Dear Eatontown School Community Member:
As we approach Spring Break, I wanted to provide a few important updates regarding the school schedule. The Fourth Marking Period begins on Friday, April 16th. Please remember that Spring Break begins on Friday April 2nd and schools will reopen on Monday, April 12th.
In our ongoing effort to continue providing students with increased time in school, the district will implement the revised schedule below beginning Monday, April 19th:
Preschool - 6th Grade: Five days per week, one-session days
7th - 8th Grade: Continue A/B Hybrid schedule with rotating A and B Wednesdays, one-session days
Virtual/Remote students: Continue the virtual/remote schedule
Please note that the week after Spring Break, Monday April 12th through Friday, April 16th, the district will follow the current A/B Hybrid schedule, with Wednesday, April 14th being a Cohort B Day for students in all grades.
In order to implement these new schedules effectively, the district will follow the latest CDC and NJ Department of Health guidance issued on March 23, 2021. At the elementary level, Preschool – 6th Grade, students will be socially distanced at least three feet apart. Although considered by the district, Plexiglas barriers will not be used. The CDC and NJ Department of Health no longer require Plexiglas barriers. Instead, the district will invest in air purifier units for any instructional spaces where there is less than six feet of social distance between students. Please note that these standalone air purifying units each have a MERV-13 air filter as well as ionization capabilities. These units are in addition to our HVAC system that meets CDC and NJ Department of Health recommendations already. By investing in equipment that further purifies the air from contaminants and pathogens, students and staff gain more protection than using Plexiglas barriers since the COVID-19 virus is airborne.
Students and staff still will be required to wear face coverings throughout the day. Cleaning and disinfecting protocols will continue. Students and staff will have the opportunity to wash their hands and use hand sanitizer regularly.
Finally, I would like to explain why the middle school is on a different schedule. As per the latest CDC and NJ Department of Health guidance, middle and high school students should remain six feet apart when the area or region is in the Orange or High level for COVID-19 activity. The district is following this recommendation. When the level changes, the district will reevaluate the schedule for middle school students and transition to a five day per week schedule for these students as well.
If conditions or guidance changes before April 19th, the district will communicate any updates through our standard channels. Our overall goal is to open schools in September 2021 for five, full days per week.
Thank you for your consideration and cooperation during these challenging times. If you have any questions, please contact your school principal.
Sincerely,
Scott T. McCue
Superintendent of Schools