Manchester Schools Moving To 5 Days In Person

MANCHESTER, NJ — Manchester Township students and staff will be back in the classroom five days a week starting April 26, the district announced Friday.

"We have experienced success with our other transitions due to the cooperation and flexibility of our parents and students and the professionalism of our staff," Superintendent David Trethaway said. "We are now looking forward to having a 'traditional' five-day in-person instruction beginning April 26 and continuing for the rest of the school year."

The school days will continue to be five hours, with the exception of kindergarten and preschool, which will remain 2-1/2-hour sessions "due to the unique circumstances, including safety and transportation issues," he said.

Students who are receiving instruction five days a week in school now will remain on that schedule, and those who are currently in-person four days a week or on the hybrid schedule will be assigned to the five-day in-person schedule.

Students who are fully remote will remain on fully remote instruction unless parents choose to have them return to fully in-person instruction.

Parents also have the option of moving their children to fully remote instruction, but the hybrid option of two days a week in school will no longer exist.

Parents who want to choose a different option can fill out the change form on the parent portal, and that change must be submitted by Wednesday, Trethaway said. Instructions can be found here.

Transportation changes will be made if needed, he said.

Students who are on a five-day schedule must be in the building or will be marked absent, Trethaway said. They do not have the option to be remote on a specific day unless there are extenuating circumstances and it is approved by the building administrator, he said.

All changes will remain in effect for the remainder of the school year.

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