After Thanksgiving, Hoboken Schools Will Go Remote For 1 Week

HOBOKEN, NJ — The Hoboken public schools will shift to remote learning for five days following Thanksgiving weekend, Superintendent of Schools Christine Johnson announced on Saturday. The announcement followed a steep rise in coronavirus cases statewide, and guidance from state and local leaders about Thanksgiving gatherings (see more below).

In addition, Johnson said that due to a positive coronavirus case, "At this time, we have placed the eighth grade at Hoboken Middle School on remote learning and one section of the sixth grade on remote learning for this coming week and the week after." She explained the process behind contract tracing and school closures in the letter.

She also said that there was one case of the virus at Hoboken High School, "resulting in the requirement of self-quarantining by a circle of students and two staff members."

In the past, two schools in the mile-square city have temporarily gone on remote learning for two weeks: Elysian Charter School and Wallace Primary School.

As cases of the virus rise statewide and nationally, several New Jersey schools have recently gone remote through Thanksgiving.

Students in Hoboken currently have the choice of five-day per week on-site learning, or all remote learning.

Thanksgiving guidance and numbers

Both Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla and Gov. Phil Murphy have encouraged residents to keep their Thanksgiving gatherings small amid high transmission rates of the virus. Murphy has now said that people returning to New Jersey from 45 other states should quarantine for 14 days.

New Jersey has lost 14,500 residents from the virus, but has gradually brought its daily death toll down since April 30, when 460 residents died from the virus in 24 hours.

A week ago Friday and Saturday, New Jersey reported 28 and 26 more deaths, the largest daily tolls since mid-July. Other states are experiencing higher daily death tolls, such as Texas, with 141 deaths in one day on Thursday.

Hoboken has not experienced any coronavirus deaths since May, but is seeing a steep rise in reported cases. Read more: Hoboken Hospital Reserves Floor For Coronavirus Cases.

The Hoboken letter

Johnson wrote in her letter, "As we get closer to the Thanksgiving Holiday, it has become abundantly clear that travel and large gatherings are not recommended. It has been reported that the safest way to celebrate is with your immediate family or those currently residing in your household. Outdoor gatherings have also been recommended, along with reminders for social distancing and mask wearing. In an effort to provide you with the areas of high virus prevalence, please click here."

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