Jersey City Public Schools Welcome Back Younger Students After 14-Month Shutdown

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — Jersey City public schools will be welcoming thousands of students back into the classroom Thursday.

The move comes after the district went back and forth on the decision, frustrating parents and local leaders.

Now the plan is to open schools in phases, starting Thursday with pre-K through third grade in the cohort “A” group — but only half days for now, and it’s a hybrid model. Fourth through 12th graders can tentatively return on May 10.

Last week, parents were ready for their kids to go back, but suddenly received a robocall from Superintendent Franklin Walker. He said the district couldn’t open because of a teacher shortage, prompting outrage and protests.

“We are still out here because it’s a reversal of a reversal and has been a very confusing week,” parent Jackie Cox Battles said.

“The schools should be ready. They’ve had tens of millions of dollars from the federal government and a lot of time to prepare,” said Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop.

After pressure from the mayor and a push from Gov. Phil Murphy, the superintendent sent a notice that in-person classes were back on.

“Thank you all for your patience and understanding throughout the planning process,” Walker said in a video.

He said the district developed a reopening plan, but he understands it won’t work for everyone. So parents have the choice to keep their children in remote learning until June.

“We all want the best for our students and to make sure they remain healthy and safe,” said Walker.

The reopening plan includes mandatory masks in school buildings and on buses, students and staff must complete temperature checks, health screenings and sanitize the bottom of their shoes before entering buildings, desks will be spaced out six feet, and each student will receive pre-packaged supplies.

Schools are also making every effort for siblings in the same school to attend in-person learning the same week.

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

• Ask CBS2’s Dr. Max Your Vaccine Questions
• COVID Vaccine FAQ From CDC
• Vaccination Sites In New York City | Call 877-VAX-4NYC
• Track NYC Vaccinations By Zip Code
• Find A New York City Testing Site Near You
• Check NYC Testing Wait Times
• Resources: Help With Unemployment, Hunger, Mental Health & More
• Remote Learning Tools For Students And Parents At Home
• Complete Coronavirus Coverage

from CBS New York https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/04/29/jersey-city-public-schools-reopen/
via gqrds