Bridgewater-Raritan Schools Prepare For Full In-Person Return

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — As school districts across New Jersey prepare for a full, in-person return to the classroom this fall, officials with the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District are doing the same in regard to keeping students healthy and safe.

While many of the restrictions from the coronavirus pandemic have been lifted, local school officials said that they will continue to rely on federal and state health officials for guidance. In a letter to staff and community members on Friday, district officials said that a final determination about the need for masks in the classroom has not yet been made by the state department of education.

District officials said that updated guidance on masks in the school setting is expected to be made prior to September. Once the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention makes its determination for masks in the classroom, state education leaders will make a determination of what will happen in New Jersey as part of policies moving forward.

Masks, however, will be required on all school buses across the district regardless of the vaccination status of passengers, officials said.

The district will continue to adhere to a social distancing guidelines which will require three feet distancing between students in the classroom setting as well as in cafeterias and lunch rooms when possible.

In addition, parents and caregivers will be required to monitor students for signs of illness and should continue to check for symptoms before they leave for school. Students who are sick should not attend school, district officials said. Parents will not, however, be required to complete daily health screening forms for their students.

The district will also continue to monitor several health guidelines when it comes to hygiene as well, officials wrote, and will reinforce the following guidelines:

• Teach and reinforce hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, hand sanitizer will be available. Practice hand hygiene.
• Encourage students and staff to cover coughs and sneezes
• Maintain adequate supplies including soap, hand sanitizer
• Daily cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects that are touched often, such as desks, countertops, doorknobs, computer keyboards, hands-on learning items, faucet handles, phones, and toys.

District officials also said they realize there are students who have serious have underlying medical conditions that may preclude them from attending school in person. If a student’s child’s requires a change in educational program, parents should email the district at medicalconcerns@brrsd.k12.nj.us and include medical documentation from their child's physician in support of this request.

The district’s physician will review the medical documentation, and the district will then reach out to parents with a determination, and if needed, develop a plan.