Coronavirus NJ School Closures: Here's The Latest (UPDATED)

UPDATE: Gov. Phil Murphy announced that he planned to shut down all schools on Wednesday, March 18. Read more: NJ Schools Will Close Due To Coronavirus Outbreak: Gov. Murphy

Nearly every college in New Jersey has moved to an online schedule, at least temporarily. A number of public schools have closed because of coronavirus exposure, while others are doing so to prepare for the potential impact of contamination (see list below).

Bergen County planned to transition all 75 public school districts from on-site learning to off-site Internet-based and/or paper-based distance-learning until further notice, effective Friday, March 13 at 3 p.m.

Burlington County also planned to shut down from March 16 through April 17 in an attempt to stem the spread of new coronavirus, Burlington County Health Officer Herb Conaway announced.

The closures are taking place as 98 people in New Jersey have been diagnosed with the illness, and two people have died.

As of March 12, 182 pubic school districts had closed, at least temporarily. Twelve closed to take precautionary steps, nine closed because of possible exposure to the coronavirus, three closed because of exposure to a confirmed case and one closed because of a student with a presumptive positive case.

Read more:

• NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know
• NJ Issues New Coronavirus Guidelines For Schools, Colleges (UPDATE)

Here are the closures/changes:

• Asbury Park decided to close schools effective March 17 and planned to tentatively re-open April 20.
• Barnegat schools will conduct remote learning Tuesday, March 17 through April 9.
• Belmar decided to close its school effective Monday, March 16.
• Bergen Community College planned to extend spring break by one week in an effort to reduce the possibility of COVID-19 transmission on campus. All classes were cancelled for the week of March 16.
• Bergen County planned to transition all 75 public school districts from on-site learning to off-site Internet-based and/or paper-based distance-learning until further notice, effective Friday, March 13 at 3 p.m.
• Berkeley Heights closed on Tuesday, March 10 after learning that a parent of a student tested positive for the coronavirus.
• Berkeley Township schools will close schools and go remote from Monday, March 16 through March 27 as the novel coronavirus spreads in New Jersey.
• Bernards Township schools planned close through March 29 and implement a distance learning plan due to new coronavirus concerns.
• Brick Township schools planned to close schools Monday, March 16th and anticipated being closed through Friday, March 27th.
• Bridgewater-Raritan Regional Schools planned to close early on Monday, March 16 to prepare for any potential future impact of the new coronavirus.
• Brookdale canceled classes through March 15. The Lincroft-based community college announced that as of 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, all on-site, in-person classes and meetings were canceled.
• Burlington County also planned to shut down from March 16 through April 17 in an attempt to stem the spread of new coronavirus, Burlington County Health Officer Herb Conaway announced.
• Chatham schools had a two-hour delayed opening for students on Monday, March 9 and AM pre-K and AM K sessions were cancelled so the district could prepare for the encroachment of the novel coronavirus.
• Chester schools planned to open late Wednesday, March 11 as they prepared for a possible closure.
• The College of New Jersey planed to "join with several other institutions in adopting the practice of social distancing being advocated by public health officials." Beginning the Monday following Spring Break (March 23), and continuing for a period of two weeks, TCNJ planned to conduct all classes online.
• Collingswood schools planned to have a early dismissal on Thursday, March 12 and Friday, March 13 as the district prepares for the possibility of home-based learning because of the coronavirus.
• Cranford schools planned to close March 13 so the district could make coronavirus preparations. While there hasn't been a health concern yet in the Cranford schools, the district was closing to make preparations, such as designing lessons students could learn at home, and sanitizing the schools.
• Drew canceled some classes, move others online. The school planned to cancel classes beginning Wednesday, March 11 and through Friday, March 13 and then offer online classes only from March 16 through April 3.
• East Brunswick schools were closed after a resident was hospitalized with a presumptive positive case of the coronavirus for several days. East Brunswick schools and school activities were closed through Sunday, March 15th.
• Fairleigh Dickinson University decided to suspend face-to-face instruction on its New Jersey and Vancouver campuses and switch to remote (online) learning for all classes, effective Monday, March 16.
• Freehold Regional schools will be closed for two weeks starting Monday, March 16 to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus, Superintendent Charles Sampson announced.
• Frisch School in Paramus closed Wednesday, March 4 after 28 students were exposed to a New York resident who was diagnosed as a confirmed case of the coronavirus, officials said.
• Green Brook Township schools planned to close early on Thursday, March 12 to prepare for any potential future impact of the novel coronavirus.
• Haddon Township schools planned to have an early dismissal March 19 so the district can prepare for remote teaching.
