Marlborough committee expands synchronous instruction for Feb. 22 hybrid return

MARLBOROUGH -- February 9, 2021, Marlborough School Committee greenlights expanded live instruction and braces for tight FY22 budget. Assistant Superintendent Eileen Murphy detailed a redesigned hybrid model taking effect Feb. 22 in which grades 5-8 at-home students join all synchronous classes live and Marlborough High shifts to a six-period day, pushing average instruction past 45 hours over two weeks against a state benchmark of 35. Superintendent Bergeron, who reported active in-school cases had fallen to 15 from 28, said the change "is teacher driven in the Marlborough Public Schools." Director of Finance Doug Diaz told members Gov. Baker's $45.6 billion state budget delivered Marlborough only $156,000 in new Chapter 70 aid and that the FY22 target is a zero-percent increase that "protects jobs." The committee approved five personnel and operations policies 6-0 and heard that the district has 4,000 Project Beacon test kits in hand with 4,000 more ordered.