Holliston Schools Return with a Hybrid Model
Aug 27, 2020 02:28PM ● By J.D. O’Gara
Students from K-12 Have Option of Full Remote Learning
School will open on September 16th in Holliston, but the hybrid plan will look little like a regular school day. With one-way hallways, a focus on sanitizing hands, HVAC changes and open windows to promote fresh air, mandatory masks and social distanced desks and students, the town will bring students back with a mix of in-person and remote classes.
According to Stacey Raffi, of the Holliston School Committee, “Holliston is doing a hybrid model.
All students K-12 have the option of going full-remote. Full remote is not an option for pre-K.”
Raffi explains that students from Pre-K to third grade will have in-person learning five days a week, while students in grades 4-12 will be placed into cohorts A and B. “On week 1: students in cohort A will go to school Monday and Tuesday. They will be remote Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Students in cohort B will be remote Monday and Tuesday, and go in person Wednesday- Friday. On week 2, they’ll switch days for in person,” she explains.
The plan includes daily well-checks of students and masks, either disposable or made of tightly woven cloth. Shared materials that can’t be easily cleaned, such as stuffed animals or sensory materials, will be removed, and kids can’t use playground equipment, although students can have their own individual materials such as writing utensils and play dough, stored in the classroom.
The plan delves also into different rules for physical education, dance and chorus. Chorus will only be allowed outdoors, at distances of 10 feet apart for students. Phys-ed will be allowed indoors at 6 feet apart with masks, 10 feet apart without masks.
To take a look at the hybrid model put forth by Holliston Public Schools to the DESE and released in early August, visit
