Chester School Officials Working Toward August Reopening Plan

CHESTER, NJ – As school officials across New Jersey ponder what educating students looks like this fall as the coronavirus pandemic continues, the Chester School District is moving toward implementing plans for full in-person learning as allowed for under state Department of Education guidelines.

In a letter to area parents, Chester Superintendent Christina Van Woert outlined the district’s plan to safely welcome students back to the classroom after being forced to shift to a remote learning plan in the spring due to the pandemic.

While plans laid out by Gov. Phil Murphy and state education officials provides guidelines for schools to sensibly reopen, Van Woert’s detailed plan provides parents with a look into Chester area schools will adhere to social distancing guidelines and other safety measures to ensure the health and well-being of students, faculty and staff.

“This is a complicated prospect but we are committed to having our students return to the schools in a responsible manner,” Van Woert wrote in the letter.

According the plan, what form education takes on will be guided largely by guidance from Murphy and state health officials. As of now, state plans allow for in-person learning at schools statewide, but as things progress as the new school year approaches, Van Woert indicated that a committee made up of teachers, administrators, parents and Board of Education members are investigating three models that may be used this fall.

The options include:

Plan A - A full return to school as normal

Plan B - A hybrid model with all students returning to school on a staggered basis

Plan C - A Distance Learning Program

“In doing our work, there are a myriad of combinations for hybrid learning that are possible and I can assure you that we are exploring them all in concert with the many restrictions that we face under the current guidelines,” Van Woert wrote.

The superintendent wrote in the letter that a decision will be made by Aug. 24 but in the meantime, is asking parents to complete a survey that will assist committee members and administrators in collecting community input as it relates to a return to school next month.