The specifics about the methods of learning different districts across New Jersey are using were announced Wednesday by Gov. Phil Murphy, as school districts prepare to kick off the new academic year.

It was the first day of school in Metuchen, and similar to many districts in the state, they were planning to utilize a hybrid method to start the year. The district made the request to begin the year remotely, and will switch to that hybrid model Oct. 1. The first week students are allowed back into the building, those with names in the first half of the alphabet have the option to attend class in person. The following week things will flip, and then alternate in weeks going forward. Even after students return, some weeks will still be entirely remote.

VIRUS TRACKER: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut coronavirus cases and deaths 
MORE: LIVE BLOG - Coronavirus updates from the tri-state area and beyond
MORE: New Jersey Coronavirus Dashboard 
FULL COVERAGE: Coronavirus Pandemic

According to the Department of Education, hybrid methods of teaching are the most popular right now. In all, 434 districts will have a hybrid style, 68 schools have met safety guidelines and will have students learning in-person, 242 will be solely remote, and 22 will have some sort of combination of all of the styles. Some districts though are still waiting to have their plans finalized by the DOE.

“And next week, absent any unmet health and safety guidelines spelled out in my executive order from two weeks ago, or any other, please God, unforeseen issues between now and next week, I fully expect our educators, administrators, and support staff will be at the ready and that millions of students and families will be too,” says Gov. Murphy.

The state's health commissioner, Judy Persichilli, says there are protocols in place determining how parents are notified if there's an outbreak in a school and when a school or district needs to shut down.