Students who attend Red Bank Regional High School, Little Silver, had returned to a hybrid model of in-person and remote instruction as of Dec. 17, but are scheduled to switch to a fully remote model of instruction during the first week of January.
On Dec. 10, Red Bank Regional High School District Superintendent of Schools Louis Moore announced that students would be able to physically return to the high school in the hybrid model of instruction on Dec. 14.
Students of the school district, which serves residents of Red Bank, Shrewsbury Borough and Little Silver, had been receiving fully remote instruction since Nov. 25.
During the 2020-21 school year, because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many Red Bank Regional students had been receiving their education in a hybrid model that combines in-person instruction several days a week and remote instruction.
Some students have only been receiving remote instruction if their parents selected that option at the beginning of the school year.
The district shifted to fully remote instruction in late November due to an increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the district’s three municipalities, according to Moore.
“Unfortunately, the rate of transmission of COVID-19 in our area continues to be at a high level,” Moore said in a Dec. 2 announcement. “It was recently reported that in November, almost 400 COVID-19 cases were reported in Little Silver, Red Bank and Shrewsbury. This is a sharp increase from October when there were 79 cases.”
In his Dec. 10 announcement, Moore announced the hybrid model of instruction would resume on Dec. 14, based upon consultation with representatives of the Monmouth County Regional Health Commission.
“All known positive cases and close contacts among staff and students have been identified and these individuals are following the appropriate exclusion protocols,” the superintendent said. “I want to affirm the high value we place on in-person learning and our commitment to keeping school open as much as possible.”
However, Moore also said Red Bank Regional High School may shift back to fully remote instruction if there are school-based transmissions or if the COVID Regional Risk Assessment deems Monmouth County and/or the state to have the highest possible risk for the virus. Currently, the county and the state are deemed to have a high risk.
And, Moore said that in an attempt to avoid transmission of the virus after the district’s winter break has concluded, the week of Jan. 4-8 will only offer students remote instruction.
“This will ensure we have the time to monitor and respond to a possible uptick in cases,” the superintendent informed the community.
The hybrid model of instruction would resume on Jan. 11 under the current plan.
