April 21, 2021

Hello Diman Community,

The Board of Education has voted to modify the Competency Determination (CD) for Grade 11 students. This means that Grade 11 students will not need to pass the MCAS to graduate. Instead, juniors will be able to receive their competency determination by earning full credit in an approved course and demonstrating competency in that subject. Grade 11 students will still be given the opportunity to take the MCAS for scholarship purposes this school year and next fall. Specific information regarding the MCAS for Grade 11 students will be released in the coming weeks. Grade 10 students will still need to pass the MCAS to graduate and will test this spring – information below.

This vote and modification give Diman the ability to phase in more students prior to our May 17 full return. Bringing more students back is essential to acclimating and aiding the transition for our students and teachers to a full in person model. Attached, please find the school calendars detailing the phased return plan. Beginning May 17, Diman will move to one week cycles for the remainder of the school year.

Phased Return Plan

• April 26 - April 29 will remain the current learning model/plan.
• May 3 – May 5: Cohort B1 all grade levels in-person for academics (B2 remote).
• May 10 – May 11: Cohort B2 all grade levels in-person for academics (B1 remote).
• Cohort A1 and A2 will remain in-person for shop.
• Please understand we are using student’s current learning model for in-person academics. If students are currently “Hybrid”, they must return to in-person academics on the aforementioned dates. The recent survey was used for planning purposes only and will not be adhered to until May 17.

MCAS

•  May 6 - May 7: administration of Grade 10 ELA MCAS.
  • All Grade 10 students will be in-person.
  • All other grade levels will remain remote.
• May 12 – May 13: administration of Grade 10 Math MCAS
  • All Grade 10 students will be in-person.
  • All other grade levels will remain remote.
• May 14: Full remote learning day for all students
  • All students remote.
  • Professional learning day for staff.
  • MCAS retest day. Only students who missed the test will be in the building.

May 17

• Full in-person return for all students, academic and vocational, all cohorts.
• One week cycles for the remainder of the school year.
• Parents will receive another survey to update their child’s learning model the week of May 3.
• ASPEN student learning model will be updated one week prior to the return (in-person or remote).

Sincerely,

Andrew D. Rebello
Assistant Superintendent-Principal