Gloucester Township Schools Add Day Of In-Person Instruction

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Students in the Gloucester Township K-8 Public School District will see an additional day of in-person learning following spring break, the district announced.

Beginning April 16, students in Cohorts A and B will attend school in-person on alternating Fridays, Superintendent of Schools John Bilodeau said in a letter to the community.

Students currently attend school two days a week in-person. This would add a third day of in-person instruction each week, and students would conceivably see five days of in-person instruction over a two-week span. Full-remote learning remains an option.

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“A total of eight Fridays will be included in this calendar change with students in both Cohorts receiving four additional in-person days,” Bilodeau said.

According to a chart posted on the district’s website, students in Cohort A would attend in-person on April 16 and 30, May 14, and June 4. Students in Cohort B would attend in-person on April 23, May 7 and 21, and June 11.

The proposed calendar changes are scheduled for a vote at Monday’s Board of Education meeting. That meeting will be held in-person in the Library/Media Center at the Ann A. Mullen Middle School, 1400 Sicklerville Road in the Sicklerville section of the township. The public poriton of the meeting begins at 7 p.m.

The changes take effect for the fourth marking period, and at a time when Gov. Phil Murphy said New Jersey schools should be reopening. Read more here: Gov. Murphy: NJ Schools Should Move To Reopen ‘Now’ Amid COVID-19

Murphy noted that the American Rescue Plan passed by Congress, signed by President Biden, is providing nearly $2.8 billion to New Jersey schools. Much of this funding is meant to help schools reopen and to combat the learning loss "we know has occurred," he said.

Educators have also been given priority when it comes to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Please know that all district health and safety guidelines which have been established throughout this year will remain in place,” Bilodeau said. “This has been a challenging year for everyone. I must thank all of you again for your patience, flexibility, and support. Both parents and staff should be applauded for their combined efforts in terms of providing instruction, resources, and support to the great children in our Gloucester Township community.”