Brick Schools' Spirit Day Unites In Coronavirus Social Distancing

BRICK, NJ — At any other time, the hallways of Brick Township's schools would have been filled with students and staff clad in various shades of green, celebrating Spirit Day.

But on Friday, with the hallways quiet and teachers and students navigating a new online-learning reality, the Brick Township Schools took a moment to try to bring them all together — if only in spirit.

In notes on its website and on Twitter, the district encouraged students and staff to don their school spirit gear and share photos of themselves working in their remote learning spaces.

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"We will publish a selection of the videos and pictures to our website for everyone to see early next week!" the note on the website said. "WE MISS YOU ALL!"

Parents and students from all over the district checked in showing their school spirit, and Superintendent Thomas Farrell retweeted many of the photos and videos. (You can follow him on Twitter here.)

Farrell also posted a video message to parents, staff and students to close the week. He said the district is continuing to update online lesson plans, addressing issues that arise and adding information for parents, staff and students to the district's website as adjustments are made.

"I cannot stress enough the intent of the school closure is to adhere to the guidelines limiting large gatherings and to promote social distancing," he said.

Farrell said it's not clear how long the closure will last, though he anticipates it will extend beyond March 27, which was the initial date the district had set.

Gov. Phil Murphy, in closing all schools across the state, called it an indefinite closure as the outbreak has grown and expanding testing begins to show the extent of its spread. As of Friday afternoon there were 890 reported cases of COVID-19 in New Jersey, with 11 deaths, according to the state health department. There were 53 reported cases in Ocean County, including one in Brick. An Ocean County man in his 70s is among those who have died of the disease.

COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that's a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

As the likelihood of an extended separation sets in, the district is determined to keep the bonds of community close.

"The word community is a group of people coming together sharing a feeling of fellowship for others," Farrell said. "I know the Brick community embraces this mantra of helping others and we will perservere."

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