Pitts. School Comm. Eliminates Full In-School Plan

On Monday 7/27, the Pittsfield School Committee agreed to eliminate a full in-school education model and asked the administration to continue developing a hybrid and remote model.

According to a story being reported on by iBerkshires.com, the committee voted yesterday morning to take the full in-person education model off the table and continue working on remote options while continuing negotiations with bargaining units.

Superintendent Jason McCandless said, "We don't need you at this point to approve a specific model but to give the administration and the bargaining units more of a direction on which way to spend the majority of our time.

The committee's series of votes directed the administration to submit to the state a preliminary plan that would include a hybrid learning plan as well as a remote learning plan.

The district will report that the state's preferred full in-person learning is not a possibility.

While the state has been setting up the potential for reopening schools by providing health guidelines, no decision has yet been made by the administration. Gov. Charlie Baker has resisted calls from the federal government to reopen schools — and the possible withholding of federal aid if they don't.

The United Educators of Pittsfield posted a statement through social media stating that they wish to resume education in the fall remotely. The teachers' union felt a remote learning period would allow time to fully develop a hybrid learning plan that would work for both students and staff.

Obviously, there is much more ground to cover and more discussion needed to come up with a safe and satisfactory solution. There's also much more to the story. Check it out at iBerkshires's website. Thanks for the update.