'We Need More Time': Bridgewater-Raritan Approves Virtual Plan

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — The Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School Board of Education officially approved the district's all-virtual start for the 2020-21 school year in September on Tuesday night.

"We are not declaring that schools will not open. We are saying in order to comply with guidance and work guidance through the school system, we need more time," Interim Superintendent Dr. Thomas Ficarra said during the Tuesday night BOE meeting.

Ficarra noted that there were several factors the district is still working to "iron out" including enforcing a 6-feet social distancing at all times, increased technology issues, staffing issues, furniture storage, fire drill guidelines, daily cleaning, etc.

"The larger the district, the more complexity. With 2,700 students in the high school, we just need more time," Ficarra said. "There are still some questions on the ventilation we are working through, face masks and what heat would do to small children. We are still working through some of these problems and some of the guidance we are getting is still mixed."

Ficarra presented a PowerPoint presentation breaking down some of the requirements the district continues to work on.

In order to enforce 6-feet social distancing at all times, building capacity had to be reduced to 50 percent for PreK through 8th grade and 30 percent for the high school. Class sizes also need to be reduced from 25 students in a class to 11. Additionally, spreading the students' desks out meant the district needed places to store the extra desks, chairs, and furniture not being used.

There is an increasing need in technology and the district is still figuring out the logistics of having students bring their own devices. A survey will be sent out to parents shortly to determine if students are equipped to bring their own devices.

Determining the number of students who will require in-person learning is also being sorted out. On July 27, a total of 25 percent of parents opted out of in-person learning and then it jumped in late August to 41 percent. Ficarra noted the district is still going through parents' emails requesting changes to their children's learning plans. The number of students opting for virtual vs. in-person needs to be confirmed to avoid having students show up to a classroom that has already been set with a limited number of students.

Staffing issues are also a concern as more than 200 staff members had inquired or requested leaves of absence or accommodations. This number increased by 140 requests as neighboring districts turned virtual putting more pressure on staff members with children in those schools. Ficarra said the district is working to shift through personnel to determine who will report in-school and who will remain virtual.

"The recommendation to delay opening by one month is a recommendation to ensure when we do open up in-person learning that everything is in order — everything is solved, we know where we are storing furniture, we know every child's schedule, and we are operating in a manner that is organized and coherent and nothing is left to chance. And we are not worried about solving problems as children come through the front door," Ficarra said.

Virtual learning at the start of the year will be very different than last year as students will be logging in and having live instruction from teachers. Students will also be following a schedule.

The district issued guidance for parents and students on what to expect on the first day back. Click here to read the Guide to Virtual Learning.

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