Cherry Hill Prepares For Expanded Hybrid Model, No Big Changes

CHERRY HILL, NJ — Parents with students in the Cherry Hill Public School District shouldn’t expect any major operational changes for the rest of this school year, beyond the district’s efforts to get students back into the schools, Superintendent Joseph Meloche said on Wednesday.

“The big change will be getting kids into school on a more regular basis,” Meloche said during a news conference with Camden County Commissioner Louis Cappelli Jr. and Jefferson Health New Jersey Infectious Disease Physician Dr. Mark Condoluci. “There will be groups of kids who will be in school virtually almost full-time depending on what districts can provide.”

He said superintendents in districts across the county have begun to discuss what next school year will look like, and what the summer will look like. Districts are discussing what they can do to support families and children who are struggling, Meloche said.

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Last month, the district pegged March 9 s the tentative date for all hybrid learners at all grade levels to return to in-person learning four days a week. Currently, Cherry Hill students enrolled in the district’s hybrid model are in school two days a week and learn remotely the other three.

On Wednesday, Meloche said a little less than 50 percent of Cherry Hill families chose the four-day in-person learning option.

“We’re still hovering around 50-50 between parents who want their kids in the building and parents who don’t want their kids in the building,” Meloche said. “Teachers and administrators want kids in the building. That’s our goal. That’s all of our goal. It’s not to return to what was normal on March 13 a year ago, but what this new normal will be. All of us want to be in schools full time because that’s what we feel is right.”

Beginning March 9, from Tuesday-Friday, elementary and middle school hybrid learners will follow their current hours for in-school learning on Tuesday through Friday, according to the district.

For elementary students, that is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For middle school students, it's 8 a.m. to 12:16 p.m. Read more here: Cherry Hill Schools Set Sights On 4-Day In-Person Instruction

The high school schedule will be extended from 9:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to allow for a 20-minute snack break. Snack will be allowed at all grade levels in school buildings, but lunch will not be served. Mondays will remain all-remote learning days at all grade levels.

Schools across the state closed in March of last year to help prevent the further spread of the coronavirus. While many parents want to see their children return to school, Meloche said there are discussions about continuing to provide the remote option next year.

“There are still going to be some families and some children who, for a variety of reasons, still may not feel comfortable sending their children back,” Meloche said.

“We’re all presuming next year’s going to be A OK, and there will be no challenges,” Cappelli said. “That may be wishful thinking. Things are certainly going to be a lot better, but you just don’t know where we’ll be with this virus.”