COVID-19 vaccines will be
given out next Monday to hundreds of teachers in Ocean County, as some schools
transition into its latest step in the safe
reopening.
The vaccines for the Toms River
School District staff members will be given out at Community Medical Center.
Six-hundred faculty members have already signed up for the shots.
Toms River paired up with the
RWJ Barnabas Health Group to offer the large number of faculty members a shot.
“We are excited to be working with our local hospital community
medical center Robert Wood Johnson to provide additional vaccinations for our
staff members,” says Assistant
Superintendent James Ricotta.
As part of its phased-in
approach, priority is being given to staff members who are 55 years of age or
older, or who have pre-existing medical conditions. It's expected all staff
members who have signed up will be able to receive the first shot next
week. Many have already received
vaccinations on their own who previously qualified under state
guidelines.
“We have a staff, a
veteran staff of teachers, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, bus aids,
custodians,” says Ricotta. “These people we depend upon, the cafeteria workers,
they are important. Everyone's important to our mission of getting our students
back to school full-time. That's our goal. That's what our community and our
board of education wants.
Toms River secondary schools transitioned this week into its latest step in the
safe reopening, as kids are now going to in person in classroom learning
four-half days a week. Ricotta also expects to return to a five-day in-person school week for
high school and middle school students soon.