COVID-19 Information
The Plan
At its August 5, 2020 meeting, the Howell Township Board of Education approved the district’s Responsive Return Plan for the 2020-2021 school year to be submitted to the New Jersey Department of Education’s Monmouth County Office. Information regarding the plan can be found below.
- Responsive Return Plan: Board Meeting 8-5-2020 Presentation of Plan
- Responsive Return Plan: Slide Deck
- Responsive Return Plan: Community Interaction Video
- Responsive Return Plan: Full Plan Document
The district’s Responsive Return Plan addresses the state of New Jersey’s “The Road Back” document. The Howell Township Public Schools have developed a plan that focuses on the health and safety of our students and staff. The plan will remain fluid in an effort to address the current guidance and potential adjustments from the New Jersey Department of Education or the Governor's Office.
This website will be updated on a regular basis over the course of the next few weeks as additional information becomes available
RESPONSIVE RETURN PLAN LEARNING FRAMEWORKS
To date, the district will reopen in Phase 1. This takes into consideration the health and safety of our students and staff. The plan provides for in-person cohort instruction for parents who want their student to return to the building; and an option for parents who want their student to continue 100% full remote learning. The plan includes flexible and fluid phases.
CALENDAR ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR
The Board of Education approved a change to the school year calendar for the 2020-2021 school year. Professional Days for staff are now moved to the beginning of September. Please make note of these calendar amendments. The first day for students is Thursday, September 10.
PARENT PORTAL OPENING AND DETAILED SCHEDULES/TEACHER ASSIGNMENTS
Each year, the Parent Portal opens approximately ten days prior to the first day of school, for parents to obtain their child’s class schedules, teacher assignments and bus information. With the start of school being September 10, we anticipate the Parent Portal opening on September 1.
DEVICE DISTRIBUTION AND PROTECTION PLAN
IN-PERSON COHORT MODEL DAYS ANNOUNCED
If you selected the In-person Cohort Model for your child, their cohort days are listed below as well as a visual calendar.
- If your last name begins with A - K: You are assigned to Cohort A
- In- person Cohort A attends school in-person on Mondays and Tuesdays and learns remotely the other days. NOTE: Cohort A WILL attend their first in-person day on Thursday, September 10 and then begin their Monday/Tuesday Cohort A days the following week.
- If your last name begins with L - Z: You are assigned to Cohort B
- In- person Cohort B attends school in-person on Thursdays and Fridays and learns remotely the other days. NOTE: Cohort B will NOT attend in person on Thursday, September 10. Cohort B students will attend their first in-person day on Friday, September 11 and then will begin their Thursday/Friday Cohort B days the following week.
100% VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT
If you selected 100% Virtual Environment for your child, we are in the process of creating schedules for students who will be in the 100% virtual environment. Updates and schedules will be out prior to the start of school.
SEPTEMBER CALENDAR FOR COHORT AND VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS
To illustrate September and the first days in October for the in-person cohorts, see the calendar below.
IMPORTANT: ALL students are learning every day that schools are open, whether they are in-person or learning remotely during their cohort days.
If your child has an IEP and is placed in a Special Class Program, your child will be assigned a cohort for the purposes of inclusion. However, your child will be attending school all days that school is in session for in-person instruction within each phase of the Reopening Plan (Phase 1: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday Friday in-person, and Wednesday, remote). The following classes are identified as Special Class Programs for students with disabilities: Autism, Cognitive Impairments, Multiple Disabilities, Learning and/or Language Disabilities, Behavioral Disabilities, and Extended Day Preschool Disabilities.
Blue and green indicate the days students in the cohort model will report to school IN-PERSON. Yellow is a remote day for all students that are in the cohort model.
Each blue, green and yellow day is credited as a school day for all district students for in-person or 100% remote.
PARTIAL DAY BUILDING TIMES
The tiered partial day building times for Phase 1 are listed below.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
The district will be in continuous consultation with the School Physician and the Department of Health. Face coverings must be worn at all times and limited masks will be made available for those needing temporary replacement. Personal protective equipment (PPE) will be utilized for specialized areas and hand sanitizer will be placed throughout the building in approved areas. Frequent hand washing routines will also be in place.
Recently, the district evaluated and updated the HVAC systems throughout the district and are installing air purification/filtration systems.
Routine and frequent cleaning of all touch points, including but not limited to, desks, chairs, bathrooms, handrails, devices, etc. in schools and the buses will occur on a daily basis. Additional cleanings will take place on Wednesdays when all students and staff are remote.
Entry screening protocols will take place for staff and students and visitor volume within the schools will be restricted. Hallway traffic patterns and floor markings will assist in mitigating unnecessary contacts and movement throughout the building will be greatly reduced.
More details regarding health and safety and the district’s Health Protocols can be viewed in the return plan which is in compliance with the guidelines outlined in the State’s Restart and Recovery Plan.
TRANSPORTATION
The district’s efforts in transportation create as much social distancing as possible while safely transporting students to and from schools. Students will be required to wear face coverings on all buses. Stacking of bussing will occur to organize an orderly and socially distanced arrival and dismissal. Our partnership will continue with the Howell Township Police Department on traffic patterns to accommodate parental drop off/pick up and walkers.
Parents preferring to drive or have their children walk to/from school must waive the right to student transportation by completing and submitting the NJDOE Revised Parental Transportation Services Waiver Form to your child's school.
Please be aware that during the period of the COVID emergency, there is not a requirement to identify a “family or economic hardship” to reinstate transportation. We would request however that you use the form provided so that we are able to maintain our records. Once we receive a reinstatement request we would foresee providing your bus stop information and providing transportation in three days or less.
If you have any questions regarding Transportation, please contact the Transportation Department at 732-202-1740.
FOOD SERVICES
During our Phase 1 opening, meals will be consumed at home. For the partial day time frame, students will be able to have a snack in the classroom based on established protocols. Grab and go meals will be available for take home.
Proper nutrition is vital to educational success. As such, the district will continue to provide all students who are eligible for Free or Reduced meals. All families currently enrolled will receive notice regarding meal distribution. The Free and Reduced Meal Application is available online in the following languages:
Cash transactions are discouraged and change will not be made. Any cash sent in will be deposited into the student’s meal account. Parents are encouraged to establish a MySchoolBucks account to assist with contactless transactions.
If you have any questions regarding Food Services, please contact Aramark Food Services at 732-751-2480 ext. 1-7407.
ATHLETICS AND CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
The district will follow guidance for sports from NJSIAA and assess the effectiveness of virtual afterschool activities and determine appropriate opportunities for students.