Given evidence that primary and secondary schools do not contribute significantly to the spread of COVID-19 and that prolonged remote learning is having adverse effects on student mental health and learning outcomes, what are some of the strategies schools can take to bring students safely back together?
A group of doctors and scientists who serve on the Health Advisory Committee of Boston University Academy, including Dr. John Quackenbush, recently published an editorial in the Boston Herald in which they describe some common sense measures, both procedural and cultural that have allowed students to safely participate in-person learning.
Starting from a foundation of science-backed changes to the student experience and sensible modifications to building systems, the team emphasizes the importance of routine testing and contact tracing, together with flexible, data-driven decision-making to adapt to the changing situation on the ground. Given the success the school has achieved so far, the article should help to inform other schools developing strategies to bring kids safely back to the classroom.
