Administrators in the Red Bank Regional High School District will have a plan in place that combines in-person instruction with remote (virtual) learning when the school in Little Silver reopens in September.
New Jersey’s schools were ordered to close in mid-March by Gov. Phil Murphy at the start of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. For the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, students received education remotely from their homes.
Several weeks ago, Murphy directed school administrators to develop, in collaboration with community stakeholders, a plan to reopen schools for the 2020-21 school year in September in a manner that best fits a district’s local needs.
Murphy later said an all-remote educational option must be provided for parents who do not want to send their children into a school.
Red Bank Regional High School serves residents of Red Bank, Shrewsbury Borough and Little Silver. On July 30, Superintendent of Schools Louis Moore posted a notice in which he discussed the district’s reopening plan.
Moor said students will have the option to receive an all-remote education in accordance with an Executive Order that Murphy issued on July 20.
Students who choose to attend school in-person will be organized into cohorts alphabetically. The students will report to school two days a week and receive remote instruction three days a week.
One cohort will attend school for in-person instruction on Monday and Thursday and receive remote instruction on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
The other cohort will attend school for in-person instruction on Tuesday and Friday and receive remote instruction on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
“We selected this model for a number of reasons,” Moore said. “First, a regular meeting cycle will help everyone in planning for family and work responsibilities.
“Second, a consistent bell schedule will support academic achievement and emotional health. The schedule will also have time allocated for individual academic assistance and counseling,” the superintendent said.
At the high school, classes will follow an early dismissal schedule and be 50 minutes long.
In an effort to reduce the possibility of virus transmission, Moore said there will not be a sit-down lunch period. The district will instead provide a “grab and go” meal service to students.
“In this unprecedented crisis, the health and safety of everyone must remain foremost, but we will also ensure that all students have access to a high quality educational program, as well as robust mental and emotional support.
“Teachers and administrators will continue to meet during the summer to ensure we are ready to meet district and state standards, ensure academic rigor, and maximize the hybrid instructional model,” he said.
According to district administrators, staff members and students will be expected to come to school wearing a mask. Students without a legitimate medical condition will not be allowed to attend school in-person if they are unwilling to comply with that requirement.
