Hackettstown Preps School Relaunch Plan

HACKETTSTOWN, NJ - School won't look the same this fall when classes resume, but the Hackettstown School District has prepared options for parents and students to consider as buildings reopen for in-person instruction.

Classes are set to being Sept. 3.

According to the plan, Hackettstown High School would follow an Alternate Hybrid Schedule:

• The schedule was created to provide for safe social distancing to the maximum extent practicable.
• All staff, students and visitors will be required to wear face masks, unless it will inhibit the individual’s health: A medical diagnosis will be required
• The district will ensure that their indoor facilities have adequate ventilation which includes: Recirculated air will have a fresh air component, Window will be opened if A/C is not provided, Filters for the A/C units will be maintained and changed according to the manufacturer recommendations

Hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol) will be located in:

• Every classroom
• At the entrances and exits of the buildings
• In the bathrooms
• In the lunchroom
• In various locations in the hallways

Also:

• Students will be asked to wash their hands for at least 20 second intervals or use hand sanitizer after eating, after using the restroom, and after blowing their nose/coughing/sneezing.
• The High School is moving to a Four-Day Rotation for 2020-21. Six periods will occur each day. The order of periods and presentation (live versus virtual) will depend on the access to the building. If a hybrid model is used, a blended model of in-person and virtual classes will be used.
• Students will be split into two cohorts (groups) for safe social distancing. In a hybrid model, on any given day one cohort will be in the building receiving in-person instruction; the other cohort will be at home learning virtually.
• The AM schedule will consist of four 60 minute periods with 10 minutes of pass time in between periods.
• Student lunches will only be available to students on free/reduced lunch plans. Student lunches may be picked up as students exit the building to be eaten at home.
• After lunch, staff will use the afternoon to plan, instruct, assess and communicate with students virtually. The PM schedule will consist of two 40 minute periods with 5 minutes rest time in between periods.
• Depending on the model used (hybrid versus full virtual) and the capability of technology, staff may be building-based for a half-day or full-day.

All students will also have the option of full virtual instruction and The High School has prepared two plans for instruction dependent on the recommendations made by the CDC, Warren County Department of Health, the Board of Education, and the Central Office. The High School is fully prepared to move from a hybrid schedule to a full virtual environment should it become necessary, officials said.

Hackettstown Middle School will also follow an Alternate Hybrid Schedule:

• All staff, students and visitors will be required to wear face masks anytime on school property, unless it will inhibit the individual’s health and a doctor’s note is provided.
• The district will ensure that their indoor facilities have adequate ventilation which includes: Recirculated air will have a fresh air component, Windows and classroom doors will be opened, Filters for the ventilation units will be maintained and changed according to the manufacturer recommendations.
• Hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol) will be located in the following locations:
• Every classroom and office
• Entrances and exits of the buildings
• Bathrooms
• Cafeteria/gymnasiums
• Various locations throughout the hallways
• Students will be asked to wash their hands for at least 20 second intervals after eating, after using the restroom, and after blowing their nose/coughing/sneezing.
• 4 ¼ Hour In-Person Instruction with the entire student body.

All students in grades 5-8 will attend a four hour and fifteen minute in-person instructional day. Students and staff will be placed into cohorts which allows for very minimal movement during the in-person instructional time. The in-person instructional day will focus on core academic subjects (i.e. English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies). The benefits of being placed in a cohort, means that students in grades 5-7 will be assigned one teacher for all content areas and grade 8 students will be placed into a cohort that moves between content specific teachers.

Once the students are home, the in-personal instructional day will be followed by continued virtual instructions for further understanding of assignments with small group instruction and/or teacher/student meetings for the remainder of the school day once the students are home for the core academic subjects and virtual classes for the Encore subjects (re. Health/Physical Education, Art, General Music, Technology, Theatre, World Language) and elective courses (re. Band, Chorus, and PACE) for their respective grade level.

Also:

• In-person instructional time will consist of approximately 75 minutes for English Language Arts and Mathematics and 50 minutes for Science and Social Studies.
• All school staff, students and visitors will be required to to wear face coverings unless doing so would inhibit the individual’s health.
• Staff will be building-based for a full day; in-person instruction during the four hours and fifteen minutes, followed by a staff lunch and preparation time then virtual instructional time with students.
• Student lunches will only be available to students on free/reduced food plans, which can be picked up as students exit the building to be eaten at home.

The Middle School is also offering full virtual instruction and is prepared to move to a full virtual instructional environment if it becomes necessary. Student cohorts will remain in grades five through eight with their assigned teachers. The full virtual schedule will mimic the hybrid schedule whereas students will meet for their core academic subjects in the morning and the Encore subjects and extra/co-curricular in the afternoon. The students will be required to attend their classes at specific times, as a schedule will be developed and provided.

Willow Grove Elementary School

Willow Grove will also be prepared to offer virtual instruction and will be able to make the switch to all virtual should it become necessary. But the primary plan is an alternate hybrid schedule:

• Schedules were created to provide for safe social distancing to the maximum extent practicable.
• All staff, students and visitors will be required to wear face masks, unless it will inhibit the individual’s health.
• The district will ensure that their indoor facilities have adequate ventilation which includes: Recirculated air will have a fresh air component, Window will be opened if A/C is not provided, Filters for the A/C units will be maintained and changed according to the manufacturer recommendations.

Hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol) will be located in:

• Every classroom
• At the entrances and exits of the buildings
• In the bathrooms
• In the lunchroom
• In various locations in the hallways

Of note:

• Students will be asked to wash their hands for at least 20 second intervals after eating, after using the restroom, and after blowing their nose/coughing/sneezing.
• AM/PM Split Sessions with half of the student body
• Grades 2-4 students will be placed into cohorts, then split into two sessions (am or pm) for three hour in-person instructional time. This allows for very minimal movement during the in-person instructional time. For the second half of the day (whether am or pm), students will participate in virtual assignments, small group instruction, and teacher/student meetings. Under this option, grade level teachers will each be assigned a homeroom. Since half of the student population will be in the building during each session, there will not be a need to utilize areas such as the gym/cafeteria as classrooms and safe social distancing will be maintained. Classes will consist of up to 12 students.
• Staff will be building-based for a full day.
• Elective courses will be virtual.
• All school staff, students and visitors will be required to to wear face coverings unless doing so would inhibit the individual’s health.
• Food services will be provided for students on free/reduced plan. Further information will be provided to families prior to the opening of school

Hatchery Elementary School

Hatchery will be similar to Willow Grove School with a virtual option and a primary hybrid plan:

• There will still be an AM/PM Split Sessions with half of the student body.
• Grades PreK-1 students will be placed into cohorts, then split into two sessions (am or pm) for three hour in-person instructional time. This allows for very minimal movement during the in-person instructional time. For the second half of the day (whether am or pm), students will participate in virtual assignments, small group instruction, and teacher/student meetings. Under this option, grade level teachers will each be assigned a homeroom. Since half of the student population will be in the building during each session, there will not be a need to utilize areas such as the gym/cafeteria as classrooms and safe social distancing will be maintained. Classes will consist of up to 12 students.
• Staff will be building-based for a full day.
• Elective courses will be virtual.
• All school staff, students and visitors will be required to to wear face coverings unless doing so would inhibit the individual’s health.
• Lunch will be provided for students on free/reduced plan. Further information will be provided to families prior to the opening of school.

The district also released a video showing how the different buildings are preparing. Those interested in the complete plan can read it on the district website.

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