The Everett Public Schools will utilize the former Pope John High School building all of this coming school year to create space for socially distancing students, and they may also use closed libraries as well.
Supt. Priya Tahiliani said the offer by Mayor Carlo DeMaria to use Pope John – which the City purchased earlier this year for affordable housing – will be taken up. It will be used primarily in the 2nd Quarter during the potential roll-out of a hybrid in-person learning plan.
“We will be using Pope John and we might use the libraries too,” said Tahiliani. “The more space we have, the more cognizant we need to be of staff. We definitely will be using Pope John probably the full year regardless of what phase we’re in. We more space you have, the better.”
She said Pope John would likely be a spot for the VLCs during 1st Quarter, and it would be a location used for the hybrid model in the 2nd Quarter – which will be one week in school, and one week of at-home learning.
Beyond that, they are also looking at other buildings around the city, and the libraries are prime candidates for such space.
“We have some flexibility and we have some options, which is great,” she said.
Mayor DeMaria said last week the use of the school does not derail his plan to convert Pope John into affordable senior and veteran housing. He said that plan would continue once the school year concludes in the late spring.