With the frequency of breaks during class diminishing, Andover High School students have stated that taking a walk outside during class would help with productivity.
Originally introduced as mask breaks, institutionalized short breaks from class taken outside of the school began when the COVID protocol was initiated at AHS. Caitlin Brown, AHS’s principal, explained that the COVID system encouraged teachers, especially during long blocks, to allow times for students to remove their masks. Spacing issues meant that these mask breaks could not be done inside, so specific mask break locations outside the school were established. This was so that the school could keep track of where kids were for safety reasons.
Now that AHS is no longer under COVID protocol, Brown says that the school just asks the teachers to inform the school if they are to go outside, but now that teachers are no longer told to take their kids outside, many teachers have stopped doing it altogether.
Enrico Panzica, a junior, said, “Trudging through a day with no breaks is hard work, school only really has one break, lunch.” He explained that a break helps him clear his head, a sentiment held by many others. In addition to Panzica, many students, such as juniors Mars Tasiopoulos, Arjun Chavan, Luke Stump, and Kyle Huang, adore these breaks. Many have expressed displeasure with the recent lack of them. Many teachers no longer take their students on walks, perhaps due to time constraints. One math teacher, Dorothy Power, said, “In general, I have not been taking them. I would love to go more regularly… but there is always so much to do.” Walks take on average 5-10 minutes if a class walks around the entire school, perhaps less if they choose to use the courtyard. A break of that length could take up a significant portion of class time.
Brown explained a problem that arose during the lunch block, which is one of the two long blocks during which teachers would actually take breaks past COVID. When classes would walk past the exterior courtyard by the cafeteria, students would mix and begin to deviate by heading inside early. Not knowing where students were meant that the school couldn’t ensure their safety. As such, she has said that teachers have been told not to take laps around the school during lunch. Both Scott Darlington, an assistant principal, and Brown have said that the interior courtyard is a perfectly suitable place to take these breaks.
Some teachers agree with the general student sentiment. Katie Reusch, a social studies teacher who teaches U.S. History, Race & Membership, and Music & Society classes, is fond of walking breaks. “I find that people are better equipped to do whatever we’re doing after the breaks as opposed to just trying to stick it out and getting tired,” she said.
On the night of March 4, the mask mandate in Andover Public Schools was lifted by the APS School Committee. APS students and staff are no longer required to wear masks in school or at school-sponsored events.
Because of the schools’ high vaccination rates and the steady decrease in COVID-19 cases prior to the mandate being lifted as well as the state mandate being lifted, the committee determined that it would be safe to stop wearing masks in school. Many were excited that the mandate was ending, and the committee’s decision was supported by the majority of the community.
Since then, many people have stopped wearing masks, but there are some who are keeping their masks on. Ohad Mamet, a junior, said that he is planning on wearing a mask until the cases stabilize. “I want to wait a while before I stop wearing it to make sure there are no new outbreaks caused from everyone stopping wearing their masks at once,” he said. This was a common concern since the mandate was lifted just a week after February break, butthe cases have not increased too dramatically. In fact, the cases have mostly declined since the break.
The numbers of weekly reported COVID-19 cases in AHS and the APS district.
AHS junior Diya Ganesh, while a bit worried about the mandate getting lifted, noted that it may not make that big of a difference. “Cases seem to be okay, which is all that really matters,” said Ganesh. “[It’s] not like people were really wearing masks all that well before.” Mamet agreed. “The mandate was helpful initially, but just became useless and annoying when people refused to wear their masks properly,” he said. “Lifting the mandate didn’t really change anything from a safety perspective as most of the people who wore masks properly are still wearing masks and the ones who didn’t aren’t.”
“I think at first a lot of people wanted to keep their masks on, but as time went on, I think people realized that it was unnecessary,” said Freshman Ian Chiang. “It’s comfortable to not have one on… I personally feel safe enough to not wear one myself.” He also said that if COVID cases were to increase, he would start masking again.
Interestingly, an email from AHS principal Caitlin Brown to teachers on March 7 said that because the policy has been changed to mask optional, there is no longer a need for mask breaks. Instead, Brown wrote, “Students in masks can take a break in the classroom as needed.” Junior Riley Cox thought that this didn’t make sense, because it would defeat the purpose of those students wearing masks in the first place. However, there are some teachers who allow masking students or the whole class to take short breaks in the hallway if needed.
