East Brunswick Schools Go Virtual Due To Spike In COVID Cases

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — All schools in the East Brunswick school district will be virtual this week due to COVID-19-related staff shortages, Superintendent Victor Valeski said.

“After analyzing the data from our self-reporting Staff and Student COVID form this morning, I have determined that we will not have the human resources necessary to reopen any of our schools this coming week,” Valeski said.

“I had hoped that some of our schools could remain open for in-person instruction but that evaporated quickly over the past 12 hours and we still have two more days for individuals to report,” he said.

Although schools are virtual, Valeski said athletics will continue under the district's established health/safety protocols.

The school district will be remote beginning Monday, Jan. 3, through Friday, Jan. 7. Valeski said the district will continue to reassess staffing impacts based on quarantines and school safety based on transmission rates among school populations.

"I want to be candid with families that this could affect the week of January 10th, as well,” Valeski said.

The decision was made after consulting the Middlesex Department of Health and medical professionals, Valeski said.

“I also know this is an extreme burden for some families however it is the only option that optimizes the safety of students, staff and the community at this moment of time. We know from experience that protecting household safety is paramount to our quick return to face-to-face instruction throughout the district,” he said.

In the past few days, many New Jersey school districts went virtual due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the state.

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