Returning To School In Livingston: What Will It Look Like?

LIVINGSTON, NJ — What will the Livingston Public School District look like when students return this fall? That's still up in the air – but a plan is in the works, administrators say.

Recently, Gov. Phil Murphy laid out a plan to reopen schools across New Jersey after the state's coronavirus shutdown. Murphy said New Jersey schools can resume in-person instruction in September, provided their district creates a safety plan approved by their school board. But he also said he'll pull the plug on reopening if cases go up again.

Many teachers have since issued a cry for better job protections, worrying that a return to the classroom could endanger educators and children alike. READ MORE: Should New Jersey Schools Reopen This Fall? Take Our Survey

In late June, the Livingston Board of Education released an update about COVID-19 planning for when school restarts in the fall. Administrators said they’re focusing on two core issues: refining the district’s remote learning plan, and preparing for possible in-person instruction. (Read the full update here)

In July, the district’s task force will continue to draft reopening and remote learning plans. Those plans will be put into motion in August, administrators said.

Some particular issues the district is wrestling with include:

• Safety – Signage and dividers, classroom layouts, health check procedures, screening, testing, contact tracing
• Training – Staff, families, students
• PPE – Requirements and procedures surrounding personal protective equipment such as face masks and gloves
• Access – Who can enter school buildings, and when?

Livingston school board members and Superintendent Matthew Block also discussed the ongoing reopening plans during their meeting on Wednesday (see video below).

“No matter what the final plan in Livingston, school will not look like it’s ever looked like before,” Block said.

REMOTE LEARNING

If remote learning is going to be part of the plan in Livingston, most parents and students seem to be confident, recent district surveys indicated.

Among 1,534 parent responses, 43 percent said they were “OK” with remote learning in the district, 26 percent said they were “Happy,” and 8 percent said they felt “Great.” About 16 percent said they felt “Unhappy” and 7 percent said they felt “Very Unhappy.”

Students also seemed to share their parents’ confidence. Among 2,057 student responses, 43 percent said they were “OK” with remote learning in the district, 28 percent said they were “Happy,” and 12 percent said they felt “Great.” About 10 percent said they felt “Unhappy” and 5 percent said they felt “Very Unhappy.”

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