• Haddonfield public schools will move to a remote learning environment beginning Tuesday, March 17, the district announced. This will remain in effect through March 27.
• High Point H.S., Sussex had arly release at 11:55 a.m. on Tuesday, March 11
• Hillsborough Township schools planned to close early on Thursday, March 12 to prepare for any potential future impact of the new coronavirus.
• Hoboken schools announced it planned to close on Monday, March 16 for two weeks after the city declared a state of emergency.
• Howell Township schools will be closed for two weeks starting Monday, March 16 due to concerns about the spread of the new coronavirus, the superintendent said.
• Holmdel schools planned to dismiss early on Friday, March 13 and Monday, March 16 to provide planning time for teachers.
• Jersey City announced that schools would close early on Wednesday, March 11 so it could prepare virtual lesson plans. The district also was preparing for possibly shutting its buildings for three weeks, according to NJ Advance Media.
• Kean University planned to begin remote education at all campuses on Monday, March 16 to minimize the density of people on campus and reduce the potential health risk to the community. Remote education was planned for March 16-30.
• Lacey Township schools planned to dismiss students early on Monday, March 16 and Tuesday, March 17. Staff will finalize their contingency plans for the novel coronavirus.
• Lakehurst schools approved the addition of abbreviated days on Wednesday, March 11, Thursday, March 12 and Friday, March 13.
• Lawrence Township public schools planned to move to a remote learning environment beginning Monday, March 13. This plan was for this to remain in effect through the spring break, and the district anticipated reopening April 14.
• Livingston schools planned to shifting into "remote learning" mode and closing schools for two weeks due to the new coronavirus known as COVID-19. That plan involved closing schools from Monday, March 16 to Friday, March 27.
• Madison schools dismissed early on Tuesday, March 10 for coronavirus preparations. Superintendent of Schools Mark Schwarz said there was no cause for concern.
• Manasquan decided to close schools effective Monday, March 16 and through Friday, March 27.
• Manchester Township closed its schools until further notice, beginning on Monday, March 16, in response to concerns over the new coronavirus, district officials announced.
• Mendham Township schools planned to open late Wednesday, March 11 to prepare for a possible closure.
• Metuchen schools planned to go to distance learning because of coronavirus scare. The plan was to do distance learning through March 20.
• Millburn schools closed Monday, March 16 through March 27 amid the coronavirus outbreak. Schools in Millburn/Short Hills planned to have a half day on Friday, March 13.
• Monmouth University planned to not hold classes until March 23 because a student reported feeling "flu-like symptoms," the university president announced.
• Montclair took steps to safeguard the town's public schools and senior citizens in the wake of the novel coronavirus dubbed COVID-19.
• Montclair State University officials extended spring break and moved most classes online.
• Moorestown schools planned to dismiss early on Monday, March 16 for coronavirus prep. Teachers were set to prepare for the possibility of remote teaching. The schools planned to get a deep clean on Friday, March 13.
• Moorestown Friends School planned to move to a remote learning system effective March 19.
• Mount Arlington Public E.S. had an early release at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11
• Mount Olive schools closed on Monday, March 9, anticipating the need to be creative with schooling with the threat of the new coronavirus.
• Newark public schools planned close for at least two weeks, the district announced on Friday, March 13. The state's largest district will close its more than 60 schools and the main office through March 30, and all extracurricular activities are cancelled, the district website said.
• NJIT planned to move classes online once the school returns from the spring recess on March 23 and planned to continue in that manner until further notice.
• Ocean County College moved classes online. Students were set to be on spring break from Monday, March 16 through March 22, and all face-to-face classes were cancelled the following week, from March 23 through March 29, moving instead to online instruction. In-class instruction was scheduled to resume March 30.
• Oceanport schools planned to close Thursday, Match 12 and Friday, March 13 as cases of the virus appear in Monmouth County.
• Plainfield planned to close schools for students only on Friday, March 13. During that time, the district was set to plan assignments for students in the event it needs to close for an extended amount of time.
• Point Pleasant Beach decided to close schools effective Monday, March 16 and until further notice.
• Point Pleasant Boro decided to close schools effective Monday, March 16 and until further notice.
• Princeton schools planned to close through March 27 and implement a learning from home plan due to new coronavirus concerns.
• Princeton University classes are being moved online and all students were asked to leave campus by March 19 due to the new coronavirus concerns.
• Ramapo College planned to deliver the vast majority of its coursework remotely from March 23 to April 3, according to The Asbury Park Press.
• Raritan Valley Community College extended spring break for students for one additional week due to coronavirus concerns.
