School Re-Opening News
SD ECLC
Parents/Guardians: Please read the letter from Dr. Ridley, Superintendent of Schools
August 25, 2021
Dear Parent/Guardian:
I hope this letter finds you and your family enjoying the summer while remaining safe and
healthy. As we approach the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year, I want to share some
salient details as we continue to fight COVID-19 and adhere to Executive Orders and guidelines from the CDC and Monmouth County Health Department.
Instruction: In-person, five full-days a week. As per the NJDOE and the Governor, as of
now, virtual learning is no longer an option with the exception of students who are
quarantined, due to exposure or contracting Covid. Such students will be permitted to
learn virtually during that time only, in tandem with the actual class.
Breakfast &Lunches: Each of our eight schools will offer five days of breakfasts and
lunches. Depending on the size, student population, and enrollment, each school will
build-out a plan best-suited for its individual circumstances.
On a related note, the Department of Agriculture has once again made meals available to
all students at no cost for the 2021-2022 school year.
Masks: As per Executive Order 251, which went into effect on August 9, 2021, all
students, educators, staff, and visitors will be required to wear face masks indoors for the
start of the 2021-2022 school year. Those students who are requesting a medical
exemption for masks will need a doctors/medical practitioner's note explaining why they are requesting as such. Once the principal or nurse is in receipt of a medical note it will also be sent to the district's physician for review. The district physician may provide certain accommodations if necessary.
We understand that the use of masks for prolonged periods of time can be difficult for students and staff and is unsettling for many parents, therefore, we will be working to provide frequent mask breaks for students and staff throughout the day as well as on incorporating the use of outdoor space for learning and other activities so that students
may participate without the use of a mask.
We also understand that for some of our learners, mask tolerance for even short periods of time is something that is still being developed, therefore we will work with students to build mask tolerance as part of their individual programming. Staff working with students who cannot tolerate a mask or cannot wear a mask due to a medical exemption or documented exemption in an IEP may request the use of additional PPE. Mask breaks will be encouraged for both staff and students through the planning of outdoor activities. Staff will be encouraged to take students outside frequently for lessons, walks, movement, fresh air where masks will not need to be worn.
Transportation: As per the Executive Order, masks must be worn on school buses at all
times by all individuals (regardless of vaccination status).
Extracurriculars: Student clubs and athletics will meet after school as scheduled.
Vaccinations: As per Governor Murphy’s August 23, 2021 announcement: By October 18, all school staff members will either need to be tested once or twice a week or fully vaccinated.
Quarantines: We will continue to monitor current guidance by the CDC and state of NJ
regarding quarantines after domestic and international travel, so please consider these
guidelines when making travel plans.
Precautions: All schools will maintain social distancing to the best of their ability given
the circumstances of each building’s layout and enrollment. To that end
- If necessary and space permitting, additional lunch periods will be scheduled
- Extra masks will be available upon request
- Hand sanitizers will be located throughout all buildings and in each classroom
- Plexiglass will remain on certain desks, space and class-size permitting
- Continued COVID-19 cleaning/sanitizing protocols will be maintained
- At the recommendation of our school nurses, temperature screening will no longer be taken when students arrive to school each morning.
Parents:
o Please screen child(ren) each morning before sending to school
o Do not send child(ren) to school if sick
o Contact the school nurse to report illness
Any changes due to Executive Orders and/or COVID-19 health related data will be
communicated with you in a timely manner. Additional specific information may be accessed at the LEA Plan for Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services link, available on the District website.
We recognize that individual families will experience various circumstances not definitively
covered in this general welcome-back. To that end, please contact your school principal and/or nurse and they will assist you in resolving your concerns.
We are excited for the start of the 2021-2022 school year and to celebrate our students’ return and their future successes. While we recognize that, once again, we are returning under less- than-optimal conditions, I ask each family to recognize that the Hazlet school district has responded far better than most during the pandemic and that we will continue to provide a productive learning environment for our students while prioritizing health & safety.
Respectfully,
Scott Ridley, Ed.D.