Hillsborough Schools To Go 100% Virtual Until September 25, 2020
Per the email distributed by Hillsborough Township Public Schools, The District Restart Committee has determined that the school year will start in an all virtual environment through Friday, September 25th. Hybrid instruction will begin on Tuesday, September 29. Additionally, Hillsborough Township schools are now tentatively scheduled to start on Friday, September 4th.
Please refer to Dr. Antunes’ email below for more details.
From the desk of Dr. Lisa Antunes:
Good Evening HTPS Community,
I hope everyone is enjoying the last several long, lazy summer days.
As you may be aware, and as expected, we continue to receive guidance from the Governor, the NJ Department of Education (NJDOE) and the NJ Department of Health (NJDOH) that is altering the landscape of how we are able to start school this fall. Six (6) days ago, on August 12, Governor Murphy stated that if schools cannot legitimately meet some of the Coronavirus health and safety standards, districts must document these reasons and begin the academic year remotely. Since that time, neighboring school districts have requested (or will soon be requesting) to start the school year in a virtual only environment.
Unfortunately, as districts continue to alter their plans coupled with the review of staff health and safety concerns in our district, the District Restart Committee (DRC) has concluded that, at this time, we are unable to meet the health and safety standards to operate the hybrid plan to start the school year. As such, we are starting the school year in an all virtual environment through Friday, September 25. We will begin hybrid instruction on Tuesday, September 29.
Please note that low-incidence classes (i.e. Autism, LLD-Severe, Mild/Moderate, Behavior Disabilities) will attend in-person instruction beginning Tuesday, September 8, depending upon class size and instructional space. The Office of Special Services will provide additional information.
We understand that adjusting the timeline for implementation of the hybrid model will impact family schedules and parents’ ability to work outside of the home (as well as inside of the home). We do not take this action lightly; these decisions were made after many hours of discussion and deliberation. Instead, we are hoping to ensure a safe and more seamless start to the school year for our students and our staff. We note that our three-week delay to our hybrid plan is much shorter than many other districts. However, we are confident that given this extra time, our district will be able to initiate the hybrid model on Tuesday, September 29.
During this three-week transition, teachers will be providing synchronous learning experiences, most from their classrooms, enabling us to be better prepared to accept students in-person as part of the hybrid plan on September 29. Please note that virtual learning will be provided according to the schedule outlined in Appendix N of the Roadback Restart and Recovery Plan with virtual learning for Amsterdam Elementary School and Triangle Elementary School students running from 7:50am - 11:50am, Hillsborough Elementary School, Sunnymead Elementary School, Woodfern Elementary School, and Woods Road Elementary School running from 8:30am - 12:30pm, Auten Road School running from 9:15am - 1:50pm, Hillsborough Middle School running from 8:30am - 1:00pm, and Hillsborough High School running from 7:30am - 12:00pm. Teachers will also be available in the afternoons for 1:1 instruction, collaboration, and student/parent conferences, as needed. Specific information will be provided by each principal in the near future.
Also, in order to provide more professional development for improved remote teaching, as well as teaching in a hybrid environment (with some students in the classroom and some students learning synchronously from a remote location), we will be making a slight revision to the calendar. While Board of Education approval of the plan is not required, the Board will take action on Monday evening (August 24) to revise the 2020-2021 school calendar as follows:
We will move the staff inservice day scheduled for Monday, October 12, to Thursday, September 3. Monday, October 12, will now be a regular school day for all staff and students.
We will initiate virtual learning with all students on Friday, September 4.
We will provide synchronous virtual learning (with teachers in their classrooms) for all students beginning Tuesday, September 8 through Friday, September 25.
Our low-incidence classes (i.e. Autism, LLD-Severe, Mild/Moderate, Behavior Disabilities) will attend in-person instruction beginning Tuesday, September 8, depending on class size and instructional space.
Following our scheduled day off on Monday, September 28, the hybrid model will start on Tuesday, September 29, for those students who requested it. Those students who requested virtual learning will remain in their virtual environments.
Once again, the schedules outlined in the Roadback Restart and Recovery Plan will apply to all students (hybrid and virtual) starting on Tuesday, September 29. However, please look for more specific information from your building administrator regarding scheduling and teacher assignments.
Please know that there may be additional alterations to the school calendar as we move through the year to ensure the best learning for our students and training for our staff. We will do our best to keep you informed of any changes and/or adjustments.
As shared with many who have reached out, as you may imagine, this is an overwhelmingly complicated task that is sure to invite criticism from many since, no matter the options, there is not one plan that fits all. As we continue to monitor the guidance from the Governor’s Office, the NJDOE, and the NJDOH, we are also working to address the various moving pieces to determine the best course of action for the Hillsborough school district.
The typical back-to-school excitement and promise ought to be embraced by all of us at this time as it remains important, perhaps more so now than ever before, that we come together as a community. There are no perfect or simple answers or solutions to the issues we continue to face as a country, state, and community. Therefore, as we adapt to the changes, it is essential that we also generate enthusiasm for what lies ahead. Tempering our anxieties, managing our uncertainties, treating each other with kindness and respect, and embracing our hopes will go a long way toward realizing that we all want what is best for our students and the HTPS community overall.
Sincerely,
Dr. Lisa M. Antunes
Superintendent of Schools
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