A concern of School Committee members was the potential for harassment and division between people who continued to wear their masks and those who chose not to. “Are teachers prepared to address that kind of behavior in their classrooms?” asked Tracy Spruce, a member of the Andover School Committee. “If we’re going to do this, I want to be confident that the level of instability we’ve experienced over this issue is not going to translate into our classrooms.” While this “instability” has not been too common at AHS, some have experienced it. “I’ve faced some from a select group of kids, but most people haven’t said anything,” said Cox. However, Superintendent Dr. Magda Parvey stated that the schools’ general anti-bullying policy will deal with these types of issues.
Additionally, there was a push from parents in the community to lift the mandate. When Andover Patch asked about people’s thoughts on the mandate on Facebook, some had strong opinions. “This is so long overdue,” said user Tim Pitta. “History will never understand why we put our children through this… Shame on our policy makers for not lifting this mandate a long time ago.” Another user, Traci Babcock-Connor, claimed that mask mandates are “child abuse,” and that “[t]he fear and anxiety created are criminal and [there] needs to be accountability.” On the other hand, there were many who felt the decision was made too soon.
Nevertheless, the mask mandate was passed, and the number of cases is continuing to go down. People have been mostly supportive of their peers’ choices. “I am confident that all in the community will be respectful and supportive of an individual’s choice to either wear a mask or not,” said Parvey.
On February 17, the Andover Public Schools Committee discussed making masks optional in APS after February break, following a change in state guidelines.
The change to the mask policy recommended by Superintendent Dr. Magda Parvey, based on data provided by Director of Nursing Rita Casper and Director of Public Health Thomas Carbone, was to make masks optional in APS schools starting on March 7, a week after returning from break. Following multiple hours of discussion, the Committee decided to vote on the issue in their next meeting on March 3.
In addition to making masks optional, the change in policy will also “delegate masking decisions to the superintendent in consultation with public health experts” according to a Facebook post made by School Committee member Shannon Scully.
Over sixty members of the public attended the meeting, with many speaking about the masks issue. The audience frequently interrupted the meeting by clapping loudly or shouting. The Committee asked for all to be quiet multiple times.
All members of the public who gave public input in the meeting were in favor of making masks optional in schools starting February 28. However, School Committee member Paul Murphy noted the Committee has received emails from Andover residents in favor of making masks optional at a later date.
Taking two meetings to vote on a proposal is the regular protocol for School Committee decisions. However, many members of the public attending the meeting requested the Committee hold an emergency meeting before February 28 or go against protocol and take a vote in the February 17 meeting, due to the nature of the issue. “We just don’t want this to keep going on,” said parent Concetta Archambault.
Speakers asked the Committee to make a decision before returning to school from break to ensure clarity on the issue of masks, rather than confuse and stress out students and parents.
The committee decided to wait until March to vote so they can take more time to consider the issue. There is currently support from the Committee to make masks optional starting March 7, but the official vote will take place on March 3.
The superintendent recommended the mandate be lifted on March 7 because after every school break since the start of COVID there has been a spike in cases, based on data provided by Carbone and Casper. After Christmas break, there was an especially high spike, with students missing in many classes at Andover High School due to being quarantined.
COURTESY PHOTO / Andover TV Thomas Carbone, Director of Public Health, and Rita Casper, Director of Nursing, speaking at the School Committee meeting
School Committee Chairperson Susan McCready suggested the mandate be lifted starting on the night of March 4 instead of Monday March 7 so the sophomore semi-formal dance on March 5 can be mask-optional. This will be decided in the next meeting.
Despite the recent spike, lifting the mask mandate was recommended because of the consistent decline in cases since return from winter break and the high vaccination rates at APS. Not including at-home antigen tests, only six students tested positive for COVID in the week preceding break, and over 70% of students are vaccinated in all APS schools except Shawsheen Preschool. In AHS, 89% of students are partially or fully vaccinated.
After the mask mandate is lifted, students will still be required to wear a mask for ten days after testing positive for COVID, in health facilities, and on school buses due to federal regulations regarding public transport.
Despite the lack of a mandate, students who are immunocompromised or unvaccinated are encouraged to continue to wear masks if they become optional.
Speakers from the public raised various concerns about continuing to mandate masks.
