(Boston Orange 周菊子綜合報導)波士頓市府宣佈，鑑於新冠病毒(COVID-19)確診率從上週的4.5%陡升至5.7%，明日(10月22日)起，波市公校所有學校恢復遙距上課。
一旦新冠病毒確診率低連續兩週於4%後，波市公校將在重啟從年紀最小學生開始，階段式恢復返校上課模式。
波市公校將尊重家長意見，為選擇遙距學習者提供完整課程。
波士頓市上週的新冠病毒確診率是4.4%，截至10月17日的這週，確診率陡升至5.7%。波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin Walsh)表示，這是五月底以來單週增長幅度最大的一週。
波士頓教師工會早前同意，一旦新冠確診率達到4%，就應該關閉學校。不過學校人員最近優先讓需求高的學生們留在學校上課。其他學生從9月21日開學起，就一直是遙距上學。
波士頓市長馬丁華殊和公校總監Brenda
Cassellius已兩度展延波士頓公校恢復回校上課的下一階段進程，包括原定10月15日讓托兒所和幼稚園學生回校的安排，也已延後。
Brenda Cassellius表示，做這決定，讓她的心都碎了。尤其是那些家裡沒有科技設備，或語言有障礙的家長，學生們，對於回校上課需求更迫切。
BOSTON PUBLIC
SCHOOLS SHIFTS TO ALL REMOTE LEARNING DUE TO RISING COVID-19 CASES
PUBLISHED BY:SCHOOLS
Students will return for in-person
learning following a sustained decrease in the positivity rate.
Boston Public Schools announced today
that due to a rising COVID-19 infection rate in the city, and in support of
efforts to contain the spread, all students will shift to remote learning
effective tomorrow, Thursday, October 22. The city’s seven-day average COVID-19
positive test rate was reported at 5.7%, an increase from last week’s rate of
4.5%. Students will remain in remote learning until there are two full weeks of
falling infection rates.
“We have said all along that we will
only provide in-person learning for students if the data and public health
guidance supports it, and this new data shows that we are trending in the wrong
direction,” said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “We will continue to monitor the
metrics and work towards our goal of welcoming students back into our
classrooms, learning among their peers, supported and educated by our dedicated
staff.”
The announcement was made in
consultation with public health officials and in reviewing data that shows two
weeks of increased confirmed positive cases across the entire City of
Boston.
“BPS remains committed to providing
in-person learning opportunities to our students as soon as it is appropriate
to do so, and will continue to prioritize our students with the highest needs
for in-person learning,” said Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Dr.
Brenda Cassellius. “I know our students and teachers have been making great
progress since in-person learning started on October 1 and that schools and
families were looking forward to a return to school buildings. But we must do
our part to slow the spread and keep our students, families, and staff safe.”
Once the citywide seven-day COVID-19
positivity rate is below 5% for two consecutive weeks, students with the
highest needs will have the option to return to in-person learning. When the
citywide seven-day COVID-19 positivity rate is below 4% for two consecutive
weeks, BPS will restart the phase return of students for in-person learning,
beginning with our youngest students. BPS will continue to respect family
choice and will provide fully remote learning for all who choose it.
BPS will provide updates to plans as
soon as they develop. In addition, schools will work with families who may need
to pick up technology or other personal items students may have left at school.
The district is exploring options for providing services for our students with
complex disabilities and will update families with more information in the
coming days.
All BPS students started the school year
learning remotely on September 21. Families were able to select if they wanted
to keep their students in all-remote learning or opt into a hybrid learning
model. Students recognized as High In-Person Priority were able to return for
in-person learning beginning October 1. Families will be notified of an updated
timeline for their children to resume or begin in-person learning for the
school year as soon as public health data allows.
For more information on the BPS
reopening plan, work done to prepare buildings for in-person learning, and the
district’s health and safety protocols visit bostonpublicschools.org/reopening.
