Parents in New Jersey are often left with the burden of balancing their professional life and helping educate their children with many classrooms going virtual this fall, but there may be a solution for families in need in Newark.

 

At Marion P. Thomas Charter School in Newark, as well as other charter schools in the district, learning centers have been established by the Brick Learning Network. It means 15 separate pods of 12 children will receive in-person education support free of charge to parents who cannot be with their children during virtual learning sessions.

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Students will have their temperature taken before entering the buildings, will be required to wear a mask, but provided three washable masks at the beginning of the school year. So far, 100 parents have signed up for the program.

“The learning pods that we provide or actually what you might see what’s happening in the suburbs, we’re parents coming together to form pods and paying money for teachers to come in,” says Dominique Lee, with the Brick Education Network. “So, in our community, we thought it would be also helpful for our parents to have that same option of choice but through a free option.”

There is still room available for children as part of the learning centers.