2 Morris School Staffers Died From COVID-19 During The Pandemic

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Two Morris School District employees have died from the coronavirus this past year. Superintendent Mackey Pendergrast shared the information, along with increasing cases in the school community, when explaining the district's reopening plan at Monday's Board of Education meeting.

Pendergrast told Patch via email that he could not identify the deceased staff members or provide any more information.

"I am not allowed to release that confidential information," he said. "Two staff members have died from COVID-19 within the last year."

Since September, the district's elementary schools have been open five days per week but with partial days. The middle and high school have operated on hybrid models. As with all schools in New Jersey, families can opt for their children to learn completely remotely.

Pendergrast announced plans this week to gradually return middle and high school students to five-day-per-week, in-person learning before the school year ends. But the plan will only move forward if coronavirus conditions allow.

Additionally, Pendergrast said the district won't be able to add an extra hour to the four-hour school day in elementary schools. His reasons included logistical issues involving lunch and staggered transportation.

"In that proposed one hour, we would have only enough time to offer lunch and 30 more minutes of in-person instruction," Pendergrast wrote to the school community. "But lunch would not look like 'lunch' as we are accustomed to it in our schools; per our local health department, whether we offer lunch in the lunchroom or in classrooms, students would be required to sit six feet apart, all facing the same direction. There would be no conversation, socializing, etc."

Several parents at Monday's school board meeting implored officials to allow full-day elementary school and for students to fully return to classrooms sooner.

"I am very disappointed that our elementary students will not be going back full-day for the fourth marking period," said Meghan Pierce, the parent of a kindergartner and third-grader, "not only necessarily for academic loss, but I have a lot more concerned about the emotional and mental health of our children and just what they’ve lost this year in terms of interaction with each other."

Aimee Smith was among several parents who worried children were following behind because of virtual learning.

"I’m seeing an increase in teachers sending emails saying there’s no Google Meet today," Smith said. "Sometimes there’s multiple in a row or in a week. From what I can gather, their assignments are 20 minutes on the first day. And sometimes on that second day, the assignment is to finish the ones on the day before."

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Some parents also said they didn't see why school lunches had so many restrictions compared to restaurants. Pendergrast agreed. (New Jersey restaurants can operate at 50 percent indoor capacity starting Friday).

"Why can (restaurants) do this but schools can’t? I’ve asked that same question a hundred times," Pendergrast said. "I would say take it to the health department, take it to (state Health Commissioner) Judy Persichilli, take it to the Governor’s Office."

Pendergrast also noted a recent rise in COVID-19 cases within the school community. The superintendent told Patch they've continued to increase since Monday's board meeting.

The district's coronavirus dashboard — last updated Monday — shows 33 active cases. That includes 21 infections among students and staff from grades 6-12 and 12 cases among students and staff from preschool through fifth grade. Three-hundred people in the school community are actively quarantined.

Morris Schools, the State and the CDC

Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of Gov. Phil Murphy closing all New Jersey schools. Most remain at least partially closed, according to state officials:

• 142 school districts, charter schools, renaissance schools and school for students with disabilities are open for all in-person instruction
• 534 have opened for hybrid learning
• 37 use a combination of in-person, hybrid and all-remote learning across buildings
• 98 remain closed for all-remote learning

Murphy expects all schools to reopen full-time come September. Morris School District officials anticipate the same.

State and local officials both have reasons for optimism. New Jersey opened vaccine eligibility earlier this month to school staff. The Centers for Disease Control are also looking into whether classrooms can reduce social-distancing guidelines from 6 to 3 feet. Read more: New Social Distancing Guidelines Could Get NJ Kids Back In Class

But Morris School District officials have some concerns that could slow reopening for the rest of this school year.

New Jersey's most recent weekly coronavirus report puts Morris County in the "orange" zone, indicating high coronavirus risk. The area previously occupied the "yellow" zone — moderate risk, which Morris school officials would like to see the area get back to for three straight weeks. They also must see "adequate" progress on teacher vaccinations, Pendergrast said.

That would allow students to return to school five days per week beginning the following dates:

• Grades 6 and 9: April 19
• Grades 7 and 10: May 3
• Grades 8 and 11: May 10
• Grade 12: May 17

"At any time during this process," Pendergrast said, "if transmission rates rise again or if we confront other setbacks, we will “press pause” to protect everyone’s safety."

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