Wyckoff Return To School Plan: What To Know

WYCKOFF, NJ — The public school district has released the operation plan for the 2021-2022 school year, but the most anticipated regulations have already been established at the state level.

Gov. Phil Murphy has enacted a mask mandate, and now a teacher vaccination requirement, for the upcoming year, but there are still things to learn from the local plan.

In addition to the mask mandate, the plan provides information on cleaning measures, contact tracing, physical distancing and lunch and transportation protocols.

The full plan can be viewed here, and some notable takeaways are below:

Vaccinations

There is no mandate for school vaccinations, but the district said parents are "encouraged" to submit copies of vaccination records to the school nurse to assist with contact tracing.

Physical Distancing

Instructional and non-instructional spaces will be arranged to keep three feet of distance between students "to the extent possible."

During periods of high community transmission, if distancing recommendations can't be met, each school will use other measures like:

• Facing desks in the same direction
• Avoiding grouped seating arrangements
• Arrange participants of early childhood programs head-to-toe during scheduled naptimes (refer to CDC Guidance for Operating Childcare Programs)

Physical distancing protocols will also be instituted outside of the classroom under these circumstances:

• In common areas, in spaces where students may gather such as hallways and auditoriums
• When masks cannot be worn
• When masks may be removed, such as during outdoor activities
• During indoor activities when increased exhalation occurs, such as singing, shouting, band practice, sports, or exercise (even if masks are worn)

Lunch

The district will hold multiple lunch sessions for kindergarten through fifth grade students in each school's multipurpose room, and meals may also be held outside. Distancing measures will be implemented.

For sixth through eighth grade students, the Pomptonian will be fully staffed and serving students, and there will also be multiple lunch sessions, much like the lower grades.

Bussing

Masks will be required on school buses, but the companies will operate on normal school schedules, and provide transportation to all eligible students.

Quarantine

Vaccinated people who are deemed as "exposed close contacts" won't need to quarantine, be excluded from school or be tested following exposure if they don't have symptoms.

Unvaccinated students and staff will need to for at least 10 days, and at least 24 hours since symptoms have passed.

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