboratively with the Quinnipiack Valley Health District (QVHD) and Orange Health Department (OHD) to review data weekly to determine our instructional models.”