• Red Bank Regional High School classes moved on Thursday, March 12 to virtual instruction until further notice. A student at Red Bank Regional tested presumptive positive for the coronavirus, officials said.
• Rider University's spring break was extended an additional week (through March 27).
• Roselle closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 10 and 11, after a staff member made contact with someone who was recently diagnosed with coronavirus. The school district was sanitizing its facilities.
• Rowan University extended its spring break so staff could prepare for the possibility of remote learning.
• Rutgers University planned to cancel classes beginning Thursday, March 12 and through spring break, and was then going to offer online classes through April 3.
• Sea Girt Elementary School planned to have early dismissal on March 16 so teachers and staff could make advance preparations, according to The Asbury Park Press.
• Seton Hall University suspended all in-person classes beginning on Wednesday, March 11, through and including Friday, March 13. All classes were set to resume online beginning Monday, March 16 and through at least Sunday, March 22.
• Scotch Plains-Fanwood schools planned to close on Wednesday, March 11 to prepare for any potential future impact of the new coronavirus.
• Secaucus public schools planned a series of half days at all schools beginning on Thursday, March 12 so teachers could prepare to teach remotely.
• South Brunswick closed schools Thursday and Friday, March 12 and 13, at the same time police revealed that two township residents attended an ill-fated party in Princeton where multiple people were exposed to the coronavirus. At least five people from that party tested positive for coronavirus, and the two South Brunswick residents who attended were also reporting symptoms.
• Stafford Township schools scheduled half days for students on Tuesday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 18 so teachers could prepare.
• Stevens canceled classes on Tuesday, March 10 in preparation to bring all courses online through Canvas.
• Stockton extended its spring break and planned to move online from March 25 to April 5.
• Stuart Country Day School in Princeton has cancelled all classes as of Wednesday, March 11 and events through March 30 after learning that several people in the Princeton area were exposed to others who tested positive for new coronavirus.
• Summit schools planned to be closed starting Friday, March 13 through spring break, April 6-10, 2020, amid concerns about the novel coronavirus pandemic. More details were available here.
• Toms River schools planned to close all of its schools beginning Monday, March 16 and through March 27. The district planned to shift to digital learning.
• Wayne schools were planning to close Friday, March 13 for coronavirus prep. The district said it planned to close to complete an extensive cleaning of its buildings and "we are bringing in additional staffing focused on this effort," officials said.
• Warren Township schools planned to close for four weeks and implement a distance-learning plan because of new coronavirus concerns. Warren schools planned to have a two-hour delayed opening on Friday, March 13. The closure and implemenation of the new plan was set to begin on Monday, March 12 and run through the end of spring break on Sunday, April 12.
• Watchung Hills Regional High School planned to close for four weeks and implement a distance-learning plan because of new coronavirus concerns. WHRHS planned to have a two-hour delayed opening on Friday, March 13. The closure and implemenation of the new plan was set to begin on Monday, March 12 and run through the end of spring break on Sunday, April 12.
• West Orange schools planned to close on March 16.
• Westfield schools announced that they planned to close early one day to prepare for possible shutdown because of the coronavirus pandemic. The purpose of the closure — scheduled for March 18 — was, according to a letter from Superintendent of Schools Margaret Dolan, to allow the staff to prepare for possible virtual instruction.
• Woodbridge schools planned to close on Monday, March 16 through Friday, March 20.

South Brunswick officials say they are also planning to use this time for additional disinfecting of all of its buildings and school buses. The after-school program will operate as it normally does on an early-release day.

South Brunswick officials said they are closely monitoring the situation and taking guidance from the New Jersey Department of Health and the CDC.

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

The district said there is currently no recommendation to close schools in the area. However, the district has been asked by the Department of Education to act with a precautionary set of protocols and to develop a plan should closures become necessary.

"It is important to be prepared, and doing so does not correlate to increased concern; but not being prepared is simply irresponsible, and we will always err on the side of caution over irresponsibility," the district said.

"Plus, we hope that having plans like this in place will one day be considered an alternative to snow days."

The district will have an early-release day Monday "so that we can develop strong and meaningful plans for your children."

"As always, the students and staff of South Brunswick are our No. 1, priority and we want to do what is right for our students and be prepared should a school dismissal become necessary," the district said.