Bridgewater Schools Plan To Stay In-Person In 2022

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — While the spike in coronavirus cases both locally and across New Jersey has prompted some school districts to shift to fully remote instruction, the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District is not considering that option.

Superintendent Robert Beers said the district is continuing to monitor case levels throughout the Bridgewater-Raritan community over winter break. The district is

"The district remains committed to providing full-day in-person instruction for our students and is planning to continue with our typical academic schedule when we get back from break on Jan. 3," said Beers.

The is also working with the local health department, which continues to support the district's current mitigation strategies, said Beers.

Beers also asked all parents to continue to monitor their students for symptoms and "please keep their children home if they are sick."

"Attention to this detail will allow the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District to continue providing the high-quality, in-person instruction our students need," said Beers.

In New Jersey, at least nine school districts pivoted to remote learning or half days this holiday week. Maplewood School District and The College of New Jersey even went one step further when they announced that they will start the new year with remote education, due to rising COVID-19 cases. Read More: NJ School Closures Grow As COVID Cases Spike

New Jersey reported 9,711 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the most reported for a single day in the state at any time during the pandemic. Read More: Record COVID Cases In NJ As Holidays Near

In Somerset County, there have been 1,325 new cases reported from Dec. 7 through Dec. 17, according to the Somerset County Health Department, including 125 new cases in Bridgewater in that time.

The school district has been posting a dashboard of cases, and has seen increases in those numbers just as most districts have experienced. From Dec. 18 through Dec. 23, there are 77 confirmed COVID-19 current cases among students and staff, according to the district.

Students and staff members who are identified as a close contact of someone who tests positive for COVID-19 only are required to quarantine if they are not vaccinated, according to the recent change by the state Department of Health in its guidelines for student and staff quarantines.

Those who are fully vaccinated or who have had COVID-19 and recovered from it within the last 90 days do not have to quarantine, under the new guidelines. Those who are required to quarantine can return to school after seven days if a COVID-19 PCR test at the fifth day or beyond comes back negative for the virus. Without testing, unvaccinated students or staff must wait 10 days in quarantine.

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