New Guidance Throws A Wrinkle Into Wayne School Restart Plan

WAYNE, NJ — Just when you thought things had been figured out, things change again. So it goes during the coronavirus pandemic.

After submitting a school restart plan to the Department of Education last week following extensive planning, Wayne Public Schools announced they'll take some time to reconsider after Gov. Phil Murphy issued a new executive order Thursday.

The executive order allowed for New Jersey school districts to begin the year with full-remote instruction, a reversal from the original guidelines, which most schools in the state to submit plans for hybrid learning, including in Wayne.

"On August 13th, Governor Murphy issued Executive Order #175, which allows New Jersey schools to provide full-time remote instruction to all students. This is a complete departure from the prior directive requiring some in-person instruction, which was the basis for the Wayne Township Public Schools Return to School Plan," said Superintendent Mark Toback in a Friday letter.

A new checklist with a new set of standards and recommendations accompanied the executive order, throwing another wrinkle into restart planning.

The hybrid model should still be sufficient for the district, Toback believes, but he and the district will take the weekend to consider.

"While we are still confident that our plan places us in the best possible position to open safely, there was a major shift in Trenton, and a new executive order must be considered," he wrote.

"We clearly have a complex challenge on our hands and there is much at stake. We will provide the community with an update next week. "

Here's what the plan looks like so far: Wayne Officials Present Return To School Plan: What To Know

Some school districts have already made the decision to begin the year remotely, including:

• Bayonne
• Elizabeth
• Freehold Township
• Jersey City
• Montclair
• New Brunswick
• Plainfield
• Toms River
• Willingboro

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