Introduction:

On Sunday, March 15, 2020, Governor Baker ordered a three-week closure of school operations for educational purposes at all public and private elementary and secondary (K-12) schools in the Commonwealth, beginning Tuesday, March 17 and continuing until Monday, April 6. At this time, guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is still changing. Our goal is to communicate with our families as often as possible.

Learning Activities and Instructional Resources:

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) does not consider this closure to count toward time-on-learning. These non-school days are considered a three-week period of school closure (March 16 - April 6). Massachusetts DESE has encouraged schools to provide students with recommendations for student learning activities. The district will be working to provide these recommendations throughout this week on the aps1.net website. Currently, each school has listed activities on their webpages, and the district will look to expand this over the next week.

Families will have access to their teachers and principals during this time. To find your teachers or principals’ contact information click here

Picking up child’s belongings left at school: 

Principals will be in their schools on March 17th for parents/ guardians to pick up their student’s device if it was left at school, paper copies of instructional materials if needed or medications your child might need during the closure.

Food Services: 

During this time, Andover Food Services will continue to put forward best efforts to feed our students. We will be preparing bagged breakfasts and lunches out of our production kitchen at Andover High School, where our regular lunch staff will prepare meals in a safe and sanitary environment. Both pick-up and drop-off locations will provide a student with breakfast and lunch for two days. More information on these services can be found here.

MCAS, AP, SATs testing:

• We expect to hear more from MA DESE in the near future regarding MCAS, as all public schools are in the same position.
• The College Board has cancelled May SAT testing in response to the Coronavirus. More information is available on their website.
• The AP Program is developing resources to help schools support student learning during extended closures, as well as a solution that would allow students to test at home, depending on the situation in May. Additional information will be posted by March 20.

Events and Activities

During the closure, all APS events and activities, including athletics and arts, will not be held. Based on MA DESE’s guidance, the anticipated last day of school will be Thursday, June 18, 2020.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers guidelines on how to talk with your children and social distancing recommendations during this uncertain time.

The district will be in frequent communication as information becomes available. We welcome all of the questions, comments, and concerns you might have; please email COVID-19@andoverma.us. Please note, while emails will be read daily, you may or may not receive a direct reply. We appreciate your cooperation and patience in the coming weeks.