Dear NAPS Families & Staff,

As we prepare for school opening,  I know you recently received cohort assignments and are waiting to learn about the next steps in our return to school process. Our assistant superintendents, directors, principals and teachers are working to ensure that each student has the best possible learning experience when they return in September, whether in the hybrid model or the Online Academy (OLA).

For our families in the hybrid model, teacher assignments/schedules are ongoing and will be communicated by each school’s principal once complete. Due to the complexities of scheduling each grade level, we anticipate this information to be out to parents at the beginning of next week. 

The process of making assignments for all our students is a complex one that usually takes a great deal of time under normal circumstances and involves several factors. Given our situation, and after recently confirming OLA participation, we are working to do this within a short time frame while addressing such factors as classroom assignments, teacher assignments, transportation for our K-6 students in the hybrid model, and a focus on our students receiving special education services, English learners and others who require additional support. Most importantly, our team is working to ensure the safe return to school for our students and our staff.

The safety of our buildings is of the utmost importance, and we’ve worked to ensure the health and safety of all our staff and students. We will all be required to wear masks, wash/sanitize our hands regularly, practice social distancing, and monitor our own health regularly. We will work diligently to ensure the cleanliness of our school buildings, disinfecting them regularly, and Dr. Mealey will report out on our HVAC assessment which is expected later this week. 

Some teachers and students, for medical or other reasons, will be teaching and learning through the Online Academy. This program will provide a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning strategies to engage students in their classes. 

Our educators started Monday, August 31 for professional development that is focused on health and safety training protocols, technology and social/emotional learning to name a few. This professional development will take place over a ten-day period, and later this week, our parents and guardians will also have the opportunity to receive training on important topics through the North Andover Parent University. Our technology department is working to distribute chromebooks to students, principals are working on student orientations (especially at transition years), and the School Committee is still negotiating with the North Andover Teachers’ Association at this time. 

I want to thank our families for their patience and support as we continue working on final details to reopen the North Andover Public Schools.

Sincerely, 

Dr. Gregg T Gilligan, Superintendent

Informational:

It is important to keep in mind the travel restrictions put in place by Governor Baker. If your child travels out of state to any state other than the approved states on the governor's list, they will be subject to quarantine/testing.

NAPS Facilities Assessment and Preparation for 2020-2021