Schools
Montville: Extended School Year Instruction Will Be Virtual For Summer 2020
'On Friday, June 12, 2020, Governor Murphy announced that in-person Extended School Year programs could resume as of July 6, 2020.'
June 17, 2020
Dear Parents,
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On Friday, June 12, 2020, Governor Murphy announced that in-person Extended School Year programs could resume as of July 6, 2020. He stressed that it would be up to individual school districts to decide the best way to meet students’ educational needs in a safe environment. The options presented by Governor Murphy for school districts to choose were virtual programs, in-person summer programs or a combination of both.
After much thought and discussion Montville Township Public Schools has decided to continue to deliver all instruction and related services virtually. Given the short time frame, the district does not have enough time to properly prepare our buildings and implement the required safeguards as outlined in the New Jersey Department of Health’s COVID-19 Youth Summer Camp Standards for students and staff.
Find out what's happening in Montvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The NJ Department of Health’s Youth Camp Standards also include many requirements that are counterintuitive to implementing a school program as they were developed for camps not schools. Student groups could only have 1 adult and 10 children, so no paraprofessionals could be added as per many students’ IEPs. Groups cannot intermingle, share materials and adults cannot move from group to group therefore speech, OT, PT or counseling cannot be conducted. There are other issues such as social distancing on the bus as well as the playgrounds that are not feasible.
We recognize that virtual learning requires tremendous family involvement and commitment. However, our overriding priority must be the safety of our students, their families and our staff. The Montville School District appreciates your dedication and looks forward to the safe reopening of our schools.
Sincerely,
Jennifer DeSaye Patricia Stryker
Director of Special Services Supervisor of Special Services
This press release was produced by the Montville Public Schools>. The views expressed here are the author’s own.
