Back To School: Hopatcong, Sparta 2021-22 School Calendar

HOPATCONG, NJ — Back-to-school planning has already begun in Hopatcong and Sparta, with calendars available to help parents prepare for the first day in the Hopatcong and Sparta School Districts.

The first day of school for most students in Hopatcong and Sparta is Sept. 1.

Heading into the upcoming school year, some dates are subject to change as the coronavirus pandemic nears its year-and-a-half point. A mix of in-person, virtual and hybrid learning is still possible in Hopatcong and Sparta.

In early June, Hopatcong Borough Schools Superintendent Art DiBenedetto and Assistant Superintendent Joseph S. Piccirillo, sent a letter to Gov. Phil Murphy requesting a lift on mask mandates when school is expected to resume to an all in-person format in the fall, writing that the district has taken precautions, with students under “constant supervision,” plus had “excellent filtration” within the school buildings.

Earlier this summer, Sparta Superintendent Matthew L. Beck said, “Barring any unforeseen circumstances, that masks will remain optional into and through the 2021-2022 school year," as school returns to mainly in-person for the majority of students.

However, a number of New Jersey families, including some from Sparta, filed a lawsuit through the group “Free NJ Kids” against Gov. Phil Murphy and state health and education officials, to block mask mandates into the school year.

Here is the list of dates to know for this school year:

Hopatcong School District

First Day: Sept. 1

Thanksgiving Break: Nov. 25-26

Winter Break: Dec. 24-31

Spring Break: April 15-22, 2022

Last Day: June 9, 2022

Sparta Township Public Schools

First Day: Sept. 1

Thanksgiving Break: Nov. 25-26

Winter Break: Dec. 24-31

Spring Break: April 15-22, 2022

Last Day: June 21, 2022

Editor's Note: Article has been updated to reflect Sept. 1 start date for Sparta Township Schools.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.