March 27, 2020
Dear OSS Community,
On Thursday, March 26, 2020, the Massachusetts Department of Education issued new guidance regarding
the provision of special education and related services for students with disabilities remotely in addition to
traditional enrichment activities packets. In light of this new information, the Office of Student Services is
working to develop guidelines for special education teachers and related service providers to support and
maintain students’ current level of progress as best as possible. These guidelines will be communicated to you
on Wednesday, April 1, 2020.
In the upcoming days, we will communicate the different models of service delivery and provide possible
methods for educators to use. We are also working with our district technology department to ensure that your
child has the necessary equipment to access and engage with his/her/their teacher.
As always, our first priority is the safety and well-being of you and your child during this national crisis. Second,
we want to minimize the impact of the school closure by maintaining a connection to you and your child.
Please note: Due to issues related to the feasibility of providing specific services virtually along with the
truncated schedule, you should expect that your child’s services will look differently than when your child was
in a traditional school setting. Your Team will contact you in the upcoming days to discuss service delivery
models and scheduling dynamics. Thank you in advance for giving our staff a few days to thoughtfully and
strategically develop these supports.
Sincerely,
The Office of Student Services