Mid-October Update
Freehold Township School District
Phase Two Planning Underway
We are currently planning to transition to Phase Two of our reopening plan on Monday, November 30, 2020. All students who wish to attend school in person will be required to attend five days per week, four hours per day. Students will still be permitted to remain virtual or switch to virtual. However, we are reevaluating the current delivery of instruction to virtual students which may result in modifications. Additional important information is below:
- All current programs and students' placements in hybrid or virtual learning environments will remain in effect through Wednesday, November 25, 2020. This start date would afford the district with time needed to restructure students' schedules, staff schedules, and acquire any resources deemed necessary to support the health and safety of our school community.
- Students who are currently in the virtual model, planning to move to the in school model, will not be permitted to do so until November 30, 2020. They will not be able to return at the beginning of the second marking period as originally stated.
- Seating arrangements in the majority of classrooms will be modified to accommodate an anticipated increase in daily class sizes. As a result, the elimination of the hybrid cohort model would likely cause students to be seated less than six feet apart. Three sided acrylic desk barriers will be placed on students' desks as required by the New Jersey Department of Education. Photos of the barriers are below.
- Currently, students who are utilizing district transportation are either seated with siblings or alone. An increase in daily ridership could impact the number of non-sibling students seated together.
- Changes to enrollments in models of instruction could result in changes to staffing assignments and/or students' schedules. This includes the possibility of students being assigned to different teachers in either model.
Our goal is to accommodate the needs of our district community while maintaining a safe learning environment. Our intent is to remain transparent in our decision making and to provide timely notification when we make modifications to our plans. As we near November 30, a Google Form will be sent to parents. Parents who will be changing from virtual to in person or from hybrid to virtual would state their intentions on that form.
I truly appreciate your cooperation, patience and flexibility as we educate our students in the midst of a public health crisis.
A Note for Middle School Parents
It is difficult to monitor students when they are not with us in school. Please understand that teachers update their gradebooks in Genesis to indicate students' achievement on assessments and their completion of assignments. It is essential that middle school parents check Genesis on a regular basis to keep informed about their children's progress. Teachers are unable to contact parents each time children do not submit their assignments.
The education of our children has always been a team effort. In the virtual environment, it is even more critical that we work together to facilitate success of our children. Checking Genesis and ensuring your children are completing their assignments will contribute to their success. Thank you in advance for your support and cooperation.
New Jersey Department of Health Adopts Revised CDC Definition of "Close Contacts"
Help Us Keep Our Schools Open By Following These Guidelines
- Thoughtfully completing the daily symptom checklist and keeping your children home if they meet the criteria;
- Keeping your children home if they do not feel well;
- If you travel out of state, check the list of states that are currently on the quarantine list. If you travel out of the country, check to determine if the country is on the level 2 or level 3 list on the Travel Health Notice. If you return to New Jersey from one of those states or countries, you are required to quarantine at home for fourteen days.
- If you are a close contact to anyone who tests positive for COVID, quarantine at home for fourteen days.
Middle School Winter Sports Cancelled
As you may have heard, there is concern in the field of public health that during the winter months, there is more risk of COVID-19 being spread. Since it is our goal to keep our schools open for learning for our students and there are several restrictions regarding the winter sports season and concerns regarding the safety of students participating in contact sports indoors, the middle school winter sports season will be cancelled.
We understand that some students and parents will be disappointed by this decision. However, between the limits of the executive order, the amount of contact involved in winter sports, and the increased risk of the spread of COVID 19, it is the only responsible decision to be made.
Understanding the Fourteen Day Quarantine Period
Supporting Teens and Young Adults During COVID-19
K-5 Parent Curriculum Support Sites
Neal Dickstein, Superintendent of Schools
Email: ndickstein@freeholdtwp.k12.nj.us
Website: http://www.freeholdtwp.k12.nj.us
Location: 384 West Main Street, Freehold, NJ, USA
Phone: 732-462-8400
Twitter: @FTS_NDickstein