Birmingham schools reopening rules issued

By Lisa Brody

The Birmingham Board of Education on Tuesday, March 9, further defined how schools will handle the return of face-to-face learning.

These guidelines are to last for the remainder of the school year.

Elementary school students will attend school five days a week. Secondary students will attend four full days with either Wednesday or Friday as an all-remote day to connect virtual learners with in-person learners in one setting. BCS, middle and high school students have the option of live-streaming as their remote option. There is a Birmingham Virtual Academy option for those seeking to continue with remote learning.

Elementary students attending in person in the Birmingham school district will return Monday, March 15, and will be in school from 9:15 to 3:30. Birmingham virtual students will attend from 8:50 to 2:50.

Berkshire and Derby students will begin attending in-person on Thursday, March 18, and will be in school from 8:35 until 3:15, with virtual Wednesdays. Remote students attend via live-streaming, the board said.

BCS students attending in person will begin Wednesday, March 17, from 8:35 until 3:15, and BCS will have a virtual Friday. Remote students attend via live streaming.

The board said high school students will attend virtually in the morning only on Wednesday, March 17, and will begin attending in person beginning Thursday, March 18. X-block will occur on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7:30 a.m.- 8:10 a.m. First hour will begin at 8:10 a.m. each day. Students will have a virtual Wednesday and remote students will attend via live-streaming.

Students in the special education Early Childhood classes will attend from 8:55-11:40 a.m. or 12:55-3:40 p.m., as is the normal half-day program.

The district's leadership team put out a statement reading, “Everyone involved recognizes that this outcome will not meet everyone’s needs and desires. However, this long-term decision allows for the district to focus on planning for summer programming and for a typical school schedule next fall while exploring a Birmingham Virtual Academy for students as a virtual option. The focus toward a healthy, normalized start to the 2021- 22 school year is something we hope begins to bring us all together once more in the service of students.”