Bedford’s School Committee on Tuesday unanimously voted to return all kindergarten students, as well as a cohort of 149 students with moderate learning disabilities, to four-day, in-person learning.
The changes from the hybrid model, which will necessitate the hiring of eight teachers and assistants for about a half-year, will cost approximately $240,000 for personnel. As much as $180,000 in possible additional expenses for equipment and materials was also authorized.
Most of the money will come from available funds. A reserve fund transfer will probably be processed in the spring. No town meeting action will be needed.
There was no exact timetable attached to the votes, but implementation will take several weeks. Besides hiring, there will be several physical changes that will involve desk replacement and changing some current student configurations in classrooms.
School Committee Chair Dan Brosgol emphasized that although there is much gratification, parents of other children who are struggling with remote learning also have expectations. “Will we get a lot of pressure from parents to do more? Absolutely,” he told the committee. “The question of what else can we do will still be open. So keep on talking about ideas; be creative.”
The special-needs students, the so-called Cohort, are now in the hybrid model in all four buildings. Additional classrooms will need to be created at Lane School.
See Wednesday’s Citizen for complete coverage.
Mike Rosenberg can be reached at [email protected], or 781-983-1763
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Any hope 1st thru 12 grade students go back to in person learning?