Chatham Superintendent: Almost All Parents Acting Responsibly

CHATHAM, NJ — Despite the School District of the Chathams's recent difficulties with getting everyone to be forthcoming about coronavirus exposure, officials said most have cooperated. Superintendent Dr. Michael LaSusa announced concerns last week when he announced Chatham High School would temporarily go remote.

"Recently, school officials and nurses have also experienced challenges in some cases with obtaining accurate information from some parents about exposure to COVID, symptomology of students, and travel over the long weekend," he said in a letter.

Furthermore, LaSusa told nj.com the following last week:

"In a small number of cases, we have had parents send their children to school sick, not inform us of a positive test result for their child — which in turn delays or inhibits our ability to help the local health department with contact tracing, or argue with our nurses about protocols for quarantining or isolating."

But LaSusa told Patch this doesn't happen often.

"I do not have any further comment," LaSusa told Patch via email. "The overwhelming majority of our parents are doing everything possible to help us keep our schools open."

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LaSusa announced last Tuesday that officials confirmed seven new cases at Chatham High School in the two days since the district returned from Thanksgiving break. As a result, the high school went temporarily remote and will return Dec. 16 to in-person learning.

Officials have confirmed only a few cases within the district since LaSusa's letter — only one of which came from Chatham High School.

The Board of Education will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the high school auditorium. Attend in-person, or click here to livestream.

Board President Jill Critchley Weber emphasized the need for compliance to keep schools open.

"Our goal is to provide as much in-person learning to students as possible," she told Patch. "This is only realistic if everyone does their part and we all follow the rules. The school district can only be successful if everyone is rowing in the same direction."

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