Caldwell-West Caldwell Schools Prepare For Schedule Updates

CALDWELLS, NJ — Caldwell-West Caldwell public schools are updating students’ schedules as the district moves to add in-person learning amid the coronavirus pandemic.

On Tuesday, Superintendent James Heinegg sent an email to local parents and guardians, notifying them of upcoming tweaks to the district’s hybrid learning plan.

Since the beginning of the school year in September, students have been receiving online instruction.

“The elementary model we will follow has all students coming to school every day for either a morning session or an afternoon session,” Heinegg wrote. “We will begin this AM/PM model for students in grades K - 2 on Oct. 7. Grades 3 - 5 will remain fully remote for two more weeks, and begin the AM/PM hybrid on Oct. 21.”

“The secondary model we will follow has additional in-person days added to the original plan,” Heinegg added.

Details about each of these plans can be found at the below links:

• New Elementary Schedule
• New GCMS Schedule
• New JCHS Schedule

“We understand that changes to children’s schedules can be disruptive to families; we are not making these revisions lightly,” Heinegg stated. “We do believe that they will end up providing students with a better educational experience.”

According to Heinegg:

“Given these revised plans and the time that has passed since parents initially committed to an in-person/hybrid plan or a 100 percent remote plan, we will be asking parents to inform us whether or not they will be staying with their original choice. Please review the attached schedules carefully; we will send out a Google Form on Wednesday, Sept. 23, on which you must select by Thursday, Sept. 24 either the 100 percent remote option or the in-person/hybrid option.”

The superintendent continued:

“All elementary students, including grades 3 - 5, will be divided into AM/PM cohorts as soon as possible, and parents will be notified. Unfortunately, requests for AM vs. PM cannot be considered. Although elementary and secondary students will be on different schedules, siblings within the same building will be placed in the same cohort whenever possible. There will be aides and teaching assistants supporting in many elementary classrooms. We are in communication with the YMCA to adjust elementary childcare options.”

“As we begin in-person learning on Oct. 7, we need to be prepared for abrupt changes to in-person learning schedules,” Heinegg added. “When COVID-19 cases arise within a school, they can require partial or complete shut-downs (and thus, return to remote learning that mirror in-person schedules) without extensive notice.”

Self-contained special education classes will continue to follow their own unique schedules, Heinegg said.

REMOTE SCHOOL DAYS?

The district is also looking into the possibility of holding remote school days on Nov. 3 (Election Day), Nov. 5 and Nov. 6 (Teachers Convention).

“Those three days are currently not school days,” Heinegg said. “The three gained days would be offset by making the February break a full week off.”

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