Some school districts now ditching remote learning and returning to school

Some school districts around New Jersey are returning to the classroom and putting an end to remote learning.

News 12 Staff

Oct 27, 2020, 11:49 PM

Updated 1,520 days ago

Share:

Some school districts around New Jersey are returning to the classroom and putting an end to remote learning.
Cherry Hill Public Schools has the goal to get students back to school full time. Starting on Nov. 9, students will be on a hybrid schedule, with two days inside school buildings.
“We are incredibly excited. We’ve been full-remote since the beginning of the school year,” says Superintendent Joseph Meloche. “We know that our staff and children benefit from being together.”
Meloche says that there are some concerns with the return. "Teachers are on board. Parents are on board. There’ll always be questions and hesitation. People are concerned for safety.”
Cherry Hill elementary schools will attend school from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Middle schools will attend from 8 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. High school will go from 9:45 a.m. until 2:15 p.m.
Other school districts like Brick Township, which have already embraced a hybrid schedule, will be going back even further. It is likely that K-12 will be in school four days a week by the end of November.
“Having students return to five days a week is the ultimate goal and we will continue to work toward that goal,” says Brick School Superintendent Dr. Tom Farrell.
Farrell said in an address to parents that on Nov. 16, K-5 will have four days in school. Middle and high schoolers will soon follow.
“We anticipate middle school four days offered, four days in-person starting at the end of November,” he says. “Our hope is 9-12 will be given the same option by the end of month as well."
School officials in Cherry Hill and Brick Township say that the schools could potentially be back in school full time after the new year.
This trend is gaining momentum in districts where students and staff aren't getting sick, Ocean Township has several grades in school four days a week, Toms River has started hybrid learning and Montclair will be hybrid in early November.