Freehold Boro Schools Will Begin School Year Remotely

FREEHOLD, NJ – The Freehold Borough School District is not ready to open in-school instruction in September, officials announced in a revised reopening plan this week.

In the district's Aug. 17 Restart and Reentry Plan, officials cited public health data as a reason to reopen remotely on Sept. 8 to approximately 1,700 students.

“Freehold Borough has decided to start the 2020-2021 school year 100% remote,” wrote Superintendent of Schools Rocco Tomazic in a tweet on Tuesday. “We have a viable plan ready to transition to an in-school hybrid model. But we can’t do so until five required heath [sic] and safety issues are resolved, or the requirements eased.”

Freehold Borough has decided to start the 2020-2021 school year 100% remote. We have a viable plan ready to transition to an in-school hybrid model. But we can’t do so until five required heath and safety issues are resolved, or the requirements eased. https://t.co/HmfKTdCoPe pic.twitter.com/TiqaB9T4h9
— Rocco Tomazic (@FBPSsup) August 19, 2020

According to a letter sent out to district parents, a special board of education meeting on Monday called for the revised reentry plan.

Per the new plan, students may only return to school in a hybrid capacity when “all anticipated minimum standards have been addressed, and employing as many considerations deemed appropriate based on the agreed instructional model, operational space and fiscal resources.” In the next phase, pupils will still receive 80 percent of instruction remotely and spend several half days in schools.

Click here to view the updated reopening plan.

“The outbreak of COVID-19 and the current pandemic has significantly impacted established schooling in a negative way. School districts must contemplate increased supports, reduced finances, hybrid instructional models, all within an uncertain environment where the nature of the outbreak drives the whole system in unpredictable ways. We have some daunting challenges,” the reopening plan reads.

“However, Freehold Borough is poised to address these challenges in a positive manner. The high degree of organizational cohesion and currently adequate resources is allowing 9 the district to plan to meet the most pressing needs in a satisfactory manner. As we move forward, we anticipate further refinements and improvements so we can maximize our academic and social supports to all our students. This work is done in collaboration with the full school community. We remain grateful to all who are helping, working together to achieve our mission of properly educating all our students.”

Freehold Boro joins neighboring Freehold Township school district in a virtual kickoff to the school year(Freehold Township announced last week that the only the first two weeks of school will be entirely remote for students).

Other districts to call for a remote reopening include Asbury Park, Long Branch, South Brunswick and Toms River.

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