Ocean City Schools Prep For Possibility Of More Remote Learning

OCEAN CITY, NJ — If local coronavirus cases continue trending upward, the Ocean City School District may need to implement more remote learning. The shift would come at the recommendation of officials in Cape May County, which now has the second-highest school-related transmission rate in New Jersey, according to Ocean City Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Taylor.

Ocean City began the school year with a hybrid model. Most students physically attend school two days per week, but New Jersey students can also learn fully remote.

But Taylor warned Friday in a letter to the school community that changes may come if cases keep increasing.

"These restrictions may include shifting to a distance learning instructional model for a period, such as 14 days," Taylor said. "This 14-day period could affect single or multiple classrooms, grade levels, schools, programs, or any combination of those mentioned."

Cape May County reported 73 active cases Oct. 15, but the figure increased to 131 as of Monday morning. Ocean City has 19 active cases, compared to 11 on Oct. 15.

Taylor emphasized that parents should prepare for the possibility of more remote learning. She warned Sept. 29 that shifts to remote instruction could come "very rapidly and without advance notice."

She also advised people to maintain diligence in slowing the spread of the coronavirus.

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The New Jersey Department of Health has reported three coronavirus outbreaks in Cape May County schools this fall. Publicly available state data does not clarify in which schools outbreaks have occurred.

"Outbreaks" indicate two or more laboratory-confirmed cases among students or staff within a 14-day period. They must be epidemiologically linked in the school setting, not share a household and not identify as close contacts of each other in another setting.

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