Jersey City Schools Are Back Open: What To Know

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Some of the youngest students in Jersey City Public Schools went back into the classroom on Thursday after the district settled on a decision to reopen schools under a hybrid learning model for the remainder of the year.

Students in preschool through third grade who opted into the in-person learning option were welcomed back on Thursday. The district is still giving parents the option to keep students in remote learning for the remainder of the year.

A March survey issued by the district found that 20 percent of parents wanted their children to return in-person, but most parents in the district did not answer the survey. At least 400 staff members in the district applied for accommodations to work remote.

Those attending in-person were broken up by the district into two groups, Cohort A or B. Each week the cohorts switch off so only one group is in the school at a time, limiting the number of students in the building. Wednesdays are remote-learning days across the district and give schools a chance to clean mid-week. All students are dismissed at 12:45 p.m.

The calendar view of the cohort schedule is available online.

All other grades will be able to return in-person on May 10.

COVID-19 Protocol In Schools

The district released a frequently asked question sheet to inform parents on health and safety protocols that will be in place as students return for in-person learning.

Returning students and staff will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms before entering schools each day — the district will be using thermal scanners to check temperatures.

The district noted that a negative COVID-19 test is not required for students to come back into the classroom, but the district stressed that parents should keep students home if they are feeling sick or showing symptoms of COVID-19.

When students walk into a school they will step on a shoe sanitizing mat and have access to hand sanitizer within the schools, according to the district.

Masks will be mandatory for all students, staff, teachers or people working with the district. The district is counting on parents helping to teach and reinforce the importance of mask-wearing to students and said it will take action if necessary, if a student refuses to wear a mask.

"Ultimately, we may follow up with disciplinary consequences based on the age and developmental stage of a student who refuses to wear a mask. However, there may be individual student circumstances where medical needs override the necessity to wear a mask," the district said in the FAQ.

If someone in the building tests positive for COVID-19 the district said it will use contact tracing and safety protocols to determine who will be quarantined. The option to close the school is not off the table, but ultimately will be discussed between the district and the Jersey City Health Department.

"Based on available data, in-person learning in schools has not been associated with substantial community transmission," the district wrote.

The district's full reopening plan can be found online.