Belmont Public Schools News

Welcome Back and Note on Hybrid/Remote Responses

9/11/2020

Belmont District News School Opening Information Superintendent's Bulletin

School Opening Fall 2020 Superintendent's Bulletin #13 - Welcome Back and Note on Hybrid/Remote Responses

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We want to welcome you back to school year 2020-2021. As you know, school begins on September 16 with is a remote start to the school year with our Phased Plan approach toward our in-person hybrid model. Phase 1 children, those with high needs and complex students per DESE guidelines, will be the first to start in-person learning.

School start times:

Burbank Elementary School – 8:40 a.m.
Butler Elementary School – 8:40 a.m.
Wellington Elementary School – 8:40 a.m.
Winn Brook Elementary School – 8:50 a.m.
Chenery Middle School – 7:45 a.m.
Belmont High School – 7:35 a.m.

Elementary schools sent out teacher/class assignments on September 3. Team placement for Chenery Middle School was sent on September 8, and student schedules will be sent on September 14. The high school sent student schedules on September 8th. There will be further communication from your principals on meet and greets, start of school and opening day information as well as building and health protocols for our Phase 1 children. We understand this is the time of year when families receive many emails from their schools and the district, and we appreciate your patience and attention to them.

We want to again welcome our new principals, Anita Mecklenburg at Winn Brook Elementary School, and Karla Koza at Chenery Middle School.

Important Note for Hybrid/Remote Only Responses: On September 3 the district sent out a form to every family for the purpose to choose a hybrid or remote only option when we return to Phase 3. As you know, responses to the forms are due by 4:00 p.m. on September 17.

In an effort to provide additional information to our families, the middle school presented their hybrid/remote model on September 10, and the high school on September 9. Elementary schools presented their remote model on September 3 and will present their hybrid model on September 14. The goal of these meetings was to provide you more information on what a hybrid and remote schedule looks like to support your decision. After hearing from building administrators, we are still asking you to submit your response by September 17. We are fully aware we are asking you to make a decision based on limited information; however, we are asking you to this to assess the number of students choosing hybrid or remote only in order to build our remote platform.

Please know there will be the ability to move from hybrid to remote, and remote to hybrid as part of this plan as indicated on the email sent to you and repeated here:

If you select "remote" for hybrid/remote learning for this student, they will be provided remote-only instruction. Please note that if you would like to change your child's enrollment status from remote only to hybrid at any point during the school year, there will be a waiting period. For middle and high school, this will occur at the beginning of the next term; for elementary schools, it will occur at the first of every month, but no sooner than three weeks from the date of the request to change.

If you wish to change your answer on your submitted survey of how you want to attend school once we enter into Phase 3, full hybrid, please email your school secretary with your new answer. Please see their contact information below.

Contact numbers and school website links in case you need any assistance or support:

Central Office:

John Phelan, Superintendent, 617-993-5401; jphelan@belmont.k12.ma.us
Janice Darias, Assistant Superintendent, 617-993-5410; jdarias@belmont.k12.ma.us
Tony DiCologero, Director of Business, Finance and Operations, 617-993-5430; adicologero@belmont.k12.ma.us
Michael McAllister, Director of Human Capital, 617-993-5425; mmcallister@belmont.k12.ma.us
Ken Kramer, Director of Student Services, 617-993-5440; kkramer@belmont.k12.ma.us
Jonathan Libby, Assistant Director of Student Services, 617-993-5440; jlibby@belmont.k12.ma.us