Wyckoff Public Schools Institute Remote Learning Until 2021

WYCKOFF, NJ — Wyckoff Public Schools will shift entirely to virtual learning until 2021, Superintendent Kerry Postma announced in a recent letter.

The district reported 12 new cases of the coronavirus during the week of Nov. 30, bringing the cumulative total to 30 cases in the district since September.

Two of the district's five schools were closed for 14-day periods in the response, and all five schools were impacted at various levels.

Students shifted to virtual learning Monday, and won't return in-person until Monday, Jan. 11, the district announced.

"Over the past five days, we have had over 20 COVID symptomatic cases across the District, resulting in the need to send home multiple classes from every school and to exclude over 50 essential staff members, including teachers, administrators, instructional aides, and support

personnel. These exclusions have impacted all five of our schools this week, and have resulted in significant interruptions to teaching and learning across the District," wrote Postma.

Though these factors likely played into the decision to institute remote learning, they weren't the only reason.

According to the district, because the Northeast region of the state had shifted from a "moderate" to "high" risk region, new guidance was handed down, causing issues with staffing and an increase in exclusions of close contacts of those with "COVID-19 compatible symptoms," the district said.

"Due to the high number of exclusions and the ensuing staffing shortage, we are unable to sustain in-person learning at this time in our schools."

Postma was optimistic that this decision would lead to a more consistent learning environment, which would be conducted with fewer coronavirus interruptions and changes on a daily basis.

According to Postma, the decision to extend remote learning until January was made to ensure a 10 day "buffer" between a return to school and the New Year's holiday.

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