Middletown Releases In-Person School Plan For Fall 2020

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — As promised, at the end of day Friday, the Middletown school district released its plan on how students will return to school in person this fall.

Parents who choose to keep their kids entirely at home may do so; all schools in New Jersey must provide an all-online learning component. Middletown parents and caregivers have until August 4 to let the district know if they are doing remote only.

Middletown schools have come up with a "cohort hybrid schedule," where students will be split into two groups, based on their last names. This will be used at all schools in the district. Every student will be scheduled for on-campus, in-person instruction two consecutive days per week, and virtual instruction three days per week.

Cohort A will be students with last names from A-K and they will attend in-person on campus instruction on Mondays and Tuesdays. Cohort B will be students with last names from L-Z and they will attend in-person on campus instruction on Thursdays and Fridays.

Wednesdays will be a remote virtual school day for all students.

Student desks/chairs will be spaced approximately six feet apart in rows facing forward. Teachers will be encouraged to teach outdoors, weather permitting.

Middletown schools will also start the school year with an early release schedule; they will only spend 4 hours and 15 minutes each day on campus.

Special-education students

All students enrolled in special-education class programs (LLD, MD, BD, Autism and PreK disabilities) will be scheduled for in-person on campus instruction Monday through Friday (no hybrid cohort schedule as described above.) Students will follow a full-day schedule and their school’s regular start/end times. Lunch will be scheduled during the school day and service will be available as prepared “grab and go” meals.

Face masks

Face coverings must be worn by all staff members at all times and must be worn by students when six-foot social distancing is not possible, as per state Dept. of Education guidelines.

"Given this requirement, it is very likely that all students will be required to wear face coverings for extended periods of time throughout the school day, including on buses, when entering/exiting the school building, while walking in hallways and inside classrooms" said superintendent Dr. Bill George.

Students should prepare to bring a mask, or two, to school with them every day, said the Middletown superintendent.

"Please begin to practice mask-wearing with your child to build up their tolerance for wearing face coverings," said Dr. George.

There will be busing as normal, but students must wear the face mask on the school bus at all times, including getting on and off.

This plan, called the comprehensive reopening plan, will be presented for approval at the Middletown Board of Education meeting this Wednesday night. Read the district's entire plan here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LtvZ4wprLmh9bPOuBvn3I-MVPMO8zIz-/view

Schools will also schedule virtual parent forums in mid-late August; your child's principal will reach out with information on that virtual parent forum.

The Middletown school district has the goal of increasing the number of students attending in-person on campus each day, whenever the state of New Jersey decides it is appropriate to relax social distancing guidelines.

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