Westfield High School Won't Increase On-Site Hours Next Week

WESTFIELD, NJ — With New Jersey's coronavirus rate still high and Union County in the state's high ("orange") zone, Westfield High School students who expected to shift to a four-day-a-week schedule next week will not do so quite yet, officials said.

In an email to families, Westfield High School Principal Mary Asfendis told students this week that the shift is on hold because the area is in the "high" range, and students must continue staying six feet apart.

A district spokesperson confirmed the change in plans on Friday but noted that the decision does not affect the cohort of students who already attend the high school four days per week. READ MORE: Union County's Coronavirus Case Numbers And Trends This Week

Rather, combining cohorts and having more students in school at once would make it harder to social distance.

Union County was named last week in a federal report as one of 12 out of 21 counties as having a rate of 2.0 to 4.9 deaths per 100,000 people between April 2 and 8. READ MORE: 12 NJ Counties With Highest Case, Fatality Rates Amid COVID: Feds

The virus's impact is reflected in the state Department of Health's most recent "COVID-19 Activity Level Report," issued weekly. Union is in the "orange" zone.

But those who want to increase their hours in the buildings still may get to do so.

In a story in TAPInto Westfield, Asfendis noted, "The teachers and staff are prepared to increase instruction to four in-person days a week as soon as the COVID level in the community decreases to a moderate level. We will continue our communication with the Westfield Regional Department of Health and monitor COVID activity so that we may combine cohorts as soon as we can safely do so.”

READ MORE: Union County's Coronavirus Case Numbers And Trends This Week

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