Lawrence Pushes Back First Day Of School Amid Pandemic

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, NJ — The 2020-21 school year in Lawrence Township will start later than previously planned due to the coronavirus pandemic. The first day of school has been pushed back from Sept. 3 to Sept. 8, according to Lawrence Township Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ross Kasun.

Staff will still return to school on Sept. 1. Professional development days had been planned for Sept. 1 and 2, but Sept. 3 and 4 will now also be development days as the staff prepares for the upcoming school year.

It's a school year like no other, as districts are in the middle of deciding how they will bring students back to school. Previously scheduled staff development days on Oct. 12 and Nov. 4 will now be regular school days for staff and students.

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For its reopening, the Lawrence Township Public School District has developed two plans: one for virtual/remote learning only, and a hybrid option that combines in-person and virtual learning.

In the hybrid plan, students will be separated into groups. The number of groups and the number of students in each group will be based on how many students enroll in this option.

The district is considering two options for this plan. One would see each group in class two days a week while the other group learns remotely on those days, and then they would switch. There would be one day in which all students learn remotely.

The other option would be to send one group to school for an entire week while the other group learns remotely. The groups would alternate weeks.

On days in which students attend school in-person, they would be in the school for four hours, since the district will not be serving lunch. Students and staff would be required to wear face coverings at all times.

Read more here: Lawrence Schools To Offer In-Person, Remote Learning This Fall

See more stories about New Jersey's coronavirus recovery.