Westfield Fall School Reopening Stirs Discussion

WESTFIELD, NJ — The Westfield schools are scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, Sept. 9, but with the news about coronavirus changing so frequently, school districts have constantly readjusted their upcoming plan for fall.

On Friday, Westfield Schools Superintendent Dr. Margaret Dolan sent a letter to parents saying the district is still working on a plan (the complete letter is below). But she said she wanted parents to know two important changes that the district has already decided:

• Each student in Grades 1-12 will be given a Chromebook for their individual use during the 2020-2021 school year to prevent sharing devices and to assist in at-home learning.
• The district will not offer subscription busing in the fall. "We wanted to communicate this to you as early as possible, as we know this may be a hardship for families who have relied on this service," she said.

She has said the complete plan will be revealed in early August.

Many districts have surveyed parents about possibilities like two days a week in school and three days at home, with full-time remote an option parents can choose.

In fact, on Wednesday, Cranford Superintendent Scott Rubin released his plan: younger students in his district will attend a half day, five days per week, and older kids will attend in person two to three days a week in fall, all with 6 feet social distancing. However, he offered plans B and C if the state relaxes or increases requirements.

Meanwhile, Tuesday, at Gov. Phil Murphy's daily press briefing, New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Perischilli said that the state is becoming more concerned about young people getting and spreading coronavirus, and cited the recent increase in cases of Westfield young adults (ages 18-25) getting coronavirus at parties. Read more: Westfield Teens Have Coronavirus 'Associated With A Party:' Mayor

Regarding reopening, Murphy said: "We're going to do it right, responsibly, and only if we can be convinced that we can protect all lives here, the kids, the teachers, the administrators, the parents and grandparents."

"I want to especially emphasize to our young people that they are not invincible or immune to COVID-19," Perischilli said.

[SEE ALSO: Westfield Mayor Reports 12 New Coronavirus Cases On Tuesday.]

On June 26, the state handed down broad guidelines for what schools must do to reopen in fall, including everyone wearing face coverings and staying 6 feet apart.

The Westfield school buildings have been closed to students since Monday, March 16.

A parent of two children in the district, who contacted Patch, said she is concerned about the health effects of in-person learning.

In a letter she wrote to send to Gov. Murphy and the superintendent this week, she said, in part:

<blockquote>

What has really changed since the first day in March after the lockdown of the state? NOTHING! There is still no cure, there is no treatment. The only thing that has changed is the fact that we know for sure that social distancing works. Wearing masks help curb the spread of the disease.

We know this virus is unpredictable, and extremely contagious. The only constant has been is “Science."

We also know that states that ignored science are seeing catastrophic increase in illnesses. Having in person school is not safe; at least not during these uncertain times. It is not a matter of “if”, but “when” the schools close again, (and they will likely close again) hence, we need the summer to devise a plan for a better virtual education.

We need to have good technology that boosts online teaching. ... Just by bringing students to in person school does not justify a better education. ...

How is “in person” school going to be able to practice social distancing? Are teachers going to spend their time policing kids about how much distance to keep amongst each other? How are desks, chairs going to constantly be disinfected?

What will the protocol be if there is a positive case found in the school or found in a family of a child, teacher or staff? If a positive case requires the school to be closed, wouldn’t that create disruptions?

One of the reasons why kids have not been affected as much before is because the country immediately curbed the situation by closing schools and universities. Now you see, as the restrictions are being lifted, and kids are socializing and partying more, cases are increasing. Recent increase in positive cases in Westfield is my case in point. Kids can spread the virus.

Just last week, it was in the news that that a sleep away camp started off with two coronaviruses and within several days it multiplied to 82 kids and they had to shut the camp down. This to me is very concerning ...

I’m certain there is an argument of “My kids want to go back to school.” I challenge that position. I believe what the kids desire is more abstract. I believe what they want is a return to normalcy. They want their idea of yesterday; and frankly, yesterday isn’t on the menu. I understand there is thought about having a hybrid approach because this will allow the kids to socialize in school. As I think more on this, what do we think “social” will look like? Probably no recess, no lunches, no lunch table groups, no sitting with friends, no talking in the hallways etc.

Maybe in person could possibly resume in the spring if it is safe. ... We are learning more and more each day, and the science just says right now is not a good time to be within closed doors. ... Let’s not continue debating this, and let’s not waste any more time. We must utilize the summer wisely. Let’s plan for a better virtual and a better structured school day.

</blockquote>

This past Friday, Superintendent of Schools Margaret Dolan issued this letter about fall school reopening.

<blockquote>Westfield Public Schools A Tradition of Excellence
July 10, 2020
Dear Westfield School Community,
It has been two weeks since the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) released “The Road Back: Restart and Recovery Plan for Education.” Since that time (and before), we have been working nonstop to plan for a return to school as we hold many conversations about what that will look like at each grade level.
Within the 104-page State report are three “known” requirements for districts to reopen for in-person instruction in September.
• Absent a shift in the public health data, schools and districts must reopen for modified in-person instruction and operations at the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year.
• Many districts will have to operate school buildings at reduced capacity, which might necessitate the establishment of “hybrid” learning environments where schools deliver both in-person and remote services.
• Districts need to be prepared to pivot to remote instruction at any time.
While we all would love to return to life as we knew it before COVID-19, we know that we cannot at this point. So we are preparing for a hybrid model of learning in the fall that would combine both in-person and online instruction. Our number one priority is the health and safety of our students and staff and we will rely heavily on the advice and expertise of our public health officials and health care professionals.
As you can imagine, there are many provisions and parameters involved in a reopening plan of this scale including health and safety, emotional wellness, instructional consistency and equity, technology, increased cleaning/disinfecting, and supporting our students with special needs, along with those students and staff members at higher risk for severe illness.
Our teams of administrators, teachers, nurses, Board members, parents, and other stakeholders are conducting a thoughtful and thorough review of the many considerations. I am in regular contact with other superintendents who also are reaching out to their school communities and I constantly monitor the guidance from government and public health officials as well as reports of how other school districts around the world are reopening their schools.
This is not an easy time for anyone and I realize you will have many questions. We will share our reopening plans during the first week of August so that parents and staff can plan accordingly for the new school year. In the meantime, I ask parents and guardians to work with your child(ren) to reinforce the importance of handwashing, social distancing, and wearing a face covering.
Two details that I can share now are that each student in Grades 1-12 will be given a Chromebook for their individual use during the 2020-2021 school year to prevent sharing devices and to assist in at-home learning. Additionally, the district will not offer subscription busing in the fall. We wanted to communicate this to you as early as possible, as we know this may be a hardship for families who have relied on this service.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to develop a reopening plan that is thoughtful and consistent, yet flexible enough to meet the needs of our school community.
Sincerely,
Dr. Dolan

</blockquote>

What do you think? Comment below.

Read more about New Jersey school reopenings:

• NJ Teachers Develop Possible Coronavirus Back-To-School Rules
• At least one district has pushed back its start date because of the amount of time it will take to prepare. Read more: Moorestown Set To Push Back 1st Day Of School Due To Coronavirus

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