Superintendent’s Letter to Families

Dear MPS Families,

On Monday, April 5, the Malden Public Schools is excited to begin providing in-person instruction, five days per week, for students in grades K-5. 

We will continue to closely follow strict safety protocols to protect the health and wellbeing of our students, staff, and families. We are confident that our school buildings are very safe and that the measures we have in place will help prevent the spread of COVID-19. In fact, we have had much success with these measures over the past several weeks and are pleased to report that MPS meets all health and safety guidelines as confirmed by a recent Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) site visit to Malden schools.

Please note that families of K-5 students will now have two options: fully in person (5 days/week) or fully remote. There will no longer be a hybrid model offered at these grade levels. Additionally, students in grades 6-8 will begin in-person learning five days per week on Wednesday, April 28. 

We have done everything we can to keep students with their current teachers. However, in some rare cases, such as when a classroom is at capacity and a family opts to shift from remote to in-person learning, we may need to make a change. We will look to avoid this situation whenever possible, but it remains a possibility. 

We are working with our educators’ union to find ways to help make this transition to in-person learning as smooth as possible.  We are in the process of hiring multiple Learning Support Assistants. These positions are temporary, flexible, part-time positions (up to 19 hours per week). Please see the link for more information. Link to interest form: Interest Form – Learning Support Specialists.

Processes & Procedures
Before students leave their home in the morning, families should conduct a self-check to make sure their child is free of any COVID-19 symptoms. If they do have symptoms, they should stay home and consult a healthcare provider. 

When arriving at school, students should only be dropped off at the time indicated by the building principal. This ensures we remain in compliance with DESE guidance related to social distancing and other safety precautions.

At lunch, students will report to a large space, such as the gym or cafeteria. There, they will be spaced 6 feet apart as they eat. Once they finish eating, students will put their masks back on and stay within their 6-foot area until the lunch period is over.

At dismissal at the end of the day, we ask that families pick up students and exit the common areas as quickly as possible. 

Meal Service Update
With the return to full-time in-person learning, we are making some changes to our meal services. Starting Monday, food distribution will take place at Salemwood School and Malden High School only. Families whose students are engaged in fully remote learning can pick up meals Monday through Friday, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

As always, thank you for your support and flexibility throughout this pandemic. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s principal. 

 

Sincerely,

John Oteri, Superintendent
Malden Public Schools

Attachments:
1) COVID-19 Guidelines
2) Meal Service Update
3) Return to School Timeline