Collingswood Schools To Open Year With Remote Learning

COLLINGSWOOD, NJ — The Collingswood and Oaklyn public school districts will begin their academic year with 100 percent remote instruction through at least October, Superintendent of Schools Scott Oswald announced this week.

The districts previously announced they would begin the year with a mix of in-person and remote instruction, and they hope to get back to that plan by mid-October, according to Oswald.

“Some of our students who require specialized programming and services that can be difficult to replicate virtually will be invited back to campus sooner than mid-October,” Oswald said. “The Collingswood and Oaklyn staff members (e.g., Child Study Teams) working with these students will contact families to arrange scheduling.”

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At the end of July, the districts announced they would use a hybrid plan to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that school districts may begin their academic year using a full-remote option if needed. Read more here: NJ To Offer Remote-Learning Option For Schools Amid Coronavirus

Collingswood and Oaklyn decided to pursue that option to ensure they meet and exceed those minimum standards for opening schools and to allow them time to guarantee they have sufficient staff in the schools to implement their plans, Oswald said.

“Since last spring, everyone in our schools has worked to prepare for our reopening in September,” Oswald said. “We’ve developed hybrid and remote schedules, planned extensive training, prepared technology devices for distribution to students, implemented health and safety precautions across our schools, and conducted required maintenance on our HVAC systems, including upgrading filters.”

Over the next few days, the districts will design remote learning plans that are “effective, engaging, and easy for families to understand and follow,” Oswald said.

“Most importantly, we will plan instruction that meets our students where they are and provides the necessary support to help them grow as learners,” Oswald said. This plan will be released to you in a follow-up communication as soon as it is finalized.”

Students will still have the chance to meet their teachers during the first two weeks of September, Oswald said.

“I have asked our administrators to develop schedules that allow for this important opportunity to build bridges between our students and families and our teachers,” Oswald said. “As we continue to plan for the start of the school year and the reopening of our schools, please understand that everyone across both the Collingswood and Oaklyn Schools wants our students back in school where they belong. We all want to return to ‘normal,’ but we must do so in a manner that prioritizes the safety of our students and staff. Working together, we can emerge from this pandemic better, stronger, and kinder than when we entered.”

The Oaklyn Public School District is a K-5 district. Its students go on to attend middle school and high school in Collingswood.

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