Summit School District To Go Remote Starting Friday

SUMMIT, NJ — The Summit public schools will go remote starting this Friday and continue into winter break. Since the district had already announced it will be remote for the first half of January, school buildings won't reopen for in-person instruction until Jan. 14.

In the last week, Summit High School and one elementary school went all-remote for two weeks.

Recently, the coronavirus virus case rate rose to "very high" in all 21 counties in New Jersey, meaning they exceeded 25 cases per 1,000 people.

Cases in Summit have also been rising. Read more: Summit Gives Age Breakdown Of 59 New Coronavirus Cases In 3 Days

Superintendent Scott Hough wrote on Friday, "After January 3, please limit your social gatherings to ensure we return to school in the safest manner possible. It is understandable how challenging this environment can be when guidance is frequently changing. Keep in mind, we are all experiencing circumstances we have never been through before."

Here is his full letter:

<blockquote>

Dear Summit Public Schools Community,
In a year that has been truly unique, we recognize that opportunities to feel a sense of normalcy and be with our loved ones bring comfort. This was the spirit of the previously announced implementation of remote instruction after the winter break through January 15. As we continue to navigate this changing landscape, we feel it is our responsibility to reevaluate our plans as new information surfaces. We were recently informed that the Department of Health is now recommending schools to follow a 10-day quarantine after members of the school community return from travel outside the immediate region. As a result, we have made the decision to adjust our plans for remote instruction surrounding the winter break.
As announced at last night’s Board of Education meeting, we will implement our remote instruction plan district-wide starting Friday, December 18 through Wednesday, December 23, 2020, continue remote instruction on January 4, 2021 and return to in-person instruction on Thursday, January 14, 2021. It is our hope that all members of our school community can take the necessary precautions to safely visit with family and loved ones. During this time, it is important to continue to practice safety protocols to ensure we mitigate the risk of exposure when we return to in-person instruction.
A return on January 14 keeps us in line with the recommended travel quarantine, while not needing to adjust the suggested return date from travel on January 3. It is important to note the distinction that although the travel quarantine recommendation from our local health experts is now 10 days; the exposure quarantine recommendation remains 14 days. After January 3, please limit your social gatherings to ensure we return to school in the safest manner possible.
It is understandable how challenging this environment can be when guidance is frequently changing. Keep in mind, we are all experiencing circumstances we have never been through before. Rest assured, our local Department of Health is constantly monitoring activity in our area, and making recommendations based on what is best for our community. As data or circumstances change, we continue to ask for your flexibility, patience, and support as we navigate through this together.

</blockquote>

State and national trends

At the height of the crisis in New Jersey, when testing and PPE were scarce, 460 people died from the virus in 24 hours on April 30.

The death rate had been plummeting over the summer. Back on Sept. 8, three months ago, the state announced two new deaths confirmed in 24 hours.

But deaths began rising again with gatherings, reopenings, and travel to states with higher transmission. This past Wednesday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said that the state of New Jersey had seen 91 new deaths from the virus since the day before.

Doctors have said that a number of factors are contributing to the fact that the daily death rate is still lower than spring, including people getting test results (and thus treatment) sooner, more protective equipment available in hospitals, and doctors becoming better able to treat the virus. However, the virus still can have long-term effects.

More than 290,000 Americans and 15,000 in New Jersey have passed away from the virus.

Here are more statewide coronavirus resources:

• NJ COVID-19 Information Hub: https://covid19.nj.gov/
• General COVID-19 questions: 2-1-1
• NJ COVID-19 hotline: (800) 222-1222

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