The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Region 6, Litchfield School districts choose full reopening
‘Staggered’ start of school days aims to aid acclimation
LITCHFIELD — Students in Region 6 and the Litchfield School District will return to school starting Aug. 26, following a staggered schedule to transition them back to the classroom.
In a message to students and parents, Superintendent of Schools
Chris Leone said the districts are using the staggered method to allow students to become accustomed to being back in the buildings.
“(W)e all must acknowledge that it will be five and a half months since our last full day of in person school,” Leone said. “Therefore, our reopening will have a transition period for our students and staff. There will be three half days ... that will allow specific grades to return to their buildings.”
Region 6’s Goshen Center School, James Morris School and Warren School students begin with a half-day of classes on Aug. 26, starting with kindergarten and
grades one and two. Third- and fourth-graders start Aug. 27, followed by fifth- and sixthgraders Aug. 28. Each group will be in the buildings on their own that day.
Litchfield Center School will follow the same format: kindergarten, Aug. 26; first- and second-graders, Aug. 27; and thirdgraders, Aug. 28.
Litchfield Intermediate School sixth-graders return Aug. 26, followed by only fifth-graders Aug. 27, and only fourth-graders Aug. 28.
Wamogo Regional High School and middle school students begin the year in the newly reconfigured building, with seventh- and eighth-graders starting Aug. 26, ninth- and tenth-graders Aug. 27, and eleventh- and twelfth-graders Aug. 28. Each group will be in the building on their own for the first day. The same schedule
applies for Litchfield High School.
All students in both school districts will return for three half-days starting Aug. 31.
Leone acknowledged that the schedule might be difficult for some families. “This does provide the best opportunity for our students and staff to adjust to new surroundings and new rules,” he said.
The districts’ calendars are available at rsd6.org and www.litchfieldschools.org with
more details about reopening.
Students, faculty and staff are required to wear masks, practice social distancing and wash their hands frequently.
“Reopening in any phase does not change the basic premise that we must all do our part to maintain public health and safety,” Leone said. “We must continue to monitor our behaviors, our work, our practice, and routinely make adjustments to improve.”
Leone and the boards of education also have developed a
daily self-wellness inventory, which will be required for all students and staff before they enter a building.
Both districts’ full reopening plan is available online and can be accessed at https://bit.ly/2QetmeN.
In addition to the full reopening plan, both school districts developed hybrid and full distance learning plans. Parents were allowed to choose to send their children back to school or use the distance learning option.