Published in the September 11, 2020 edition.

By MARK SARDELLA

WAKEFIELD — The 10-day period of “professional development” aimed at getting teachers ready for a hybrid of in-person and remote instruction for the upcoming school year is well underway, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Kara Mauro told the School Committee this week. The teacher professional development is taking place under “Phase 1” of the schools’ reopening plan.

Mauro said that there have been several Zoom meetings with the entire school staff as well as meetings for individual schools. Some of last week’s district-wide training focused on reducing anxiety in students. Training on “implicit bias” took place this week. Training sessions are also scheduled on student social-emotional wellness as well as on curriculum resources and planning for the hybrid instruction model.

There has also been training on Google Classrooms and Zoom teleconferencing software, Mauro said, noting that district-wide Zoom licenses have been purchased for the upcoming school year.

School nurses are working to put together an in-person, district-wide safety training for school staff, Mauro noted.

Phase 2 of the school reopening plan will begin on Sept. 17, starting with eight days of remote instruction for all students, Superintendent Douglas Lyons added. Those eight days will allow the schools to make sure that all students have the access, connectivity and devices that they will need going into the hybrid instructional model, which begins on Sept. 29.

Lyons said that making sure that all students have what they need for remote instruction is important because he believes that until COVID is more under control the chances are high of going back to fully remote instruction.

Regarding what parents should expect as Phase 2 begins on Sept. 17, Lyons said that school principals at every level will be reaching out to parents this week with information.

Teachers will also be reaching out to students and getting into content as the eight days of remote instruction unfold beginning Sept. 17, Lyons said. During this period, schools will also welcome children in-person who are starting at new schools, including kindergarteners, 5th-graders at the Galvin and freshmen entering the high school.

Special education coordinators will be looking at how to accommodate students who need to be instructed in person, Lyons said.