WESTFIELD – The Westfield School Committee hosted a lengthy discussion about an updated timeline for the district’s phased in reopening plan and an update to fall sports at its Sept. 8 meeting.

To start the discussion of bringing students to learn in person, Superintendent of Schools Stefan Czaporowski presented the suggested dates for return for different age groups.

“On Sept. 28 we would return our special education students in the autism spectrum program, essential life skills program, the developmental learning programs, and our transition program to school every day and our preschool students would come in every day as part of Phase 1B,” Czaporowski said.

He added that on Oct. 13 special education students in the RISE program and learning and language disabilities program along with students considered homeless by McKinney Vento and English language learners would return every day as part of Phase 2. Students in kindergarten and grades 1, 5, 7, and 9 would also begin hybrid learning at that point.

“Phase 3 would begin on Oct. 26 and all students in grades 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, and 12 would return to school in person every other week. We would remain in Phase 3 until we are able to go into phase 4 when there is a vaccine and all students can return to in person learning,” Czaporowski said.

In order to make the process as flexible as possible, the School Committee will vote on each return date the week before they happen.

“I planned it so that a School Committee meeting is a week before the date of return so we can vote that in for the following Monday. The proposal of dates remains flexible depends on the information that we hear from the previous week’s meeting,” he said.

Czaporowksi added that this would give district administration and the principals a more grounded timeline for return with the potential for delays.

Public Health Director Joe Rouse jumped into the call and reiterated that the first couple of weeks of school would be critical in determining what’s next.

“Right now is that pivotal time where we can’t really rely on anything until we get through the next two or three weeks. It’s a time where we really need to think about the big picture and make sure we don’t take a step back,” he said.

He added that he was in favor Czaporowski’s proposed timeline.

“I think the timeline laid out doesn’t worry me now as much as it did a month ago. I think everybody made the right decision in holding off on this. The timeline I agree with right now, but that could easily change in two weeks. As a community, we are in a good place to move forward with this,” Rouse said.

At the time of the meeting, Rouse said the city had just two active COVID-19 cases.

The committee unanimously approved the proposed changes to the return to school timeline and to formalize each date with a vote at a School Committee meeting.

After the discussion about the new return timeline, the district’s Supervisor of Athletics and Physical Education Ryan Dunphy discussed some updated guidance from MIAA about fall sports.

“The game schedule is really undetermined. They are waiting for other districts to fully comply and they are working on bubble play. Whatever they determine what our bubble or who our league is, will be the only games played this season. I expect it to be about eight to 12 games,” he said.

While they are still waiting official guidance on spectators, Dunphy said the district is working on livestreaming setups for each sport.

One concern brought up by committee member Bo Sullivan was playing with the new modifications.

“The game looks like the game, for example soccer is being played with these modifications, they recorded a 60-minute soccer video with these modifications being refereed and they put it out. I’m telling you it looks like soccer,” Dunphy said. “I think when you have changes, people are going to be a little apprehensive, I think once we get started and see how it shakes out it will be fine.”

During the meeting, the committee also approved four memorandums of agreement with the teachers, paraprofessionals, Cafeteria Managers Association, and the Westfield Lunch Association for the 2020-2021 school year.

The Westfield School Committee next meets on Sept. 21.