ROCHESTER — Almost a day after the Old Rochester Regional School District released its 49-page draft plan for a hybrid return in the fall, members of the Rochester School Committee unanimously approved the protocols and to adopt a Sept. 16 start date across the district.

At its peak, 72 people were in the Aug. 6 Zoom meeting to hear Superintendent Michael Nelson and other ORR principals go over what learning will look like in the fall. 

Students will be broken up into two cohorts by last name. On Mondays, all students will learn remotely, and the other four days of the week will alternate between in-person and online for each cohort.

Students also have the option to learn in a full remote setting and can switch to a hybrid model at any time.

In the plan, “relationship building and ensuring relationships couldn’t be more important” said School Committee Chair Sharon Hartley.

In-person, Rochester Memorial School students will follow a near-normal schedule that integrates social interaction within their classroom and mask breaks throughout the day. 

Online, students and teachers will meet at the start and end of every day, and will have check-ins with teachers three times a day.

At Old Rochester Regional Junior High School, the in-person schedule will shift into block scheduling. Online, students will have more freedom to engage in independent work with teacher guidance.

As for the high school, students will stick to their block schedule online and in-person, with more break time worked into the schedule to accommodate for class transitioning and mask breaks.

“We don’t want to lose that level of class spirit,” said high school Principal Michael Devoll.

Throughout the presentation, Nelson also stressed that the draft plan presented could change in a moment’s notice based on the state’s guidance.

After the presentation, school committee members asked questions about specific areas of the plan before its approval.

Member Anne Fernandes asked about how special needs students will be assisted in the fall.

Nelson said that “I don't think there will be a cookie cutter approach” when it comes to students with a 504 plan or an individualized education plan.

Member Katherine Duggan asked about the safety of teachers who are expected to be in school every day to teach. Nelson replied that an informed decision will be made on the matter once surveys come back from district teachers on their needs. 

In the plan, member Tina Rood pointed out that Mondays look different between hybrid learners and those that are fully remote. Nelson said that there is flexibility in scheduling that day.

Members of the school committee also praised the district for the time put into the plan.

“It’s so clear how much thought has gone into this and how much more thought there will be in the future,” said Rood.

“I have such a profound depth of gratitude” for the district administrators and those who worked on the plan, said Fernandes. 

The plan will now go before the Mattapoisett and Marion School Committees before being voted on by the Joint School Committee on Aug. 12.