Little Silver Schools Go Virtual Due To Cases, Staff Shortages

LITTLE SILVER, NJ — Add another district to the list of New Jersey schools that have had to go virtual as the new year begins — not just because of exploding case numbers, but also severe teacher and staffing shortages.

"Unfortunately, the impact on staffing, along with the current number of student positives, will not allow us to open for in-person instruction tomorrow," said the Little Silver superintendent in this Jan. 2 letter home to parents. "We will be pivoting to half days of remote instruction for this coming week (January 3 to 7)."

"This was never our intention, but in light of the number of positive student and staff cases, as well as those who are symptomatic and awaiting test results, it is the most prudent course of action," he added.

Also on Monday, the neighboring Middletown school district said it had to go to a snow day in part because of so many teacher absences.

In Middlesex County, all three high schools in the Woodbridge school district have now gone virtual this week due to a teacher shortage. The Linden Walmart also had to close on Dec. 29/30 due to so many employees out sick with COVID, NBC reported. Multiple Pennsylvania schools had to close Monday due to "significant staff concerns."

The CDC has now reduced the recommended COVID quarantine time to five days.

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