Southampton School District To Enter Phase Two Reopening

As of February 1, the Southampton Union Free School District will roll out phase two of its reopening plan, returning most pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students to in-person learning, in some capacity, by piercing the 6-foot social distancing cap, according to Superintendent of Schools Nicholas Dyno, despite a majority of district teachers opposed to the move, citing safety concerns.

The Southampton Board of Education green-lighted the plan during Tuesday night’s Zoom meeting, which drew over 130 viewers online to hear the highly anticipated details: At the start of the second semester, pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, seventh- and eighth-graders will return to full-time, in-person learning, five days a week, as well as some high-needs seniors who are at risk of not graduating in June.

Additionally, ninth- through 12th-grade students will continue attending high school in two cohorts, except they will shift to a new rotation — from two days a week in person to three days the first week, followed by two days the second week, with the alternate cohort on the opposite schedule. Mondays will also switch from planning days for teachers to live or remote instruction for students, Mr. Dyno said, depending on the cohort.

In order to implement these changes, each school will invariably bring in more children, pushing the 6-foot distance cap to capacity and beyond. In lieu of social distancing, the district will install 1,500 additional desktop and common area barriers, and require all students to wear masks or face shields, in compliance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

“If you look at Suffolk County’s positive rates, the last four days, they’ve seen the rates go down — the number of positives have been less than they have been last week. So I think we’re possibly hitting a point where we might be able to do this, in a way,” Mr. Dyno said to the board. “I also reserve the right that if we do this and two days in, three days in, five days in, it’s not working, I would ask you to give us the freedom to be able to readjust because we all want everyone to be safe.”

In a recent survey answered by over 600 district parents, the majority said they supported in-person learning, even if it pierced the distancing cap. For the elementary school, that will mean an extra 50 students, which will not allow the students to sit 6 feet apart in all classes, and the same will be true for the eighth grade.

But in the seventh grade, which has only 79 enrolled students, transitioning back to in-person learning will not be a heavy lift, Mr. Dyno said, going so far as to say that some of those classes may still respect the social distancing due to the small class sizes. In total, the intermediate school will welcome back about 85 students.

And at the high school, between 20 and 30 seniors will require live schooling daily, “and we absolutely have that space,” Principal Brian Zahn said.

“I’ve got to let the numbers drive the train here,” School Board member James McKenna said. “The elementary school, I think it should be done, that’s my personal feeling, I think we should give that a whirl because I think those little guys need to get in. The junior high school, I think need to get in.

“You’re talking about 85 students, drop back and think about that,” he continued. “That’s two classrooms, three classrooms of kids … I’d be tempted to think that’s not going to overload the system. I’d be leaning to support this only because the numbers, if you really look at the numbers — forget the emotions, out of the picture — if you look at the numbers, it seems to me that this is doable and maybe we should give it a try.”

Moving the student population back into the schools will, inevitably, phase out 100 percent remote learning over time, which School Board member Michael Medio challenged, pointing to possible consequences for immunocompromised students, or their families.

“I’m obviously all in favor of getting these kids back to school, but what about the kids who are on remote … because they have underlying health issues, and to put them in a building where this disease could kill them?” he asked, adding, “Under this plan, they won’t be able to continue their education.”

Eliminating remote learning would be a gradual process, explained Mr. Dyno, who said the district plans to contact each of the families with a remote student to learn why they chose that route, and if they’d be open to returning to in-person learning — in an effort to devote the district’s resources to live students.

“I’m not looking to pull the rug out on anyone,” he said. “I’m looking to try to ease into what we are in the business of doing, which is provide live instruction for kids.”

While that is also the goal for the district’s teachers, 70 percent of those surveyed said they are uncomfortable with the phase two reopening as it currently stands, and School Board Vice President SunHe Sherwood-Dudley questioned whether their hesitation would delay the return to in-person learning.

“Looking at what you’re presenting, I’m in favor of getting the kids back into school,” she said. “There’s enough data nationwide that indicates that the kids should be back in school, and us moving in to phase two at the timeline that you’re suggesting. But it seems that there’s still a disconnect that I’m not sure how to address that, how to reconcile that.”

Mr. Dyno did not have a concrete answer — only suggesting that the board continue listening to the teachers’ concerns and take measures to make them feel as comfortable as possible.

“Our teachers really want to see kids live, but our teachers are concerned and they don’t support this plan at this date for safety — for students and for adults,” Mr. Dyno said. “So I just wanted to make sure that I go on record letting you know that, because I promised them I’d let you know that.”

While there was talk of delaying the reopening, considering the first two full weeks of February will be remote regardless, the board decided to forge ahead with the suggested start date — noting that parents are growing impatient. A letter co-signed by 72 intermediate and high school parents spoke to that, expressing concern over the current amount of live instruction, as well as the Monday format.

They also requested interactive meetings between them, the administration and the School Board within the next two weeks.

“Now, more than ever, parents are an integral part of whether our children will successfully navigate this challenging year,” the letter read. “We strongly feel that there is need for more dialogue between the administration, board of education and parents.”

The board did not immediately address the letter, but later agreed to the parent meetings, and Mr. Dyno said he would re-send the survey out to the district this week to gauge interest in the phase two plan — though one viewer on Facebook had already expressed her opinion in the comments section.

“It’s crazy to increase attendance in the midst of a covid surge,” wrote Elisa Santos. “Signed, a frustrated local physician seeing the devastation and death in the hospital.”