Moorestown Schools Extend 5-Day In-Person Learning To All Grades

MOORESTOWN, NJ — The Moorestown Public School District took another step toward bringing all students back to the classroom for instruction five days a week amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Board of Education at its meeting Tuesday night unanimously approved a resolution to bring students in fourth through 12th grade back to school for in-person learning five days a week, effective April 19.

The approval comes two weeks after the board approved a return to five-day in-person instruction for students in kindergarten through third grade. All students will be in school for half-days of in-person instruction. Read more here: Moorestown Approves 5-Day In-Person School Day For Lower Grades

The vote on fourth through 12th grade came five and a half hours into a board meeting that was often contentious. It centered around the issue of how much personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used by students in the absence of the district’s ability to maintain 6 feet of social distancing. See related: New Social Distancing Guidelines Could Get NJ Kids Back In Class

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To accommodate students returning to their school buildings, the district has said it will need to reduce social distancing to 5 feet. Superintendent of Schools Scott McCartney said to make up for the reduced social distancing measures, additional mitigation should be taken.

This includes the use of plexiglass, which was previously approved for kindergarten through third grade; double masking; the use of face shields; and the use of protective eyewear. In all cases, students would still be required to wear face coverings.

Some members of the public pushed back on these measures during the virtual meeting, saying they weren’t backed by any scientific measures.

McCartney said the district had set aside $30,000 in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act money for plexiglass, but was able to purchase it for much cheaper. It is expected to arrive on Thursday or Friday of this week.

He said the district then consulted multiple other people to get their recommendations on what other PPE could be used, ultimately arriving at the four options presented.

The options would’ve been presented to parents in a survey, and the parents would have the option of purchasing the PPE themselves or using PPE provided by the school district.

But when it came time for board comment, board members also pushed back against the idea of additional PPE.

“I always felt wearing a mask was a mitigating factor when going below six feet,” Board Member Jack Fairchild said. “The other options aren’t equivalent.”

“They aren’t equivalent to each other,” McCartney said. “I was just giving options.”

The board approved the resolution without the additional PPE. Earlier in the meeting, the board introduced amendments to the return to school plan to add the additional PPE for kindergarten through fourth grade, but this resolution called for “less than 6 feet social distancing, without additional mitigation factors required in Grades PK-12 classrooms.” A second reading of the changes will take place at the next regular meeting.

Board member Mark Villanueva wanted to discuss a return to five full days of in-person instruction now that the indoor dining capacity has been increased to 50 percent, but other board members agreed with McCartney that they should make this move and discuss additional in-person expansion later. Read More: NJ Bars, Restaurants, Others To Expand To 50 Percent Amid COVID

The district was going to use two days of full in-person learning as part of its hybrid plan before the indoor gathering limits were lowered to 25 percent in August. Read more here: Moorestown Schools Reopening Plan Altered By NJ Gathering Limit

On Tuesday, McCartney said an expansion to 50 percent indoor dining capacity was a benchmark, but was never meant as a 100 percent trigger. He said there are issues that need to be addressed with transportation and food service before making that decision.

One parent argued that the indoor dining limit doesn’t even pertain to schools, but another pointed out that the coronavirus impacts people differently.

“Restaurants have the general public walking in and out, but schools are closed to the general public,” Anthony Dragun said.

“Different people are disproportionately effected by COVID,” a resident who used the screen name Colette M. said. “Cafeteria workers may be at higher risk.”

The resolution approved for grades 4-12 is similar to the one approved for kindergarten through third, including combining the cohorts for students learning in person. Full-remote learning remains an option.

In classes where maintaining that 5 feet of social distancing isn't possible, satellite rooms would be set up. Students would learn virtually with their class from these remote rooms, which would be staffed by certified teachers and a para-professional.

Students would rotate between the regular classroom and the satellite room. Students from different grades and classes would be grouped together.

In-person students who miss school will be considered absent, and anyone who is absent for an extended period would be moved into an all-remote learning environment.

Parents will now be asked how they want their students to proceed, and all parents must respond by Friday. The plan will then go before the New Jersey Department of Education for approval.