Originally published in TEACH Magazine, January/February 2021 Issue
By Adam Stone
When kids came back to school in the fall of 2020, Mark Benigni had his concerns. Would K–12 students be able to maintain physical distance? Could they keep their mouths and noses covered? COVID-19 looked as if it might present an insurmountable classroom-management challenge.
“We all worried about it, but it hasn’t been an issue at all,” says Benigni, Superintendent of Meriden Public Schools in Connecticut. Kids keep their distance, and when it comes to masks, “our students understand, because there is consistency. You will wear a mask, and you will wear it all day long.”
Adam Stone is a seasoned journalist with 20+ years’ experience. He covers education, technology, government, and the military, along with diverse other topics.
