PWN081221

AUGUST 12, 2021
WEEKLYNEWS.NET - 978-532-5880 7
PEABODY SCHOOLS ANNOUNCE REOPENING PLANS
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Josh Vadala says the district is not looking to make any major
changes in regards to COVID-19 guidelines for the upcoming school year.
BY ANNE MARIE TOBIN
With three weeks to go until the
first day of school on Aug. 30, it’s
all systems go for Peabody’s public
schools.
“Believe it or not, we are in August
and the start of the new school
year is just around the corner,” Superintendent
of Schools Dr. Josh
Vadala said. “We had an entry plan
last year that focused on building
relationships with the School
Committee and internal and external
stakeholders. It was all about
listening and learning. Our next
step this year is to take everything
we learned last year and focus on
continued improvement going forward
into this year.”
Vadala told the School Committee
at its most recent meeting
that the district will follow all Department
of Elementary and Secondary
Education (DESE) and
Department of Public Health guidance,
which currently “strongly
recommends” masks for students
from K-6 when indoors and for unvaccinated
students in grades 7-12.
Students who are fully vaccinated
are not required to wear masks.
DESE “strongly recommends” that
students who nonetheless choose to
wear masks should be supported in
all cases. Masks are mandatory for
students and staff in school health
officers. Per federal public health
guidelines, masks are mandatory to
students and staff on buses.
“We know that things may
change over the next few weeks,”
Vadala said. “We have to be flexible
and need to be adaptive as we
were last year. But I was very encouraged
with the commissioner
(of Education Jeffrey Riley) and
the governor’s (Charlie Baker) recommendations.”
According to Vadala, while the
district will be meeting with Health
Director Sharon Cameron in the
upcoming weeks, the district is not
looking to make any major policy
changes.
“This summer worked very
well with optional masks, but we
may need more guidance as we
work into larger classroom settings,
so we will work with Sharon
to get further guidance,” Vadala
said. “Right now, I feel confident
following the DESE and DPH recommendations.
We can make more
recommendations, but we are not
forcing anyone to make those new
decisions at this time. I don’t think
we should have stronger or lesser
guidelines that we have now.”
Committee member Jarrod
Hochman said that while he feels
he isn’t sure he fully understands
DESE’s recommendations, he
doesn’t see any need to strongly
recommend students in K-6 wear
masks.
“Unless things change dramatically
between now and when
school starts, I really don’t see any
need to strongly recommend students
in K-6 when they’re indoors
to be wearing masks,” he said. “I
just don’t understand the need for
K-6 students to get vaccinated and
it’s the same with the students in
grades 7-plus.
“I think we should be 'mask
optional' and support people who
choose to wear masks.”
Hochman said he also doesn’t
understand why there is a federal
mandate requiring masks on buses
and asked Vadala to seek out additional
information on that issue
from the commissioner.
Committee member Joe Amico,
presiding in the absence of
Chair Edward A. Bettencourt Jr.,
suggested the committee convene
again on Aug. 24 “in hopes of having
more concrete data.”
Vadala said the district will continue
to offer COVID-19 testing in
partnership with the city’s health
department using the department’s
mobile vaccination clinic. He said
he is also expecting an updated
version of DESE’s Protocols for
Responding to COVID-19 Scenarios
guide. Currently, the guide exempts
vaccinated people from any
quarantine situations.
New Assistant Superintendent
of Curricula, Instruction and Assessment
Dr. Kelly Chase said she
has been busy talking with district
principals and senses there is a
great sense of optimism about the
upcoming school year.
“You can see there is a great
deal of pride in the work that has
been to date,” she said. “We have
a real opportunity to get back to
basics and engage in communication
to give us a real understanding
about our students and their needs.
“We are putting the worst behind
us and building upon the
strengths of the collaboration that’s
happened this past year.”
THINGS ARE COOKING AT PEABODY’S CITIZENS INN
BY ANNE MARIE TOBIN
Citizens Inn will be hosting
an end-of-the summer virtual
cooking class on Friday, Aug. 20
at 6 p.m.
The event promises to be a
great opportunity, not only for
participants to learn a few new
grilling tricks, but to learn about
and support the Haven from
Hunger — a program run by Citizens
Inn — with a mission of
ending homelessness and hunger
on the North Shore.
“This is our third cooking
class we’ve put together over
the past year,” said Citizens Inn
Senior Development Officer Gianna
Langis. “It’s a unique way
to be able to stay in touch with
our audience and donor base,
and do so in a safe way during
the pandemic. Grilling seemed
like a fun way to end the summer.
“The cost of running Haven
during the pandemic has grown
exponentially and every fundraising
dollar matters. That’s
why these virtual classes are
impactful, and that’s why we
need continued support from the
community as we near the 18thmonth
mark of the pandemic.”
Haven from Hunger Assistant
Program Director Brianne Jurs
will be the featured instructor.
She will teach participants how
to cook a delicious meal using an
outdoor grill. The class menu includes
grilled pizza, grilled fruit
for sangria and a special grilled
dessert.
“Brianne has a wealth of
knowledge in the kitchen, and
while she does follow recipes,
her main goal is to teach the
viewers technique,” said Langis.
“Bri cooks dinner four nights
a week for our takeaway meal
service. Depending on what we
get on that day for food rescue
or from the Greater Boston Food
Bank is what she ends up preparing.
“That’s why technique is so
important and her willingness to
adapt recipes with different ingredients
on a daily basis. It’s all
about catering to the preference
of the audience.”
Langis added thay Jurs is
hoping to show off several items
that many people don’t typically
associate with cheese pizza.
“She’s looking to highlight
some of the beautiful fruit that’s
in season right now and also
vegetables that people might not
think to add to their pizzas,” said
Langis.
Adults will also be able to
make a vegetable dish. An outdoor
grill is not required as all
recipes are oven-friendly, Langis
said.
An ingredient list, pre-class
preparation tips and Zoom meeting
details will be distributed to
confirmed attendees a week before
the event.
Throughout the class, attendees
will be updated on how Citizens
Inn’s Haven from Hunger
program has faced increased
demand during the COVID-19
pandemic. Participants will have
the opportunity to ask questions
about the program or general
Northrup Associates
Helen Bolino
REALTOR ®, CBR
Chairman Circle Gold
2020 Boston Magazine Top Producer
26 Main Street
Lynnfield, MA 01940
Cell: 617-797-2222
food insecurity issues.
“This class also serves as an
opportunity for donors to hear
what Haven’s daily operations
look like,” said Langis. “We’re
in the midst of finishing up construction
of our second floor.
Our pantry remains outdoors for
the foreseeable future.”
Tickets are $50 per household.
To purchase tickets, go
to the Citizens Inn website at
www.citizensinn.org and click
on “events.” All proceeds from
ticket sales will be donated to
Haven from Hunger.
WHAT IS YOUR
HOME REALLY
WORTH?
MORE THAN YOU
THINK!
Haven from Hunger says
the demands made on its pantry
during the pandemic are still
higher than pre-pandemic levels.
The pantry operates Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
of each week from 10:30 a.m. to
2:30 p.m. Meals are provided on
a grab-and-go basis as the dining
room remains closed.
In the last 12 months, the pantry
has served more than 5,000
clients from Peabody, Salem and
Lynnfield.
Call for information on current market conditions!
Cell: 617-797-2222