Many speakers talked about removing masks as a sign of return to normalcy and that it would increase feelings of safety and consistency among kids. They also noted the increase of mental health issues over COVID has partially been due to feelings of fear among students, and that removing the mask mandate would help everyone feel as if the situation is getting better.
Tara Dunham, a mental health professional, said, “Fear does not prevent death, it prevents life.” Rhonda Rosner, a parent to students in APS,said masks demonstrate “learned helplessness” to kids.
Speakers also mentioned the negative effects of masks on child development and learning; difficulties masks cause for students with hearing, speech and sensory related disabilities; and some studies showing mask mandates had little effect on slowing the spread of COVID.
Additionally, eighth grader Carmela Balitty said that if the mandate was not lifted prior to the 28th, she and some of her friends would refuse to wear masks in school, and if they were forced to, they would walk out and peacefully protest. “I refuse to wear something oppressed onto me,” she explained. While she said that she didn’t think their actions alone would change the mandate, it would “make a statement.”
The School Committee had a mixed response to lifting the mandate, agreeing with the benefits of it being lifted while voicing concerns.
While agreeing it was time to “take a step forward,” School Committee member Tracey Spruce worried about the effect of the policy change on immunocompromised community members, and teachers who had kids too young to be vaccinated. Those sentiments were met with heavy criticism from some audience members.
Vice Chairperson Lauren Conoscenti pointed out that many towns in the area are lifting their mandates on March 7 or later. She echoed concerns about the risk for immunocompromised people, sharing the experience of being immunocompromised herself.
The Committee also voiced concerns about possible bullying of students who continue to wear masks if the mandate is lifted, considering the tension the issue drew. It was mentioned by a member of the public that bullying of students who will not be wearing masks is possible as well. Parvey noted APS already has a code of conduct regarding bullying.
According to Justin Jin, an AHS Student Government representative at the meeting, opinion over lifting the mandate is divided among AHS students. Based on a survey Student Government conducted, of about 800 student responses, 49% of students support going mask-optional, 33% are against the change, and 16% are not sure.
Regardless of whether the mandate passes or not, Jin hopes the Andover community will stay strong. “I just hope our community stays together,” he said, about his personal view on the mandate.
Most Andover High School students are doing their best to follow the masking and social distancing rules in the AHS cafeteria this year.
When in the cafeteria, social distancing isn’t required, and students are only required to wear their masks when walking around. These rules were created by Massachusetts’ Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in accordance with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines. The mask mandates were extended through October 1, then November 1, and have since been extended through January 15 as of October 26. Although the vaccination rate in the high school is high, at 85 percent, it is still important for students to follow the guidelines to keep the school safe.
“I’m very glad we have masks,” junior Juliet Herrick said. “But how can you eat food with a mask on? If we’re distanced it’s awkward. [The cafeteria rules are] like a compromise. It gives you a taste of normal.”
Freshman Carmina Merrill said that she believes it’s harder to enforce the masking rules in the cafeteria than in the classroom. Senior Tessa Barcelo said “Sometimes people don’t follow [the rules],” and that she feels the rules should be a little more enforced.
With the amount of students and the large space, it’s hard for the monitors to keep track. Ron Ramsey, an AHS monitor, has a different opinion than Merrill and Barcelo. He said that kids are generally more willing to follow the rules, especially ones who were at AHS last year.
STAFF PHOTO / Eva Liss Masked and unmasked students sit in cafeteria during their lunch block
The rules for eating in the cafeteria last year were much more severe. There were two eating spaces—the cafeteria and the Dunn Gym—and students ate at desks spaced six feet apart. Sophomore Ingrid Cotta said, “[The masking rules] make it easier to hang out with your friends at lunch, and I think most of the people are following the rules. It works out pretty well.” Students seem to be willing to cooperate with the current rules if it means they don’t have to go back to the old ones.
Scott Darlington, an assistant principal at AHS, said he believes that students need to focus a little more on following the rules and keeping themselves and others safe. He also said students are doing a good job so far. “It takes a certain amount of discipline to remember to [mask up],” said Darlington. “Sometimes people take off their masks, put them down, and then they stand up to get a glass of water and they’re halfway there, and we remind them, and they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, I didn’t even realize that!’”
Darlington said he believes AHS is doing the best it can with the guidelines it has. “Everyone thinks ‘Oh, why do we still have to wear masks?’ Because you probably would have a hard time keeping your school open if you didn’t,” he added.
