WHILE MANY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ARE
WRESTLING WITH IF AND HOW TO REOPEN THIS FALL, THE
SPRINGFIELD ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE HAS ANNOUNCED THAT 12
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND ST.
MARY'S HIGH SCHOOL IN WESTFIELD WILL FULLY REOPEN WITH IN-CLASS
INSTRUCTION.
RAY HERSHEL SAT DOWN WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT TO FIND OUT WHAT
SAFETY GUIDELINES WILL BE FOLLOWED TO KEEP STUDENTS,
TEACHERS AND STAFF SAFE.
>> THERE ARE TWO REASONS.
WE WERE WAITING FOR THE DIRECTIVES TO COME FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION FROM
MASSACHUSETTS.
SO WE WERE, WE HAD MANY DID IT VARIATIONS OF PLANS READY TO GO,
ANTICIPATING THE GUIDANCE.
WHEN THEY CAME OUT AND RECOMMENDED
6-FOOT SPACING AND THEN EVEN IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS, I KNEW
RIGHT AWAY THAT BASED ON OUR ENROLLMENTS AND THE CAPACITY WE
HAVE IN OUR FACILITIES THAT EACH OF OUR SCHOOLS COULD SAFELY
SOCIAL DISTANCE THEIR ENTIRE SCHOOL POPULATION AT THOSE
6-FOOT STANDARDS.
SO ONCE WE KNEW THAT THAT WAS POSSIBLE AND KNOWING THAT IN
PERSON INSTRUCTION IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO HANDLE
INSTRUCTION, WE MADE THE DECISION THAT WE WERE GOING TO
GO AHEAD AND DO THIS IN A WAY THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE AND SAFE
AND WOULD GURN TEE THE EXCELLENCE --
GUARANTEE THE EXCELLENCE THAT OUR FAMILIES DESIRE FROM OUR
SCHOOLS.
>> SO SPACE WAS A MAJOR ISSUE, AND AS YOU SAY THE CATHOLIC
SCHOOLS HAVE THAT ADDITIONAL SPACE WHERE YOU COULD EXPAND A
BIT AND SOCIALLY DISTANCE.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE SPECIFIC PRECAUTIONS THAT WILL
BE IN PLACE WHEN SCHOOL RESUMES?
FOR EXAMPLE, WILL STUDENTS BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK?
WHAT WILL BE SOME OF THE SPECIFIC SAFETY PROCEDURES THAT
WILL BE IMPLEMENTED WHEN KIDS GO BACK TO SCHOOL?
>> SO WE'RE TAKING OUR CUE FROM OUR LOCAL DEPARTMENTS OF PUBLIC
HEALTH FOR THAT, SO, YES, MASK WEAR IS IS GOING TO BE AN
IMPORTANT PART OF OUR SAFETY PLAN.
AND WE'RE FOLLOWING THE C.D.C. AND DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
DIVIDED LINES FOR THE SANITIZATION OF THE BUILDING.
SO WE HAVE SOME TRAINING WE HAVE TO DO WITH OUR FACILITIES STAFF,
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO INCREASE HOW WE HANDLE THE CLEANING AND
SANITIZATION OF SPACES.
SO THAT'S PART OF IT.
BUT THE MASK WEARING, THE TEACHERS WILL BE WEARING MASKS
AND OR FACE SHIELDS DEPENDING ON THE AGE GROUP AND HOW
COMFORTABLE THEY ARE, AND IN FITTING WITH THE GUIDANCE THAT
WE WERE GIVEN.
AND THE STUDENTS WILL BE WEARING MASKS AS THEY MOVE ABOUT.
BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE SOCIALLY DISTANCED, THEY ARE 6 FEET APART
IN THE CLASSROOMS, THEY WILL BE ALLOWED TO, AGAIN, BASED ON THE
GUIDANCE, THEY WILL BE ALLOWED TO HAVE MASK GREAT BREAKS, AND E
BRAISKS WILL DETERMINED BY THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS.
>> HOW WILL SOME OF THOSE LARGER AREAS WHERE STUDENTS WOULD
CONGREGATE, FOR EXAMPLE A GYM OR CAFETERIA, HOW WOULD THAT BE
HANDLED IN TERMS OF SOCIALLY DISTANCING AND KEEPING THE
STUDENTS SAFE?
>> WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE USING THOSE SPACES AS WE HAVE
TRADITIONALLY IN THE PAST.
WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON FOR RECESS, FOR P.E.
AS MUCH OUTDOOR PLAY AS POSSIBLE,
BECAUSE THAT'S THE SAFEST ENVIRONMENT.
SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE USING GYMNASIUMS AND CAFETERIASES
OVERIN CLASSROOM SPACE.
