Reopening Plans Taking Shape For Paramus Public Schools

PARAMUS, NJ — Paramus Public Schools must present plans to the Bergen County Office of Education by July 31.

According to Superintendent Sean Adams, a number of committees have been created to shape that plan, and things are progressing as that deadline nears.

"We're very solid right now," said Adams.

Adams shared with Patch that there are elements of the reopening plan that have already been decided. Students will be divided into two cohorts for in-person learning, and phase-one of the reopening plan will utilize a hybrid model of learning.

But an official plan has not yet been released.

Reopening plans are due to the county by July 31 and need to be published for the public by Aug. 3. However, Adams said that the district is working to publish those plans prior to the August deadline.

The committees are comprised of teachers, school nurses, parents, administrators and even students. These groups have been developing protocols and procedures for various facets of the school restart plan, including:

• Scheduling
• Curriculum and instruction
• Wellness
• Facilities
• Technology
• Communication
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)

According to a message on the newly created Paramus Community Connections website, all of these elements were grouped into three core components, which serve as the core components of reopening.

The components include:

• Conditions for learning
• Leadership and planning
• Continuity of learning

"The specific and detailed tasks and decisions connected with each of these overarching areas of focus are critical to the overall success of the initiative," read a description on the site.

The core components can be wide-ranging in some cases.

Leadership and planning deals with pandemic response teams, staffing and athletics, but also tackles the issue of scheduling and structure for the fall semester.

Conditions for learning is similarly tasked with covering a lot of ground, dealing in the use of physical space, transportation, meals and also academic, social and behavioral supports.

Continuity of learning, the third component, tackles curriculum, instruction and assessment, while also dealing in technology, special education and professional learning.

An Aug. 3 Board of Education meeting is currently scheduled, which will almost certainly feature a discussion about the reopening plan, as has nearly every recent board meeting.

For now, Adams said the Paramus Community Connections site will be updated with any new information on the reopening.