HARTFORD, Connecticut — Hartford Public Schools students grade levels PreK- 9 will be returning to the classroom starting Monday.
The transition to 'yellow status' means PreK-9 students will resume attending classes five days per week, with half-days on Wednesdays.
10-12th graders will continue with hybrid learning for now without change.
Officials say some students who chose to learn online can continue to do so without any changes.
“I am extremely grateful for the continued partnership and support of our families, staff, and partners during this difficult time. Operating in a hybrid status has placed significant burdens on our students, families, and staff. Following guidelines in the Hartford Public Schools Return to Learn plan, and based on guidance from local and state health officials, we will transition back to “Yellow” status, or five days of school per week, for PreK-9 in-person students,” said Superintendent Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez. “From the start of the school year, I was committed to offering an in-person option for our students and families, based on state guidance and family preferences and needs. We know that daily in-person instruction, and social-emotional and mental health supports in a safe environment, are what’s best for many of our students.”
Superintendent Dr. Torres-Rodriguez hosted a virtual town hall for families on Feb. 24 to provide more information.
“I strongly support the Superintendent’s decision to shift back to full-time, in-person learning for those children and families who want that option. The key COVID-19 metrics in Hartford and the region are now far below what they were when Hartford Public Schools shifted to the hybrid model, and we need to reverse the disruption and disconnection that comes with remote learning for the children in our community,” said Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin. “Hartford Public Schools has been consulting closely with our Department of Health and Human Services and the State, and I’m very grateful to everyone involved in this decision making process. I’m also deeply grateful to the faculty and staff at Hartford Public Schools for their commitment to their students over an extraordinarily difficult year. Lastly, I want to thank our community, because without their continued effort to take the pandemic seriously, we wouldn’t be seeing lower transmission”.
Hartford Public School officials say they will continue to consult with local and state health officials and will continue to enforce COVID-19 health guidelines.