All Grades In Ocean City Schools Will Return To 5 Days In-Person

OCEAN CITY, NJ — The Ocean City School District announced that students in grades 7-12 can return to five days of in-person learning next month.

Superintendent Kathleen Taylor announced the district's reopening plan in a letter to parents on Tuesday.

In grades 7 and 8, both cohorts O and C will combine and return to school for five full days each week starting April 12.

Students in grades 9-12, cohorts O and C, will also combine and return on April 12, though high school students will attend for five early dismissal days each week, following their present schedule.

“The school board and I have spent every day since hoping we would be able to reopen fully and keep our students and staff safe," Taylor wrote. "We have had confidence in our district leadership and staff to make that happen. Now, we are pleased to share that this hope and confidence have led us to our next major achievement."

Taylor said the district will continue with an early dismissal schedule for high school students because the number of students could not be spaced 6 feet apart during lunch when masks are taken off.

The plan to welcome all grades back to 5 days of in-person learning was delayed due to the large number of students interested in returning in-person, Taylor said.

“In the high school alone, we've had nearly 90 percent of students choose in-person learning. Those percentages are significantly higher than many districts throughout this state, which is why we have had to take a more cautious approach, at times, to resuming full-time, in-person schooling," Taylor said.

Parents can still choose to enroll students in Virtual Academy over the new plan. Parents wishing to make this switch should contact their child's guidance counselor.

Taylor said several factors contributed to the decision to combine cohorts in grades 7-12, including a study that was released in Infectious Diseases Society of America last week. The data and study results show that lower physical distancing policies can be adopted in school settings with masking mandates without negatively impacting student or staff safety.

Taylor said the April 12 return date also gives teachers and staff about a month to schedule and receive the COVID-19 vaccine, since teachers became a priority group for vaccinations on March 15.

Additional factors detailed in the letter can be read here.

“After we make that transition, we must continue to remain flexible to adjust to the possibility of rising cases of COVID-19 in our schools and/or community. That may include targeted closings for periods of recommended quarantines. Therefore, it is imperative that we continue to follow health and safety guidelines to protect ourselves against the virus,” Taylor said.

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