Arlington Catholic High School creates program to bridge the gap for public school eighth-graders who fell behind due to COVID Updated 5:33 AM; They’re in-between. The program, which the school is referring to as a bridge program, was created out of need due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of students in Catholic and private schools in Massachusetts have been in-person learning since September, while some public school students have yet to step foot back in a classroom in more than a year. “The parents are worried because [students] missed out so much on the academics,” said John Graceffa, principal at Arlington Catholic High School. “So we’re tailoring a program for them. It’s going to be a little different than a normal eighth-grade program.”