TTC_03_17_21_Vol.17-No.21

Page 4 www.TheTownCommon.com
March 17, 2021
Community News
Whittier Tech
Announces
Plans for Phased
Transition Back
to Fully In-Person
Learning
HAVERHILL - Whittier Tech
began a phased return to fully-in
person learning Monday March
15.
The transition falls in line with
guidance from the Department
and Elementary and Secondary
Education (DESE) that districts
should prepare plans for a return
to fully in-person learning before
the end of the school year. While
the state is requiring this return
for elementary students starting
April 5, districts statewide are already
making this transition at all
grade levels.
The transition will take place as
follows:
• On Mondays only, beginning
Monday, March 15, all sophomores
and juniors in both academic
and vocational weeks began
toattend school in-person, in
full cohorts.
• On Monday, March 29, all
vocational week students will
return to school for in-person
learning in their full vocational
cohorts, Monday through Friday
(five days a week).
• Juniors and seniors in their
academic cohorts will also attend
school in-person on Mondays,
and participate in their hybrid
learning schedules for the rest of
the week.
• On Monday, April 26, all
academic week students will also
return to school for in-person
learning, Monday through Friday
(five days a week), marking a
full return to in-person learning
throughout the school.
Students who wish to continue
a fully remote learning schedule
will have the option to do so,
however the district does encourage
students and families to
consider returning in-person to
ensure they are getting the most
out of their learning experience.
Hands-on learning is a key part
of career and technical education,
and honing the industry knowledge
and skills needed for employability
and success post-graduation.
"We feel strongly that with the
protocols we have in place, coupled
with reduced numbers of
active cases of COVID-19 in the
community and ongoing vaccination
efforts, it is safe for us to return
to fully in-person learning,"
Superintendent Maureen Lynch
said. "This has always been our
ultimate goal, and we look forward
to welcoming students back
to a more normal schedule. We're
confident this is the best decision
for the academic and vocational
growth of our students as well as
their social emotional wellbeing."
Whittier Tech has closely
monitored the case numbers of
COVID-19 in its sending communities
since the pandemic began,
and will continue to do so.
As case numbers remain low and
the state vaccination distribution
plan continues to roll out, district
leadership believes firmly a return
to fully-in person learning is in
the best interest of students, especially
considering the value of
hands-on learning in career and
technical education.
The Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education has
repeatedly reported that transmission
rates of COVID-19 in
schools statewide have remained
low all school year. At Whittier
Tech, no cases of COVID-19
have been reported as the result of
in-school transmission.
Desks throughout the district
will be placed 4.5 feet apart
throughout this transition. The
required minimum outlined by
the Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education is
three feet. All students and staff
will continue to be expected to
wear a mask in the building,
practice frequent hand washing
and social distancing, and stay
home if they feel sick.
The Rocky Neck
Art Colony call
for entries- 40
under 40: North
Shore Emerging
Artists
The Rocky Neck Art Colony
(RNAC) invites artists 18 to 39
years old from the North Shore to
submit work for inclusion in 40
under 40: North Shore Emerging
Artists, an open juried exhibition
at the Cultural Center at Rocky
Neck in Gloucester and online at
RNACexhibitions.com.
RNAC seeks a wide variety of
works, in any medium, by artists
from the North Shore who
demonstrate serious commitment
to the discipline of art. Our intention
is to offer emerging art-
Community Announcements,
page 5
Brighter smiles ...
Insurance Questions
By J. Peter St. Clair, DMD
I had a reader e-mail me an insurance
related question this past
week. This is an answer to that
question, as well as a couple of
other insurance related questions
we come across frequently.
Patients will sometimes balk
at treatment not covered by
their dental insurance. Dentists
will often hear, “Just do what
my insurance covers. I don’t
want anything extra.” In fact, a
recent ADA poll showed that a
lack of dental insurance was the
#1 reason most patients gave for
not visiting a dentist. So, here
are some frequent questions
patients often ask about dental
insurance.
Why doesn’t my insurance cover
all of the costs for my dental
treatment?
Dental insurance isn’t really
insurance (defined as a payment
to cover the cost of a loss) at all.
It is a monetary benefit, typically
provided by an employer, to
help their employees pay for routine
dental treatment. “Dental
Insurance”, which started in the
1970’s, was designed to cover a
portion of the total cost of care.
It has not changed very much
since then. This usually leaves the
patient with the responsibility
to take some ownership in their
dental health.
But my plan says that my exams
and other procedures are
covered at 100%.
That 100 percent is usually
what the insurance carrier allows
as payment towards a procedure,
not what your dentist may actually
charge. Dentist’s fees are usually
a reflection of the level and quality
of care in a particular office. Some
cost more, some cost less, depending
on the costs of running their
office, how they pay their staff,
the materials they use, etc. An employer
usually selects a plan with a
list of payments that corresponds
to its desired premium cost per
month. Therefore, there usually
will be a portion not covered by
your benefit plan.
If I always have to pay out-ofpocket,
what good is my insurance?
Even a benefit that does not
cover a large portion of the cost
of what you need pays something.
Any amount that reduces your
out-of-pocket expense helps.
Why is there an annual maximum
on what my plan will pay?
Although most maximum
amounts have not changed in 50
years, a maximum limit is your insurance
carrier’s way of controlling
payments. Dental plans are different
from medical plans, in that
dentistry is needed frequently.
Medical emergencies are rare. It is
your dentist’s responsibility to recommend
what you need.
Consider this: A typical medical
insurance plan today can cost over
$2000 per month, and still leave
you with a $3000 deductible. The
average dental plan costs $600 per
year.
If my insurance won’t pay for
this treatment, why should I have
it done?
It is a mistake to let your benefits
be your sole consideration
when you make decisions about
dental treatment. People who have
lost their teeth often say that they
would pay any amount of money
to get them back. Your smile, facial
attractiveness, ability to chew
and enjoy food, and general sense
of well-being are dependent on
your teeth.
Other than complaining to
your dental insurance company,
or your Employee Benefits Coordinator,
your best defense is to
budget for dental care, or ask your
dental office if they have payment
plans to spread payment out over
time……and most of all, keep
regular maintenance appointments.
The BEST dentistry is NO
dentistry.
If you have any other insurance
related questions please e-mail
them to me.
Dr. St. Clair maintains a private
dental practice in Rowley and Newburyport
dedicated to health-centered
family dentistry. If there are certain
topics you would like to see written
about or questions you have please
email them to him at jpstclair@
stclairdmd.com. You can view all
previously written columns at www.
jpeterstclairdentistry.com/blog.