JGW Update (12/31/2020)

Posted on December 31, 2020

Happy New Year JG Whittier Students and Families! As we look forward to saying good-bye to 2020 and starting a brand new year, I wanted to make sure that everyone is aware of the most up to date plans on returning to school based on the decisions made at a special School Committee meeting which was held this past Tuesday, 12/29/2020.

The return to school plan is as follows for JGW students beginning this coming Monday, January 4, 2021:

  • Monday, January 4, 2021 – All Cohorts will begin at home in a Remote Learning model. 
  • Tuesday, January 19, 2021 – Cohort C students will be welcomed back to in-person learning while all others continue in the remote model. 
  • Monday, January 25, 2021 – All Cohorts will be welcomed back to in-person learning on their scheduled days (Cohort A on Monday’s & Tuesdays and Cohort B on Thursday’s & Fridays with Cohort C students attending 4 days per week)
  • Remote Learning Academy will continue as scheduled

The Superintendent’s office released all of this information to families on Wednesday, 12/30/2020. I have included the Superintendent’s message below:

Dear Haverhill Public Schools Friends and Families,

As you probably know, the rate of COVID-19 infection in our community and throughout our country continues to climb. Haverhill is currently at an 11.2% COVID-19 testing positivity rate. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) indicators and thresholds for risk of transmission of COVID-19 in schools, this places our community at the highest risk level for transmission. Even more concerningly, as we listen to the media and the experts, we hear that infection rates are likely to climb in the short term due to the holidays.  

Knowing that Haverhill’s rate of illness was climbing, the School Committee called a meeting last night to discuss and review information related to our return to in-person learning.

At the meeting, a revision in the learning plan following the winter break was approved. The return to school plan is as follows:

  • Monday, January 4, 2021 – Remote Learning All Cohorts 
  • Tuesday, January 19, 2021 – Cohort C PreK–12: In-person Learning (others continue remote) 
  • Monday, January 25, 2021 – Cohort A & B K–8: Hybrid Learning (HHS continues remote) 
  • Monday, February 1, 2021 – Haverhill High School Hybrid Learning
  • Remote Learning Academy will continue as scheduled

Important information about COVID-19 infection rates in our schools and community was also presented at the meeting, as well as information about moving toward “pool testing” as one tool in returning to in-person learning. As we return from the holiday break, I will be sharing more information about “pool testing” so that families and staff can make informed decisions about participation in the effort. Like all COVID-19 testing, pool testing is voluntary and requires parental consent. To review information from last night’s meeting, please view COVID Update PowerPoint Presentation. In addition, recordings of all recent school committee meetings can be viewed on HC Media at https://haverhillcommunitytv.org/category/government/school-committee.

Thank you all for your continued support during this time, and I wish you all a healthy and peaceful new year.

Warmest Regards,

Margaret Marotta EdD

Superintendent of Schools