Summit Postpones School Reopening Forum Due To Storm Isaias

SUMMIT, NJ — In recognition of the current power outages in Summit, the Summit school district is postponing the Community Forum on the Reopening Plan, which was originally scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 6, at 7 p.m. The registration deadline for the 2020-2021 school year will be extended past Sunday, Aug. 9. The status of power in the community will be monitored throughout the weekend, and an update will be sent on Monday regarding new dates and times for the forum and registration deadline.

The new reopening plan was revealed on Tuesday.

They noted, "Please be aware, we are operating on a tight schedule. The rescheduled forum will happen as soon as possible, potentially as early as Monday night. The registration deadline will be extended accordingly. As a reminder, the forum will be recorded and posted on the district’s website for those who cannot make it."

The link is here to the district website.

On Tuesday, the Summit teachers' union released a letter about the plan, including questions and concerns for the district.

Last month, the district said it would allow students the option of either attending five days per week, single session with no lunch, or being all remote (the state has said that every district must offer an all-remote option.)

Acting Schools Superintendent Robert Gardella said last month that the "blended" plans chosen by nearby districts, in which students alternate in-school and remote learning each day, could present a problem, and added that Summit parent surveys revealed that 87 percent of respondents wanted children in the buildings.

"While there is no perfect model," he wrote, "we believe that this is the best for our students academically, emotionally, socially, and behaviorally. ... A-B rotation schedules have been presented as an option by the state and are being pursued by several districts. An A-B model means that students are not in school on alternating, full days. This fact raised questions in our district: Where are students on their remote only days? Who are they with? Are they gathering? Are they distancing? Are they wearing masks? Are they supervised? Are they receiving health screenings?"

Earlier, the district had encouraged parents to help their students practice "mask endurance."

Summit schools were originally supposed to reopen on Aug. 31 (as per the calendar), but now will reopen Sept. 1 for students.

Gov. Phil Murphy's administration released its broad school reopening guidelines to the districts late last month.

Coronavirus testing

• To find out about getting tested in Union County, contact your doctor, visit covid19.nj.gov/testing.
• If you're a Union City resident, you can make an appointment at the testing site by calling 908-214-7107.

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