Combined Cohorts In Parsippany As School Attendance Evolves

PARSIPPANY, NJ - Monday marked a new era for the Parsippany-Troy Hills School District's COVID-19 navigation as the school has moved to a staggered attendance schedule designed to combine both cohorts into for daily attendance every week.

"We have been monitoring daily attendance and the number of students in each school cohort for the past several weeks, and we are in a position to safely combine both cohorts for daily attendance every week," Superintendent Barbara Sargent said in a letter to parents. "All criteria in the district’s Return to School Plan will still be in effect, including social distancing among staff and students, mask-wearing, Daily Health Screening forms, and safe hygiene practices."

Buring the district Board of Education meeting, Sargent shared the plan:

High school students currently attending Cohort A or Cohort B will begin weekly attendance, effective Monday. Virtual Friday will continue for all high school students.

Middle school students currently attending as Cohort A or Cohort B will begin weekly (Monday through Friday) attendance, effective Tuesday, March 16.

Only Northvail, Knollwood, and Troy Hills Schools will begin a combined cohort attendance on Monday, March 22. The remaining elementary school students currently attending as Cohort A or Cohort B will begin weekly (Monday through Friday) attendance, effective Monday, April 12. The low number of children attending in-person at Northvail, Knollwood, and Troy Hills Schools each week allows for an earlier transition date.

Students who were already attending daily and weekly (Special Education, most English Language Learners, seniors at-risk for graduation, etc.) will continue their attendance pattern with no change.

Parents of Fully Remote students will have specific deadlines for requesting in-person learning so as to allow for a controlled re-entry.

Finally, the current instructional schedule will remain in effect for the time being.

"High school families have already been notified of these adjustments. I spoke with several high school students earlier this week, and they were very excited to have more students in the building and to be able to see their teachers in person daily," Sargent said. "Middle and elementary school principals will provide additional information to parents next week. We are excited to welcome more students into school as this signals one more step toward a more normal school experience."

Families who wish for their children to remain Fully Remote may continue with this status through June.

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