Published in the September 25, 2020 edition.

By MARK SARDELLA

WAKEFIELD — With the hybrid model of in-person and remote instruction set to begin Tuesday in local schools, the School Committee was brought up to date on a number of matters this week.

School Facilities Manager Bob Schiaroli said that his staff has worked with the Water Division to flush all of the buildings. He said that with the buildings not experiencing much use in the last six months, there was potential for chemicals to collect from water standing in the pipes. He said that the water had subsequently been tested in all schools and determined to be safe.

Schiaroli noted that an independent engineering firm had done an analysis of the HVAC and ventilation systems in all the schools. He said that the firm recommended increasing the ventilation in the buildings.

Windows in all schools have been checked and repaired where necessary, Schiaroli said. All windows will have screens and will be functioning properly by the end of this week, he added.

Enhanced filters have been installed in HVAC systems where possible, Schiaroli said, and 100 portable air purifiers have been ordered with delivery expected by the end of this week. The air purifiers will be used in interior school classrooms with no windows as well as at the Greenwood School, where there is no current HVAC or univent system.

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Superintendent of Schools Douglas Lyons talked about other preparations for bringing students and teachers back into the schools under the hybrid model.

He reviewed portions of a slide presentation that had been created by school nurses to inform teachers and other school staff of strategies and guidance related to COVID-19 and reopening safely. The presentation was shown to staff during training sessions and is now of the school’s reopening web site.

Lyons introduced school nurses Mary Doherty and Kelly Qualey to talk about some of the prevention and mitigation strategies that have been put in place district-wide as schools prepare to open under the hybrid model. Doherty is the Greenwood school nurse and Qualey is the  school nurse at the Walton School. Both are on the district reopening team tasked with guiding the schools through a safe reopening.

The nurses talked about hand washing, hand sanitizer, mask protocols and social distancing. They said that all protocols are drawn from guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the Department of Public Health and the Wakefield Board of Health.

Doherty discussed what will happen if a student becomes symptomatic, including isolation, testing and quarantine protocols.  

If a student tests positive, Qualey said, staff will determine who was in contact and notify them. She also reviewed isolation protocols and requirements before a student would be readmitted to school.  

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The School Committee voted to lower user fees from $175 per student to $135, citing the atypical fall sports season. School Business Administrator Christine Bufagnia said that families will receive refunds although many have elected to roll the money over to next season.

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The School Committee approved a policy that prohibits the recording of students in remote learning scenarios. Lyons clarified that the district was not anticipating any issues but wanted to be proactive as a safety precaution.

A policy on face coverings was also modified to remove a provision saying that face coverings are not required during physical education.