Howell Township Schools Release In-Person Plan For Fall 2020

HOWELL, NJ –Nearly one month before fall classes are slated to begin on Sept. 10, the Howell Township Board of Education approved a Response Return Plan for the 2020-2021 school year. The plan, which was passed by the board last week, will now be submitted to the New Jersey Department of Education’s Monmouth County Office for approval, according to the school district website.

For students in grades K-8, two options will be available for parents to choose from. One option will be an in-person hybrid cohort model for students to return to the building. The other option will serve parents who want their child to continue virtual-only remote learning.

The parent Reopening Survey and Instructional Environment Selection (available on the Parent Portal) is due Friday, Aug. 14 at 3 p.m. Parents must login to the Parent Portal, complete and submit one form for each child in the district. The survey will include the option for children to participate in either in-person cohorts or remote-only learning come September.

For in-person students, the school district will reopen under a four-part plan, according to the Board of Education presentation. As of date, schools are expected to reopen in Phase 1.

In Phase 1, students in preschool through second grade can attend four partial days a week using an ‘in-school’ cohort to maintain social distance. Elementary students (grades three through five) and middle schoolers (in grades six through eight) will follow an A/B Cohort model with two alternating in-person days and two remote days per week. Wednesdays will be remote for everyone and meals will be consumed at home.

Phase 2 will begin in consultation with the health department, when no new confirmed cases are reported in Howell schools and when there is “stability in the community”. This phase will see the return of all grades for full-day school sessions while keeping the cohort model (students following the cohort model will only attend in-person classes twice a week).

Phase 3 will see all grades continue full-day sessions, with the addition of a four-day in-person week for preschool through fifth grade students. Sixth to eighth graders will continue on the A/B cohort schedule. Phase 3 will see the comeback of in-school meals.

Finally, Phase 4 will emerge as al students return to a traditional school schedule. Preschool through eighth grade will be in-person for five dull days a week.

Athletics
The district will continue to follow guidance for sports from NJSIAA, per the district website.

Food Service
Meals will be required to be consumed at home during Phase 1. For students on the partial daytime schedule, snacks will be allowed in the classroom based on “established protocols”. To-go meals will be available in schools.

The district will continue to provide free or reduced meals for qualified students. All families enrolled will receive notice regarding food distribution.

Cash transactions are discouraged and charge will not be made. District parents are encouraged to set up a MySchoolBucks account for contactless transactions.

Food service-related questions can be directed to Aramark Food Services at (732) 751-2480 ext. 1-7407.

Health and Safety
Face coverings must be worn at all times, with limited masks available upon request for those requiring a temporary replacement. Personal protective equipment (PPE) will be used for specialized areas and hand sanitizer will be available throughout the buildings. Frequent hand washing regimens will also be implemented. Frequent sanitization of touch points (including desks, chairs, handrails and devices) will occur on a daily basis. Wednesdays will serve as an additional cleaning day.

The district recently updated HVAC systems throughout the school district and are installing air purification/filtration systems. Visitor volume within the schools will be restricted and hallway floor markings will guide foot traffic, mitigating unnecessary contacts. Entry screening protocols will be in place for staff and students.

Click here for the detailed guide of health protocols for the school district.

Technology
Take-home devices will be available for students in grades K through 8. A 1:1 tablet initiative will be expanded to kindergarten through second grade levels. Increased bandwidth, a firewall upgrade and a secure video conferencing platform are also promised for the district. Distribution will be announced shortly, and a device protection plan will be available for parents to purchase. Technology-related questions can be directed to the Office of Innovation and Digital Learning at (732) 751-2480.

Transportation
Students will be required to wear face coverings on buses, according to the district plan. A stacked bussing schedule will be implemented to organize a socially distant arrival and dismissal. Parents preferring to drive or have children walk to/from school must complete and submit the NJDOE Parental Transportation Services Waiver Form to their child’s school.

Transportation-related questions can be directed to the Transportation Department at (732) 202-1740.

Thanks for reading! Have a news tip? Email nicole.rosenthal@patch.com. Want to write for Patch? Click here.
Click here to get Patch email notifications, or get breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our app, download here. Follow Howell Patch on Facebook.