Long Valley Superintendent Releases Q&A For School Opening

LONG VALLEY, NJ — Washington Township Schools has provided its road map to parents and guardians about what the student experience is expected to look like, as schools reopen for the 2021-2022 school year.

The district’s Interim Superintendent Laura Morana provided answers to some of the most-asked questions for the start of the school year, which begins for PreK-8 students on Sept. 1.

The Q&A document, which was released this past Friday, answers questions about a range of topics including in-person school, transportation, health screenings, general health and safety guidelines, extra-curricular activities, field trips, alternate plans for hybrid and remote learning if needed and instructional models for each grade level.

Students are required to attend in-person so far this year, with no option for hybrid or fully remote school. Virtual school will only happen if a state of emergency or other directive applies, that requires school closure for more than three consecutive days.

The district plans to offer a system of behavioral and academic support to students who need it in the coming year, according to the document.

“Our school administrators lead the establishment of safe, welcoming, supportive and challenging learning environments for all K-8 students,” the document reads.

Some other information and requirements for the upcoming school year:

• While on school buses, both adults and children will need to wear face masks and apply hand sanitizer before getting onto the bus. Students also cannot take items out of their backpacks while on buses.
• During lunches, which free meals will be offered to students that participate, mask-wearing won’t be required when students are eating and drinking.
• There will be no food celebrations held within any of the schools.
• All students and staff must be masked during the school day, regardless of vaccination status. There will be “mask breaks” during the school day.
• Masking won’t be required during gym and outdoor recess.
• Social distancing of three-feet between students will be applied.
• Each classroom will have hand sanitizer, with stations also at the entrances and exits of every building, near the lunchrooms and by the rest rooms. There will be hand washing stations in classrooms as well, with students given reminders to wash their hands for a 20-second duration, each time they wash their hands.
• Classrooms will be disinfected nightly.
• Parents and guardians need to refer to CDC rules for quarantining for vaccinated and unvaccinated people, should a student need to quarantine.
• The only non-essential visitors allowed to enter the school building will be at the discretion of each school’s principal. Essential individuals, such as law enforcement and emergency personnel, will be able to access school buildings and must be masked.
• Required and routine parent meetings will take place in Google Meet.
• Back-to-school night for the 2021-2022 school year will be virtual.
• The school district will work with local health officials on guidelines for school-coordinated, extra-curricular activities.
• From September through December, there will be no field trips approved, but the district plans to watch COVID-19 conditions to possibly plan for trips during the Spring of 2022.
• Assemblies in school will be in a modified format.
• Inclement weather days will be made up if needed, with delays and closings announced on WRNJ radio, New Jersey 101.5, ABC’s Channel 7 and the district’s website.

For complete information, click here for the Q&A document.

To follow Morana’s weekly updates, click here.

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