Principal Taylor on BHS’s Upcoming Future

By Nola Minogue ’21

Since Beverly High School closed its doors on March 13th, Principal Elizabeth Taylor along with the BHS staff have been working to make learning from home as manageable as possible. Teachers have reported about 50% participation in remote learning, and concern about students being left behind has arisen. But the school plans to help in any way they can- over the last three weeks, 16 laptops have been distributed to students. Principal Taylor sat down to talk with the Ledger about how she’s been managing it all.

Q. How Have you been managing everyday? Not only getting work done, but also doing something for yourself, to keep yourself sane.

I walk my dog, usually with my husband every morning. So it’s good to get outside and get a walk; you know, the dog doesn’t care about any of this as long as he gets his walk. I used to usually do my work in my bedroom, just my laptop on my lap. But I started realizing I needed to shift gears. I’ve set aside a table downstairs, so that I have an office that I’m reporting to. That’s been very helpful.

Q. What’s your favorite show right now to watch?

I’m busy watching Parks and Recreation-it’s so good. The Good Fight streaming on CBS is also a favorite.

Q. What is needed for us to go back to school?

That changes almost weekly. Right now, the governor’s order is that school stays closed until May 4th. So if he says school is open May 4th, then we all come back, and assuming there’s no stipulations, school is open. We try to pick up where we left off, both as far as academic concerns and any school events. If, however, that changes, I’ve been telling teachers we move onto plan D. We have to be very flexible here right now. I’m operating under the assumption that we will be back at school May 4th, and I’m ready to change my assumptions if the situation changes.

Q. If we go back in May, will we still have finals at the end of the year?

We probably would do that. But we might change the nature of the final. I think (if we come back) later, we probably would not look at finals, because we’d really just be trying to get the kids back together, reconnect and help them close out the year. So that’s a two part answer. If we go back May 4th, we think we could still do finals. If it were later, we would probably look at that again.

Q. What will happen to seniors?

I met with some senior leaders by Google Meet yesterday (March 31st)… about 11 people. I had the two class advisors, Miss Orr and Mrs Drinkwater on the call as well, and Mr Coddaire, because he’s the senior class assistant principal. If we go back May 4th, we think we can recreate almost everything. And that includes the senior experience, you know, senior week and baccalaureate. Senior awards, and all that. That’s our hope that we’re able to do that, and hopefully the prom would still be on again. If. I always have to add this if the governor doesn’t put any restrictions on anything, great, but I can’t imagine that if he’s gonna have everybody come back to school in the regular way that therefore the other events get cancelled. Because once you say yes, people can come back to school and be near each other. Then there’s no reason why events can’t run as well. Of course, the biggest deal is graduation. Our goal is to make sure our seniors graduate knowing their grades closed and they have a diploma. If it’s not the first Sunday in June, we’ll make sure that there’s some kind of way to celebrate.

Q. Is it true we’re still getting an April vacation?

I have not heard about that. I know that Dr Charochak is negotiating with the Union about clarity on that. Because remember teachers have in their contract 185 work days, and they have been working during the school shut down, creating lesson plans. So I’m waiting to hear about that myself.

Q. What is going to become of grading in these following weeks?

Here’s what’s coming from the Department of Education; the Commissioner of Education, Jeff Riley, sent out a memo on their recommendations about remote learning. What they’re recommending is at this point is something they’re calling credit/no credit. Now, they haven’t really defined what exactly that means, but they don’t want kids to get a letter or percentage grade. They want the school to be very generous about what that means. So it really is in a sense, participation.

Q. Any other comments?

The most important thing is to stay healthy. I think the other thing is to take care of your emotional well being. It’s a crazy time for everybody, but everybody’s got their own private craziness. We don’t know everybody’s story. That’s why we’re trying to just be a community that’s there to help. I would ask students please feel free to reach out to us if they need assistance and also to be patient with us, because this is new for all of us. We’re trying to think in the best interest of the students.

Above: Photos the BHS Taylor instagram has been tagged in.

BHS Taylor instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhstaylor/

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Above: the BHS Taylor Instagram account