Hopewell Valley Regional School District administrators have implemented remote learning for students.
The decision was announced on March 14, prior to Gov. Phil Murphy’s March 16 directive closing all of the Garden State’s public, private and parochial schools, as well as institutions of higher education, in the face of the coronavirus outbreak.
The district’s remote learning began on March 16.
“Prior to March 29, the school district will re-evaluate the situation with our public health officials and will communicate any updates,” Superintendent of Schools Thomas Smith said. “All district activities are cancelled or postponed during this closure. All facility use, events and rental activities will be cancelled. Athletic practices and competitions will be cancelled until further notice.”
March 16-17 were E-Learning days for students as administrators used those days to test the system and to ensure that all students have access to the remote learning environment.
On March 18, the district transitioned to a full remote learning environment with class-specific assignments developed by staff members who prepared online lessons.
“Closing our schools for an extended period is a complex undertaking. An extended school closure is compounded by the fact we have many district families and staff members for whom a closing will cause a significant hardship,” Smith said. “Although this is our first foray in remote learning for an extended period, I am confident we are well prepared.”
Administrators said they are working to assist families who may not have access to computers or internet service at home. They said anyone who does not have internet access is being asked to contact their child’s school principal.
Students in grades three through five may access ClassLink and students in grades six through 12 may use the OnCourse Classroom for digital learning.
“Our dedicated staff is doing their best to make sure this will be a meaningful experience for all involved. This situation is evolving very quickly and I am certain we will be making adjustments over the course of our closure,” Smith said.
“Hopewell is an incredibly strong community and I am confident we will get through this together. Anyone who has any questions may reach out to me or any building principal,” the superintendent said.
For more information about the school district’s remote learning, visit www.hvrsd.org
