COVID-19 School Closure

Earlier today, Governor Baker announced that all school buildings in Massachusetts will remain closed for the rest of the school year. While we held out hope that we would be able to return before the end of this school year, we also know that this is the most prudent measure in order to ensure the health and safety of our students, our staff, and our greater community. We look forward to coming back together as a school community in the fall.

That being said, we know that not all of our students will be back with us in September. Today, my heart especially goes out to all of our members of the Class of 2020 who are missing out on the culminating experiences of their senior year. Please know that we are working to develop alternative ways to honor, celebrate, and recognize all that you have accomplished. We also know that our seniors are not the only students missing out on their goodbyes to their school. Our Grade 7, Grade 4, and Project Support students are moving on to new schools next year and we will find opportunities to bring closure to those school experiences once it is safe for us to do so.

We will be continuing with the structure of our remote learning plan throughout the rest of the school year, and look forwarding to incorporating the additional guidance forthcoming from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). I appreciate the commitment of our staff and the patience of our student and parent community as we continue to evolve in this new environment. And while our students may not be learning traditional content the same way they would in a face-to-face environment, I would argue that they are getting a crash course in developing skills that will serve them well for the rest of their lives: resilience and perseverance, caring and compassion, and kindness and empathy.

There are still many questions left to answer in the coming weeks, running the gamut from where we start our curriculum next year to how students can get personal belongings out of their lockers. As always, we will continue to work together to address these and communicate out once the answers are known. In the meantime, please continue to stay safe and know that we will come out stronger on the other side because Billerica is an amazing community.

Tim Piwowar, Superintendent