Mahwah Schools Open, But Virtual Protocols Are In Place

MAHWAH, NJ — Public school students returned to class on Monday, in-person, just like they have been for most of the year.

The post-winter break return came amid rising cases of COVID-19, COVID-19 testing shortages, and concern about the omicron variant. However, district officials said they feel confident they can continue in-person instruction uninterrupted.

Mahwah administrators sent an update to the community this week, detailing "renewed reminders" for policies which can boost health and safety confidence, they said.

Over the break, facilities received cleanings, and the district said masking continues to be mandatory this semester. Officials will also continue to address touch point cleaning, create opportunities for students to be outside when possible, and organize school environments for safe distancing.

Administrators are committed to in-person learning for the entirety of the semester, they said, but they also understand that circumstances could arise beyond their control.

"In the coming weeks, there may be circumstances in which your child’s teacher will be educating the class via Zoom or we will creatively staff classrooms to maintain in-school learning," officials said.

"These strategies will be used as sparingly as possible to ensure our ability to continue in school instruction, while staff may be impacted by way of quarantine or isolation protocols."

The holiday season has already created an upward trend of cases within the district. Since Christmas, just under 150 cases have been reported, according to the district's COVID-19 dashboard. No school closures have been needed, however.

Patch recently asked our readers what they thought about an in-person return to school, or whether they believed a virtual option was mandatory. Here's what they had to say: Virtual Option For NJ Students In COVID Surge? Readers Respond