Hazlet Twp Schools' Reopening Committee Will Draft District Plan

HAZLET, NJ – In his latest installment of video updates regarding students' return to classrooms this fall, Hazlet Township Schools superintendent Dr. Scott Ridley announced the formation of a districtwide reopening committee of stakeholders. Watch the video message below:

The special committee dedicated to planning reopening protocol met at the Raritan High School gymnasium for the first time on July 16 to discuss potential safety measures for students and staff. According to the administrator, the committee “got off to a very positive start” in planning for the upcoming school year, which is slated to begin Thursday, Sept. 3 according to the district calendar.

The group will meet every Thursday for the duration of the summer months, leaving Ridley “optimistic” of its potential impact on district plans for the journey ahead. The group is comprised of parents, teachers, Board of Education members, administrators and staff.

“The discussion was both robust and relevant. Our initial goal, before getting down to the specifics of what will school look like when we reopen, was to spend some time together, get to know one another, and share some ideas and insights based on the particular experience of the committee member," said the superintendent.

Stakeholders working diligently to plan, discuss. and problem solve the reopening all our schools and what it may look like! #TheRoadBack pic.twitter.com/ExRwLM2tKK

— John DeGenito (@RaritanSports) July 16, 2020

According to Ridley, the district aims for a balance of ensured safety and rigorous educational product for every student in the district. Although the next few months will prove difficult in terms of planning, but will ensure that they ask the right questions before resuming in-person instruction.

Questions that the reopening committee will tackle in upcoming weeks will include who can wear a mask (and for how long), which physical barriers will be in place, how to effectively prioritize safety and how to separate youth without compromising social development.

HAZLET Township Public Schools working hard on their reopening plan. We will get there.... pic.twitter.com/j7Jz5DiBG4

Above all else, the superintendent stressed the importance of ensuring a “healthy, emotionally safe return for both students and staff before getting down to the business of teaching and learning.”

“As we did after 9/11, we will relearn our procedures, fine-tune our protocols and reinvent our priorities,” said Ridley. “And we will get through this together.”

For more information and updates about future video messages, click here.

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