Moorestown Schools Examine 5-Day In-Person Learning For Some

MOORESTOWN, NJ — The Moorestown Public School District may soon say goodbye to the hybrid approach to learning the lower grades.

The district recently sent out a survey to parents with children in kindergarten through third grade, asking if they prefer five-day remote or five-day in-person instruction.

The current hybrid format calls for two days of in-person instruction and three days of remote learning. There is also a full-remote learning option.

The survey came out following a presentation by Superintendent of Schools Scott McCartney during last week’s Board of Education meeting.

“Our youngest students are struggling the most,” McCartney said.

Any reopening would face challenges of its own, though. One of the questions on the survey stipulated that the district might have to deviate from the 6-foot social distancing guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“In order to implement this plan, we will likely have to deviate from our standard 6-foot social distancing,” the district said in the survey. “All in-person families will be required to sign a document acknowledging understanding of the changes to social distancing and the potential risks. We will maintain our cleaning protocols, mandatory face coverings, hygienic controls and implement plexiglass dividers as an added precaution in these grades. In limited instances, there might be the possibility for students to be moved into a class with a different teacher.”

The relaxing of social distancing guidelines was one of the issues the district said would have to be resolved in order to return to full-day in-person instruction. The Burlington County Office of Education, which would have to approve any changes, stipulates that the district must clearly communicate all risks in a return to five-day instruction to parents ahead of time.

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Along with social distancing, the following issues have been mentioned when discussing a return to in-person instruction previously:

• The department of health would have to downgrade the threat level of the coronavirus pandemic from high to moderate or low. It has been downgraded to low;
• The indoor dining capacity would have to increase from 25 percent to 50 percent. While this has not happened, capacity has been increased to 35 percent;
• The advent of vaccines. While there are now vaccines available in New Jersey, the district is pushing the state to allow faculty access to vaccinations sooner; and
• The use of plexiglass to separate students in classrooms, which would cost between $50,000 and $60,000.

With the lowering of the threat level, McCartney said full-day hybrid for students in lower grades may be moved up to mid-March or early April, depending on indoor dining restrictions.

The district backed off its earlier plan for full-day hybrid learning because they were unable to serve lunch due to the restrictions. It has explored the possibility of using tents for outdoor dining, but that brings with it insurance risks, according to officials.

The survey sent out to parents said lunch wouldn’t be included in the school day, which would run from 8:40 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. However, food service would remain an option for those in need.

The district would also have to re-examine its transportation situation. A return to five-day in-person learning would mean the district would have to go out to bid in the middle of the school year. Any changes would be communicated by the district to the parents.

Moorestown schools closed with the rest of the state last March when the coronavirus pandemic led to a state shutdown. The closure of the schools, and the shutdown overall, wasn't expected to last through the end of the 2019-20 school year.

However, schools never reopened last year, and the majority of school districts - 446, according to nj.com - are engaged in hybrid learning. Another 86 are opened for full in-person instruction.

The presentation came after a previous survey sent out to parents, that made it clear they want a "return to normal."

"Normal is what we all crave," McCartney said. "I don't know if that will look the same as it did before. It's going to look different for everyone."