Half-Day For Gloucester Township K-8 Schools Friday

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — The Gloucester Township K-8 Public School District will have a single-session day on Friday, according to the district’s website. The half-day was not originally part of the calendar for 2019-20.

No reason was given for the move on the district website, and a spokesperson for the district wasn’t immediately available for comment Friday.

However, a growing number of schools are adding half days or in-service days so that they can prepare for the possibility of home-based learning due to coronavirus. Read more here: Update On NJ Coronavirus School Closures: Here’s The Latest

As of Wednesday morning, the Black Horse Pike Regional School District had not made any announcements about closures or half-days.

The district previously said it was taking the following proactive measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus:

• Hand sanitizers are located throughout all district buildings and will continue to be replenished.
• The Facilities Department will continue to clean and disinfect district buildings daily.
• District administration will review and implement appropriate recommendations from local, state and federal agencies (including the CDC and NJDOH) regarding the Coronavirus.
• Additional time will be provided to custodial staff above and beyond the normal cleaning protocol,
• as needed.
• School nurses will continue to screen for flu-like symptoms.
• Supplemental weekly disinfecting of our bus fleet will be provided in addition to daily cleaning.

They also recommend that everyone practices good hygiene by:

• Covering your nose and mouth with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing;
• Washing your hands frequently with soap and water;
• Avoiding close contact with sick people;
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth as much as possible; and
• Staying home from work or school when you are sick.

Three cases of new coronavirus have been reported in the region. On Tuesday, the first two presumptive positive cases in Burlington County were reported. On the same day, Camden County said the condition of the Cherry Hill man who had been diagnosed had been upgraded.

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The New Jersey Department of Health has partnered with the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System to open and operate a call center (1-800-222-1222) for public use regarding questions, concerns, and other information related to coronavirus spread in New Jersey. More information is also available on the state's coronavirus webpage.

See related: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know