Bernards Twp. Schools To Close For 2 Weeks, Start Alternate Plan

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — All Bernards Township Schools will close through March 29 and implement a distance learning plan due to new coronavirus concerns, school officials announced Thursday night.

"Our district's number one priority is always the health and well-being of our students, staff, and visitors. The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) threatens this core value and recently we have been concerned that it may also impede our ability to achieve our primary mission of educating students. Consequently, we have been proactively preparing to deliver instruction through distance learning so that if schools had to be closed we could continue to educate students," Bernards Township Schools Superintendent Nick Markarian stated.

All district buildings will be closed and a distance learning plan will be implemented effective Monday through Sunday, March 29.

"We hope to reopen school on Monday, March 30, but that may prove to be impossible; the decision will be made as the date approaches. For however long schools remain closed, all field
trips, school events, activities and facility rentals are canceled," Markarian said.

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The Board of Education meeting on Monday, will continue as a virtual meeting, the public will be able to participate in the meeting through special instructions that will be posted to the district homepage.

The 8th grade trip to Washington, DC planned for April 2 and 3 is canceled, however the administration will investigate if it may be possible to reschedule at a later date.

The Junior Prom scheduled for April 3 is being considered, information will come later.

The school closure announcements follow an update on Thursday that a Bridgewater resident was among six new presumptive positive cases of the coronavirus, state officials announced. This would be the first case in Somerset County. (See Related: Bridgewater Man Could Be 1st Somerset County Coronavirus Case)

The six new cases bring the total number of cases statewide to 29 who have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in New Jersey as of 2:3o p.m. and health officials say the virus may be "community-spread" in the state. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

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