600+ Freehold Teachers Get Vaccinated, With Local Hospital’s Help

FREEHOLD, NJ - In partnership with one local healthcare system, hundreds of Freehold educators and school staff are now vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the New Jersey Education Association.

The Freehold Regional High School District, which includes six high schools with a total population of over 10,000 teens, reopened to in-person classes via a hybrid instructional model on Oct. 19. The school has since expressed interest in reopening schools for full-time, in-person instruction now that 500 of its high-risk staff members have been vaccinated against the virus, all thanks to vaccination efforts from CentraState Medical Center.

“We are extremely fortunate to have such a supportive community partner in CentraState Medical Center,” a spokesperson for the high school district said in a statement. “For over 25 years our relationship with the hospital has benefited the students and staff of the Freehold Regional in countless ways. Now in the face of a global pandemic the power of community partnerships is showcased once again.”

Out of approximately 1,300 total district employees, roughly 520 eligible staff members have received the vaccine so far. Once eligibility is opened to all educators, CentraState has indicated interest in working with the district to ensure that all remaining staff members who want a vaccine can receive one, the district said.

“It is imperative that educators across the state have access to the vaccine as soon as possible in order to keep schools open for students,” the district spokesperson added.

According to the New Jersey Education Association, the vaccination initiative began with CentraState Community Development Director Jay Robinson, who reached out to school superintendents in Freehold when the hospital had extra dosages of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Freehold Regional High School District is just one of several area school districts to vaccinate employees in partnership with CentraState Hospital. Freehold Township and Freehold Borough school districts have recently participated in similar vaccination efforts, with 132 teachers and staff from Freehold Borough vaccinated at CentraState. Their second dose is scheduled for later this month, just in time for over 1,600 K-8 students to return to Freehold Borough classrooms on March 1, the first in-person instructional day in nearly a year. Read more: Freehold Boro K-8 Students To Return In-Person By March 1

“We have 30+ teachers/staff who do not have qualifying conditions, so they are waiting for their vaccinations once their category is open for scheduling,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Rocco Tomazic in an email to Patch. “We are exceptionally grateful to CentraState CEO Mr John Gibbin and his leadership team for prioritizing educators so we can do the best we can to safely reopen schools and to stay open.”