AS I SAID, WE HAVE CAPACITY, BUT WE HAVE SOME SCHOOLS THAT HAVE
24, 25, 26 KIDS TO A CLASS AND THEY COULDN'T FIT IN A
CLASSROOM.
SO IN SOME OF THOSE SCHOOLS ARE HYBRID, ISN'T A
COMBINATION OF BEING IN THE CLASSROOM AND BEING HOME, IT'S A
COMBINATION OF A MAJORITY OF THE STUDENTS BEING IN THE CLASSROOM,
AND THEN ANOTHER GROUP OF STUDENTS BEING IN SOME OF THESE
OLDER SPACES THAT ARE MONITOR -- THE SOME OF THESE OVERFLOW
SPACES THAT ARE MONITORED.
SO WE'RE CYCLING THE STOOGES IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOMS DAY
AFTER DAY IN A WAY THAT KEEPS THEM ENGAGED AT THE SCHOOL,
KEEPS THEM AT THE SCHOOL, AND KEEPS THEM PART OF THE
COMMUNITY.
>> EVERYONE WANTS TO GET KIDS BACK IN THE CLASSROOM,
OBVIOUSLY, FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES WHICH IS THE MOST
EFFECTIVE WAY.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT KIND OF REACTION YOU'VE HEARD FROM
CATHOLIC PARENTS IN THE DIOCESE TO THE NEWS THAT THE SCHOOLS
WILL BE OPENING FULL-TIME, ARE THERE ANY, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT
STILL HAVE SOME ISSUES OR QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE
SAFETY OF KIDS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL?
WHAT'S THE GENERAL REACTION BEEN?
>> SO WE KNEW THAT THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, AND SO WE WERE
KIND OF POSITIONED, IF WE NEEDED TO, TO PUT TOGETHER A CATHOLIC
VIRTUAL ACADEMY.
IF WE REACHED A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PARENTS WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO
OR WERE NOT COMFORTABLE SENDING THEIR KIDS BACK TO THE SCHOOLS
FULL-TIME, WE WERE GOING TO IMPLEMENT VIRTUAL, LIKE A
VIRTUAL CATHOLIC SCHOOL.
SO THOSE STUDENTS CAN LEARN REMOTELY, AND INSTEAD OF SCHOOL
BY SCHOOL HAVING TO DEAL WITH THAT, THE DIOCESE WOULD CREATE A
SCHOOL BASED RESPONSE FOR THAT.
BUT WHAT WE OVERWHELMINGLY HAVE HEARD AT LEAST AT THIS POINT IS
THAT THE PARENTS ARE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
WE'RE TAKING.
THEY'RE VERY HAPPY WITH WHAT WE'RE LAYING OUT, AND THEY DO
WANT THEIR KIDS TO BE IN THE SCHOOLS FULL-TIME.
WHEN ORIGINALLY WE THOUGHT MAYBE 40, 50, 60 OF OUR STUDENTS MIGHT
WANT A TOTALLY VIRTUAL EDUCATION, WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN,
AT LEAST IN OUR ORIGINAL SURVEY DATA, IS THAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE
CLOSER TO 10 OR 12 FROM THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, AND THAT'S
MANAGEABLE SCHOOL BY SCHOOL.
SO IF A SCHOOL HAS ONE OR TWO STUDENTS, THEY'RE GOING TO TRY
THEIR BEST TO WORK WITH THAT PARTICULAR FAMILY, OR IN CERTAIN
CASES IF THEY ARE FOCUSING JUST ON THE IN-CLASS INSTRUCTION,
THEN THE DIOCESE IS GOING TO TRY TO CONNECT THOSE FAMILIES WITH
CATHOLIC VIRTUAL OR ONE OF THESE OTHER COMPANIES THAT WE KNOW
HELPS TO SUPPORT A REMOTE INSTRUCTION.
>> AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE ARE 12 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS SCHOOLS TL
BE OPENING FULLY WITH CLASS INSTRUCTION, AND ST.
MARY'S HIGH IN WESTFIELD.
WHAT ABOUT POPE FRANCIS PREPARATORY SCHOOL?
THAT I BELIEVE IS AN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL, SO WHAT IS ITS STATUS
AND HOW DOES THIS FIT INTO THE EQUATION?
>> SO POPE FRANCIS HAS BEEN, THEY'RE INDEPENDENT IN THEIR
GOVERNANCE AND THAT HAPPENED BEFORE I WAS HERE AS A
SUPERINTENDENT, THAT HAPPENED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, SO THEY HAVE
THEIR OWN BOARD THAT MAKES THE ULTIMATE DECISIONS FOR THEM.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT BEING IN THE CALLS WITH US,
DR.
