SATs put off; students could return to school to pick up items
UPDATED, March 13: A group of superintendents in Middlesex County have agreed to close starting Friday, March 13, at least through Friday, March 27: Arlington, Bedford, Belmont, Burlington, Lexington and Winchester.
Because the announcement came after school ended Thursday, Superintendent Kathleen Bodie told the School Committee last night that all town’s public schools would be open from 9 to noon today so sudents could anything they had left at school.
In addition, she announced that the Scholastic Aptitude Tests, set for Saturday, March 14, have been postponed, tentatively for March 28. If that cannot occur that day, the registration fee will be refunded. Students will need to register for a later date, May 2 or June 6.
Here is a statement from the superintendents in the six districts:
“As we await further guidance from State health officials, area superintendents have collaborated to make a timely and unified decision about school closure. The following districts have agreed to a two-week school closure starting tomorrow: Arlington, Bedford, Belmont, Burlington, Lexington, and Winchester, while other districts in our area are working out the details.
“Our decision has been informed by our local boards of health, as well by expert epidemiologists who recognize that the time to act is now. We know we can have a greater and more positive impact on public health and safety if we do this together.
“Many in our area have been particularly impacted due to our families who have a greater number of presumptive positive cases in the area. Please be aware that this school closure period of time may be extended or shortened should State authorities so direct. We realize the decisions we are making in our geographic region do not necessarily reflect the needs and decisions of our counterparts in other areas of the State.
“We do this out of an abundance of caution, particularly out of sensitivity to families and staff who have underlying conditions that make them more vulnerable to complications should they become infected. We also do not do this lightly, as we know that this will impose a hardship on families who do not have childcare options.”
This action follows the announcement Wednesday, March 11, for a series of steps in response to Gov. Baker’s declaring a state of emergency in the light of the novel-coronavirus situation, considered a pandemic.
No meetings through March 27; emergency operations center activated
In a second annoucement Thursday, March 12, John Guilfoil Public Relations reported that the Town of Arlington, after meeting with its leadership team and consulting with a consortium of mayors and municipal managers from around the metropolitan Boston area, has decided to suspend most nonessential town services and cancel board and committee meetings until further notice.
Additionally, the Arlington Public Library, Arlington Recreation Department, Arlington Youth Counseling Center and Arlington Senior Center will be closed and all town-based meetings will be canceled at least through March 27.
The town is also now advising its residents to practice social distancing and avoid group activities and events.
The decision was made after reviewing the facts and circumstances of the rapidly unfolding novel coronavirus crisis, which has been designated a global pandemic by the World Health Organization.
The Arlington leadership team met again Thursday, March 12, after Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine and Director of Health and Human Services Christine Bongiorno met with a group of mayors and municipal managers in greater Boston to review the latest information about the Covid-19 outbreak.
Arlington’s town administrative offices will operate with minimal staff in order to maintain core municipal services and reachable by phone. Senior rides and meals will operate.
“We are working with our partners and neighbors, and the Town of Arlington will always make the decisions its leadership team feels are best for its community members,” Town Manager Chapdelaine said. “This is a worldwide crisis, and we have concluded that requires us to make decisions to protect our community members based on specific, local information that we have in and in Arlington.”
The Town of Arlington is coordinating efforts to provide support to the vulnerable populations in town, including school-age children on free and reduced lunches, seniors needing food and medical support as well as transportation to medical appointments.
The Town of Arlington is coordinating efforts to provide support to the vulnerable populations in town, including school-age children on free and reduced lunches, seniors needing food and medical support as well as transportation to medical appointments
“Our children and seniors will continue to have meals provided to them, and our seniors will continue to have rides to their vital appointments,” Bongiorno said. “This is a difficult decision, and life is going to be different in our community for a little while. But this is temporary, and we will get through this if we all come together.”
Arlington has also activated its Emergency Operations Center, ensuring interoperability and seamless logistics and delivery of vital town services with representatives from multiple town agencies and departments in constant communication. As part of this activation, the town will staff a hotline from 8 a.m. to midnight daily until further notice. That number, for Arlington residents only, is 781-316-3952.
Additional updates will be provided as information becomes available.
Tracking Covid-19 via Johns Hopkins site
WHO: It’s a pandemic
Globe, March 12: Baker declares state of emergency; cases at 108
March 11, 2020: In face of threat, town suspends Senior Center programs, postpones library events
March 8, 2012: 2nd resident tests negative for Covid-19
Feb. 28-March 6, 2020: Coronavirus risk remains low in town, health office says in 2nd update
These news announcements were published Thursday, March 12, 2020, and updated March 13 with information reported by Bob Sprague. Much of this edited version was written by John Guilfoil Public Relations, which provides news releases to the town.
