CHICOPEE – The Chicopee School Committee met on Feb. 3 to discuss students returning to the classroom and to listen to public input from teachers, parents and city residents.

The Chicopee Implementation Committee has put forth a structured plan that will allow all students to return to the classroom in a hybrid model. Superintendent Lynn Clark discussed this plan on her Facebook Live stream in recent days. While some are in favor of this plan, others are still concerned with allowing kids and staff back into buildings.

Joshua Clark, a teacher in the Chicopee Public Schools system, spoke in front of the School Committee during public input. He expressed his views that kids in remote learning are unhappy and falling behind in their work.

“Our children are not okay,” said Clark. “Remote learning is not working for our students. Our students are failing, more anxious, more depressed and angrier than before.”

Clark is in favor of a cohort plan for hybrid learning, which many neighboring cities have already implemented.

“Let’s not sacrifice good for perfect and bring the students, faculty and staff back in person as soon as possible,” he said.

 Robin Beruvi, a parent of children who have attended Chicopee High, was in agreement with Clark.

“I’m afraid my senior will not see the inside of a classroom,” she said. “Speaking on behalf of the parents who want their kids in person: we are begging the teacher’s union to agree to go back into the classroom so that our students do not fall further behind. We do not have a lot of time left in this school year, let’s get our kids back in school.”

Haley Chauvin, a middle school librarian at Bellamy School, voiced her disagreement.

“We need support in the remote routine that we have, not a rushed return to in-person learning that ignores constantly changing data and a profound loss of life,” she said.

During the meeting, both Mayor John Vieau and Clark acknowledged that they realize students are struggling with remote learning during the pandemic.

“Our students are struggling and it is a concern,” said Clark. “That’s why we have an Implementation Committee.”

Vieau also expressed his approval of bringing kids back to school and beginning a safe and effective hybrid model of learning.

“There’s a dire need to get these kids back in school for that social-emotional portion they’re missing and I really do believe in my heart that the right thing to do is get those kids in school,” he said.

In recent weeks, the Implementation Committee has made significant progress when it comes to the next steps for Chicopee Public Schools. The committee is made up of teachers, administrators and some School Committee members. They have worked together to create a hybrid learning structure, which Clark spoke about during the School Committee meeting and explained further on her prior Facebook live.

There is no set date for when the plan will begin as it still needs to be discussed and negotiated with the union, but Clark said she will keep residents notified. The plan will allow Chicopee Academy, high needs students and those in grades K through 3 to be in school four days a week, with Wednesday being a remote learning day. Grades 4 through 12 and CTE students will follow a traditional hybrid model broken into cohorts. Cohort A will be in school on Monday and Tuesday. Cohort B will be in school on Thursday and Friday. On Wednesday, both cohorts will learn from home and it will serve as a deep cleaning and sanitization day for all schools.

Clark said that cohorts will be created by street names. Numbered streets and streets beginning with A through I will be in Cohort A. Streets beginning with J through Z will be Cohort B. This will help keep families together on in-person learning days, said Clark.

The goal is to have this hybrid model go into effect this month, though it is not certain that will happen yet, according to Clark.

For now, CTE students are set to return to school on Feb. 8 and will be following the hybrid model they previously had before going full-remote.

The CTE schedule was brought up by Doug Girouard during the School Committee meeting. Girouard said he has heard from many parents of CTE students that they are not getting enough time in their shop classes.

According to Girouard, the CTE program in Chicopee spends a lot of time switching from core classes to shop classes in one week. In other communities, schools tend to spend one week in their core classes and then spend the next week devoted entirely to their shop classes.

Many Chicopee parents are expressing the view that kids in other communities will be better prepared to go out in the field and get a job, given that they are spending more time doing hands-on shop class learning, said Girouard.

“If we could just look into that and look into what other communities are doing to see if it makes sense where our students will get at least what other students are getting in their shop classes,” he said.

Clark agreed that this was an important point and something that she will look into.

Those interested in viewing the School Committee meeting in its entirety are encouraged to visit the ChicopeeTV Facebook Page.