Holliston Public Schools Announce Launch of Phase 2 of Remote Learning Program

HOLLISTON — Superintendent Brad Jackson announces that the Holliston Public Schools has launched the second phase of its Remote Learning Plan.

Phase two of the district plan, which launched yesterday, includes new material designed to keep students engaged in their learning during the ongoing school closure.

Teachers and administrators have worked since the initial school closure last month to ensure students have remained connected to their school community and the content they have already learned, and now that effort will evolve into providing new instruction going forward. 

Placentino and Miller Elementary Schools’ teachers will focus on those schools’ core focus areas of reading, writing and mathematics. Robert Adams Middle School teachers will continue to explore the school-wide lens of “Personal, Local, Global,” with an emphasis on deeper, applied learning and a thorough conceptual understanding being the driving concept behind their students’ remote work. 

New content will be introduced judiciously, while important concepts and skills that classes have already touched upon will be reinforced. 

Holliston High School students have begun moving forward in curriculum content, with teachers remaining vigilant and mindful of their individual students’ needs and adjusting according to those needs. 

The high school will work on a fixed remote class schedule beginning at 9 a.m. and ending no later than 11:50 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. 

On the days when students are not meeting with their teachers, they will be assigned independent work that should require no more than 50 minutes to complete. With this schedule, each student will meet with their Period A teacher for up to 100 minutes per week and have up to 150 minutes of independent work assigned to them.

“While the last few weeks have been a considerable departure from our normal way of doing things, it’s been remarkable to see the effort our teams have put into designing and implementing an evolving remote learning program. I’ve also been encouraged by the level of engagement from our students and families in providing feedback that has guided our work,” Superintendent Jackson said. “I am deeply grateful for the profound sense of duty, regardless of traditional roles or responsibilities, that has made this program a reality. I’m also thankful for the flexibility and open-mindedness the leadership of the Holliston Federation of Teachers has shown in partnering with us to ensure students are well-served during this time.” 

The Remote Learning Plan incorporates sample schedules, which students and families can use to ensure that students — especially younger ones — retain the invaluable structure to their days that school provides.

While schools are closed, the district will continue to implement the individualized education plans (IEPs) of students who have them, within the limitations of a remote learning environment. 

The COVID-19 situation is a constantly changing one, and the Holliston Public Schools stand ready to continue reevaluating the needs of students going forward. The district expects that, no later than April 13, each student on an IEP will have a Remote Learning Support/Services Plan in place. These plans will be developed collaboratively by Special Education liaisons, team members, staff and parents, and delivery of services will vary on a case by case basis. 

Members of the community are invited to review the district’s Remote Learning Plan in full by clicking here.

Holliston Public Schools, like all in the state, remain closed until at least Monday, May 4, as a precaution to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The District will provide further updates as they become available. 

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