HARRINGTON HAS BEEN IN ALL THE ZOOM CALLS, AND SO WE'VE
SHARED OUR PLANS WITH THEM, THEY'VE ASKED US QUESTIONS,
WE'VE TALKED WITH THEM, BUT THEY DON'T SUBMIT THEIR PLANS TO OUR
DIOCESE, SO THEY GO AHEAD AND DEVELOP THEIR OWN PLAN.
I KNOW THAT PAUL HAS BEEN WORKING ON IT, WE'VE HAD A FEW
CONVERSATIONS, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE GOING TO HANDLE IT.
THEY'RE A LARGER POPULATION, BUT ST.
MARY'S IS A SMALL HIGH SCHOOL THAT'S GROWING.
POPE FRANCIS IS ALMOST AT CAPACITY IN ITS ENROLLMENT.
SO BEING ABLE TO MANAGE THAT SPACE IS A MUCH DIFFERENT
QUESTION FOR THEM.
>> SUPERINTENDENT, I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT THIS SPACE ISSUE
IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WHICH YOU SAY THEY HAVE EXTRA SPACE SO YOU
ARE ALLOWING EVERYBODY TO GO BACK AND SOCIALLY DISTANCE.
SOME PARENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHOSE KIDS MIGHT BE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL
ARE CONCERNED THAT THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO GO BACK FULL-TIME
WITH IN CLASS INSTRUCTIONS.
DO YOU EXPECT OR HAVE YOU HEARD FROM ANY PARENTS, FOR EXAMPLE,
ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS, WOULD CATHOLIC
ENROLLMENT GO UP, DO YOU FEEL, BECAUSE OF THIS, IN CLASSROOM
INSTRUCTION AND THE EXTRA SPACE YOU HAVE?
>> THAT'S A TWO-EDGED SWORD.
IN SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN AN INCREASE IN
ENROLLMENT INTEREST, SO WE HAVE WAITING LISTS IN AREAS THAT WE
HAVE NOT IN THE PAST.
SO THAT'S KIND OF A GOOD THING IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
BECAUSE WE'RE CAPPING OUR SPACE IN ORDER TO KEEP THE 6-FOOT
DISTANCING, WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH ROOM TO OPEN OUR DOORS
WIDE, WE CAN'T NECESSARILY SAY, WELL, EVERYBODY COME AND DO
THIS.
SO THERE IS LIMITED SPACE IN SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS RIGHT
NOW, SO THERE'S A DEMAND PIECE TO THAT.
AND WE DO KNOW THAT SOME FAMILIES ARE GOING TO COME TO US
BECAUSE THEY WANT A FULL-TIME EDUCATION.
WE WANT TO BE CAUTIOUS, THOUGH, THAT WHILE WE CAN DEFINITELY
MEET THE NEED OF THOSE PARTICULAR FAMILIES FOR THIS
YEAR, WHEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS OPEN FULLY AGAIN, THE CHOICE TO COME
TO US WAS BASED ON HAVING A FULL-TIME EDUCATION RATHER THAN
HAVING A CATHOLIC EDUCATION.
SO WE WANT TO BE VERY GOOD, CLEAR AND CONSISTENT ABOUT WHO
WE ARE AT THIS TIME, HOPEFULLY WE'LL WIN, SOME OF THE FAMILIES
WILL COME TO US AND DECIDE TO STAY BECAUSE THEY'LL SEE THE
VALUE OF A CATHOLIC EDUCATION.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO PUT A LOT OF EMPHASIS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE AN
OPEN ENROLLMENT THIS YEAR BECAUSE IT IS A RESULT OF US
BEING ABLE TO OPEN FULLY.
>> SUPERINTENDENT, WE ONLY HAVE A FEW SECONDS LEFT, BUT ONE
QUICK FINAL MESSAGE TO THE PARENTS, THE STUDENTS AND
TEACHERS OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS AS YOU PREPARE TO OPEN FULLY?
>> SURE.
I JUST WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO TAKE
THE UTMOST IN PRECAUTIONS.
WE ARE CONCERNED WITH SAFETY AND WE'RE CONCERNED WITH ACADEMIC
EXCELLENCE AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO VIOLATE EITHER OF THOSE.
IF WE ARE SEEING THE TRENDS THAT ARE GOING TO FORCE US INTO
REMOTE, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THOSE THINGS.
BUT RIGHT NOW FROM WHAT WE KNOW, FROM WHAT WE SEE, OPENING OUR
SCHOOLS FULL-TIME IS THE BEST SUPPORT FOR OUR FAMILIES, WE CAN
DO IT IN THE SAFEST POSSIBLE WAY AND WE'RE GOING TO GUARANTEE
THAT WE'RE AS EXCELLENT AS WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IF NOT BETTER.