COVID-19 Updates for the Perkins Community (Last updated April 23, 2020)

As Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread rapidly across communities and is an evolving situation for all of us, including Perkins, we have been and will continue to consult with State officials and our medical advisors to ensure the best and safest care for all that we work with and that we minimize risk for all members of our community including our staff, residents, and program participants.

We have established a COVID-19 Task Force that is meeting regularly, put in place plans for staffing in the event of a spread or need to quarantine, limited visitors, instituted a screening process, and significantly increased our cleaning and sanitizing to ensure we are minimizing the risk of virus spread. We will continue to do this until the risk has passed. We have also secured a contractor who will come into our facilities to do a complete clean and decontamination.

Due to the Coronavirus, our campus is closed to visitors for all activities except walking. This includes the playground, basketball courts, and other recreational activities. We enjoy having an open campus during normal times and very much look forward to opening back up as soon as it is safe for everyone.

Families or clients of affected programs will hear from their program contact directly. But should you have any comments or questions, please email Tracy Tallman, ttallman@perkinschool.org.

Perkins staff should check their Perkins emails or consult their Program Director for the most up to date information.

Please note that visitors to any open programs are restricted and only those that have been pre-screened will be allowed to enter our programs.

PROGRAM STATUSES

• Doctor Franklin Perkins School Residential Education Program is open. The program is closed to visitors and only those staff associated with each program may be present in that program.
• Perkins Adult Services Residential Program is open. The program is closed to visitors and only those staff associated with the program may enter the program. 
• Perkins Behavioral Health is open and has moved to a virtual, telehealth model for all clients.
• Doctor Franklin Perkins School Day Education Program is closed through the end of this academic school year, June 24th, in keeping with the Governor’s school closure order. At present, we are scheduled to begin summer programming and the new school year on July 8th, 2020. We will re-evaluate as we get closer. Educators, Clinicians, and support staff are working with students remotely to ensure they have resources and support while out of school. (Updated 4/23)
• Perkins Adult Services Day Program is closed until further notice. We are connecting remotely with our program participants to offer support and engagement. We will be in touch with families as soon as we know more about our timeline to re-open. (Updated 4/23)  
• Perkins Child Development Center (CDC) is open for drop-in child care for essential employees and first responders only. This is a program for those of you who meet the essential personnel qualifications and have exhausted all options for child care. The Center is currently set to re-open to our families on June 29th, per the Governor’s order. (Updated 4/23) 
• Rein in a Dream lessons for the community are suspended until further notice. We will be in touch with families as soon as we know more about our timeline to re-open. (Updated 4/23)

For up to date information on Coronavirus (COVID-19), please visit the MA DPH website and the CDC’s website.

For a list of online family resources, please visit this page.

Contacts

Program Directors
Tim Hammond, Chief Operating Officer
Cindy Wing, Chief Academic Officer
Linda Alger, Director of Adult Services
Cherie Ansin, Director of Rein in a Dream
Sharon Lowry, Assistant Director of Education
Joe Mantha, Director of Residential Operations
Patricia Sinclair, Director of Perkins Child Development Center
Dianne Walsh, Director of Behavioral Health
Ashley Dean,, Director of Elementary/Middle School Curriculum
Debbie Rivera, Director of High School/ATP Curriculum
Stephanie Bailey, Director of Student Services

Residential Program Directors
Tim O’Day, White Hall
Dylan Zuchowski, Curtis
Joe Howell, Weymouth
Bill Cyr, Duplex
Kelly Gross, Pappas
Amanda Saunders, Manor 

General
Tracy Tallman, Chief of Staff