School reopening smooth but not without challenges - Valley Breeze

3/23/2021

Students at Varieur Elementary School in Pawtucket line up to head into school, which reopened earlier this month.

PAWTUCKET – While many parents and students of Pawtucket schools are reporting a smooth transition back into the classroom, the process hasn’t been without its challenges, most notably instances of classes being sent back to virtual learning after having to quarantine due to COVID-19-related exposures.

Following a decision by the Pawtucket School Committee on Feb. 9, students in pre-K through grade 8 wishing to return to in-person learning were able to do so on March 1, while 7th- and 8th-graders returned on March 15. All of those students are in-person five days a week, while any high schoolers wanting to return can do so on a hybrid schedule, starting March 29.

“We have taken a staggered approach to continue to ensure that the safety of our teachers, students, and staff is a priority,” Supt. Cheryl McWilliams said.

According to McWilliams, among students in pre-K through 8th grade, 60 percent are learning in-person while 40 percent remain in virtual learning. While McWilliams said the reopening process has gone well, she noted that a lack of substitute teachers has been a challenge. With positive COVID-19 cases still occurring among both students and staff, McWilliams said that has resulted in quarantined staff, students, and classrooms, and the lack of substitute teachers has been an issue, forcing those who just returned to school to go back to temporary virtual learning.

In a post on the Pawtucket Parents Alliance Facebook page, Latoya Robinson wrote about Baldwin Elementary School: “Made it to day four of school and we have to quarantine for 10 days.” Asked for specific details last Friday, McWilliams said no schools have been closed, just classrooms, but she did not provide specific numbers of how many classrooms to date.

The School Department created a COVID-19 dashboard on its website, www.psdri.net , that’s updated weekly, she said. According to the dashboard, last week there were 29 teachers ithout a replacement, 31 teacher assistants left

uncovered, 408 students quarantined/back to distance learning, and three reported positive cases.

“Overall it’s gone as well as could be expected,” School Committee Chairman Jay Charbonneau told The Breeze. “Certainly we knew we’d have positive cases and quarantines.” He added that he gives credit to teachers, staff, and families for doing a good job of checking for symptoms before going into or sending students into the buildings.

He said he’s been hearing that the School Committee both made the right decision initially in January to keep schools closed and the right decision in February to reopen them when it was the appropriate time.

“Really what I’ve heard from the community is an overwhelming collective sigh of relief and encouragement,” he said.

Charbonneau said he applauds Gov. Dan McKee with prioritizing vaccinations for teachers, saying it’s changed the landscape not only for Pawtucket but for school departments across the state.

“It’s provided a level of protection for our teachers and students,” he said. Asked about the possibility of holding events for high school seniors this year, both McWilliams and Charbonneau said that they’re waiting on guidance from the Rhode Island Department of Education and the state Department of Health.

“Certainly our hope is that we’re able to have some end-of-the-year senior activities,” Charbonneau said.

On graduations, the superintendent said, “We do hope to have outdoor graduations but are still awaiting guidance.”

As a parent of two Pawtucket high school students, Charbonneau said he’s glad they’ll be returning to in-person classes on March 29.

Joanne Bonollo, the School Committee member who’s been an advocate for reopening schools and requested the agenda item to reconsider opening them at the Feb. 9 meeting, told The Breeze that she hasn’t heard or received any complaints since students have been allowed back. When she drops her granddaughter off at Fallon Elementary School each morning, she said, everyone is wearing masks and abiding by rules.

“It’s a level of tension that’s dissipated,” she said. “Parents are glad to see them back in school.”

Parents: A weight’s been lifted

Rayna Tomasian told The Breeze that having her daughters Alayna, a 1st-grader at Varieur Elementary School, and Aubrey, who’s in pre-K at Greene Elementary, back at school has been really positive for the whole family.

“I can start to take a bit more care of myself and get a little bit more done than I used to,” she said. “It feels … like I can breathe a little bit better,” she said. “There’s a light at end of the tunnel now. … I can’t imagine doing homeschool anymore.” Since going back, she said, Alayna is excited all the time and there’s no fighting to get ready for school in the morning. When her daughter sees and runs up to her friends “it warms my heart.”

Tomasian also has a 3-year-old son Dean, and she said it’s been nice to have one-on-one time with him for the first time since he was born.

Adjusting from being home to going back to school has had minor challenges, Tomasian said, noting that her children come home and are exhausted since they’re not used to doing a full day in-person. Her younger daughter has had to get up at 6:30 a.m. instead of 7:30 a.m. to get ready and eat breakfast. “It’s been a bit of an adjustment,” she said. “She’s taking it in stride.”

Since going back, Tomasian said, they haven’t had to experience any classrooms quarantining. “So far, knock on wood, Varieur hasn’t had to close yet,” she said.

Because some classes had fewer students who wanted to return in-person, the district had to shuffle around teachers, which meant that Alayna has had a new teacher since going back, but Tomasian said it’s been going fine so far and that her daughter is excelling in class.

Parents Destini Ceceri and Sandy Darosa, who both previously spoke to The Breeze about wanting their children to be back in school, said the transition back has been smooth so far.

“It’s like a weight (has been) lifted off our shoulders that they can go back,” Ceceri said, adding that her son Gianni, a 4th-grader at Potter-Burns Elementary, has been waking up on time and doing well in school.

Darosa agreed, saying that the teachers are doing a great job and that her family hasn’t had to deal with any quarantines since going back. “So far, no complaints,” she said. “The kids are super excited to be back … I think they easily adjusted.”

Gianni, left, a 4th-grader, and brother Vincent Ceceri, a kindergartner, both at Potter-Burns Elementary School, are all smiles now that they’re back to in-person learning.

Alayna Tomasian, a 1st-grader at Varieur Elementary School, on her first day back after schools reopened in Pawtucket earlier this month.

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