NJ To Soon Provide Guidance On Pools, Schools Amid Coronavirus

NEW JERSEY – Gov. Phil Murphy says he's ready to say your children can go back to the pools – and, after that, possibly the schools – amid the coronavirus crisis.

Murphy announced on Monday that he's reopening pools on June 22nd. Read more: Gov. Murphy: NJ Pools To Reopen Amid Coronavirus: Here's When

An announcement on schools, meanwhile, could happen "within weeks," the governor has said.

Both decisions were coming as the number of coronavirus cases rose by 426 on Sunday, and deaths by 79, and also as Murphy continues to reopen parts of the state's economy at limited capacity. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

The announcements also are coming weeks after the governor first said he was ready to make a decision on pools, but then later changed course, saying the issue had become more "complicated" than expected. Read more: Will Casinos, Pools, Gyms Open? Gov. Murphy Says It's Complicated

Now that the summer season has arrived, Murphy acknowledged that a number of communities are anxious to allow swimming as part of their recreational offerings.

"We know a lot of people have been waiting for their ability to get back into the water. We don't blame them," he said.

Less certain – but expected to happen soon – is an announcement on the fate of New Jersey's schools in the fall.

Two weeks ago, Murphy said an announcement on "what back-to-school" looks like – if the students were to return – would be coming "in a matter of weeks."

Since then, Murphy has announced dates for reopening indoor retail, Motor Vehicle Commission services and outdoor dining. But nothing specific has been released on schools.

On Wednesday, May 27, the Murphy administration took one possible step toward a decision on schools when it released rules and guidelines for districts and colleges to follow for in-person graduations. Read more: NJ In-Person Graduations: Here Are The New Rules Amid Coronavirus

But plans for anything that's indoor, Murphy said, have been "tough nuts to crack." Read more: Gov. Murphy: 'Hard Dates' For NJ Coronavirus Reopening (UPDATE)

The Murphy administration, for one, says that the coronavirus's transmission is 1/19 effective outdoors as it is indoors.

"We are constantly war-gaming this but, (anything) inside, lacking ventilation, sedentary and close proximity – those are really hard nuts to crack," Murphy said.

The departments of education and health are "war-gaming" what back to school looks like, Murphy said, and they're trying to determine "assuming we go back, this is what it's going to look like."

The Murphy administration could find itself relying on information provided by the New Jersey School Boards Association, which released a special report exploring issues involved in the reopening of schools.

That plan has suggested that reduced capacity and split sessions could be on the table and could be the standard set for getting kids back into schools.

The report notes that the NJSBA distributed a survey sent to school board members, superintendents, and school business administrators on April 16 that drew more than 1,000 responses to the question, "What strategies is your district considering to provide classroom instruction while accommodating social distancing?"

Here's what they said:

• Nearly 3 out of 10 respondents (29.14 percent) cited alternate in-person and remote instruction.
• Another 23.68 percent favored split sessions.

"In the two months since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of our public schools, New Jersey's education community has made a valiant effort to transition our students to digital learning," said Lawrence S. Feinsod, NJSBA executive director. "Now, as we look toward the reopening of schools, the education community faces even greater challenges."

"Searching for a 'New Normal' in New Jersey's Public Schools: How the Coronavirus Is Changing Education in the Garden State" provides information on the safe reopening of schools, students' mental health, academic and extracurricular programs, budgetary issues and preparations for the future, the NJSBA said.

"The report draws on the viewpoints of New Jersey's local school officials, research by experts in education, medicine and public health, and the experience of other nations in reopening schools," said Feinsod. "It is designed to help school districts further define challenges in these areas and develop strategies to meet them."

The report recommends 10 strategies for local school districts and the state and federal governments, including the following:

• Provide school districts with accurate financial data reflecting the impact of the pandemic on New Jersey's economy, state aid to education and school budgets.
• Engage in early, sustained communication with parents, students and school district staff about the steps being taken to ensure a healthy and safe environment.
• Revise plans to ensure a smooth transition to full online instruction if schools are again closed due to health and safety considerations.
• Include a "menu of options" in any statewide plan for the reopening of schools so that districts can select the strategies that would work best for their communities.
• Provide an adequate pool of educators by enabling teacher candidates to complete training, such as classroom observations, which was disrupted due to the health emergency.

Other recommendations address strategies to meet the mental health and emotional needs of students and staff; policy on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE); modification of the state's school district evaluation system—the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum—so that districts are not penalized for actions necessary to address the pandemic; administration of tests to identify the need for remediation, and adequate funding to provide such programs.

"As the state Department of Education begins charting a course to reopen schools, NJSBA's special report will provide the critical perspective of local boards of education and school district leaders," said Feinsod. "We look forward to contributing to this important undertaking."

Throughout the crisis, Murphy said, residents and businesses should follow state and federal safeguarding guidelines:

• No mass gatherings
• Minimize gatherings
• Disinfect workplace and businesses
• Minimize gatherings
• Respect social distancing
• Wear masks in public
• Wash hands

New Jersey will move toward subsequent stages based on data that demonstrates improvements in public health and the capacity to safeguard the public, including:

• Sustained improvements in public health indicators, including new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, individuals in intensive care, and ventilator use.
• Substantial increase in testing and contact tracing capacity.
• Sufficient resilience in New Jersey's health care system to include adequate bed capacity, ventilators, personal protective equipment and workforce.
• Widespread safeguarding of workplaces.
• Widespread safeguarding and capacity of child care, schools, and transit.
• Continued public compliance.

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