School Superintendent Jennifer Montesano just announced that the district's plan for reopening public schools in September has been approved by the Board of Education. This plan details the hybrid in-person/remote learning model that students will be following this fall as well as all the safety precautions Secaucus schools will implement to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Highlights from the plan include:
- Students will be broken up into the following three groups:
- Group A - Students whose last names begin with A through L
- Group B - Students whose last names begin with M through Z
- Group C - Students who choose to do 100% remote learning
During the course of the week, Group A will attend school for in-person instruction on Monday and Tuesday and attend classes remotely on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Group B will attend classes remotely on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and attend school for in-person instruction on Thursday and Friday. Group C will attend classes remotely on all five school days. All groups will follow the same curriculum and be assessed in similar ways. Both in-person students and remote students will follow the same bell schedule.
- All staff and students will answer a daily health questionnaire and have a temperature check before entering the building or riding a school bus. Anyone who express a symptom of COVID-19 or have a temperature will
not be allowed to enter.
- Masks will be required at all times by students and staff.
- Hand sanitizer dispensers will be available in every classroom, at the entrances to lunch areas, and in certain parts of the hallways. Students will be encouraged to used them regularly.
- All classrooms will employ the use of front-facing desks spaced at least 6 feet apart instead of tables.
- Larger rooms will be used to host lunch periods in order to maintain social distancing. Communal dining tables will no longer be used. Instead of self service or buffet lunches, students will be provided with a variety of lunch boxes. Free/reduced lunch students will continue to receive their lunches at a free or reduced cost.
- The use of student lockers, coat closets, and desks for storage will be prohibited. All student belongings must remain in their backpacks.
- The number of shared items in classrooms will be limited as much as possible. Items that must be shared will be sanitized regularly.
- Visitors to the school buildings and the board office will be limited
to the outer portions of the buildings.
The full plan can be accessed
here.
Starting on August 13, parents can specify online whether they want their kids to follow the hybrid in-person/remote model or do 100% remote learning. This can be done through August 21. If no selection is made, those kids will automatically placed into the hybrid program.
In the coming weeks, virtual meetings will be held for each school to address any questions or concerns parents may have. Also, parents will be sent additional information specific for their kids' schools.
