What Do Wayne Parents Think About Reopening Schools?

WAYNE, NJ — Wayne Public Schools officials asked, and the school community answered.

The results of a district Thoughtexchange initiative provide what is the clearest picture to date of the concerns of parents, teachers, staff and students related to reopening schools amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Over 3,800 people participated, and shared a total of 5,839 thoughts on the preliminary reopening plan that was presented in July.

77 percent of responses came from parents, with 12 percent coming from teachers. Only 54 students participated in the survey.

Thoughtexchange, a crowdsourcing platform for, well, the exchange of thoughts, allows participants to not only comment, but also use a star ranking system to prioritize areas of importance.

These stars reveal the top thoughts offered by participants, thus revealing the top concerns.

In looking through these premier comments — 117 in total — it becomes clear that a few things are at the top of the list.

Masks, masks, masks

In looking through response data, three themes present themselves as the clearest points of concern: masks, health and safety, and parent, family and work issues.

According to the data, 295 thoughts were left about masks with an average rating of 3.4; 258 thoughts were posted regarding issues of health and safety, receiving an average rating of 4; and 232 thoughts were left about issues concerning parents, receiving an average rating of 3.3.

Comments asking that siblings be placed in the same cohort received high ratings, stating that it will limit exposure to student's families, and make it easier on parents.

"This will help working parents if students can at least be in school on the same days so they can go to work as required," read one thought.

Parents are also seeking a strong enforcement of COVID-19 testing protocols, and want to ensure that students and staff who show any symptoms are told to stay out of the building.

One participant asked how quickly the school community would be notified of a positive test result.

"Transparency is essential in helping people to feel as though their health is important," they wrote.

The district released a preliminary plan in July, where they discussed many of these thoughts and questions. In a letter to the community, published Friday, Superintendent Mark Toback answered a chunk of questions again.

Read more: Wayne Officials Present Return To School Plan: What To Know

As for siblings being placed in the same cohort, the district plan will include priority placement to make this happen at the elementary and middle school levels.

However, if you have a student in high school and a lower level, Toback said this won't be possible, as the high schools have three cohorts and a different schedule than the middle and elementary schools.

Health and safety precautions were also explained at length in the letter, with Toback explaining that the cohort model is "probably the single most crucial element in our plan for protecting students and staff members."

Toback also explained that enhanced cleaning procedures are being installed, and masks will be worn by all employees, students and visitors, with exceptions for documented health reasons.

If a student is to contract the coronavirus, parents are asked to notify the school immediately, so the district can begin contact tracing throughout the school.

Those students, or staff, will remain out of school for seven days and may return once they provide a note from a doctor and a documented negative COVID-19 test.

Toback and the district will have the chance to present their formal return to school plan at an Aug. 6 Board of Education meeting. The meeting will be available through Zoom and on Channel 77.