Hybrid Instruction: Return to School Updates
Hello SOMSD Family,
Today (Friday, 1/8/21), I spent most of my time with our School Business Administrator, Paul Roth touring our schools. We spent several hours personally confirming the information received per our ventilation status reports. This includes the recently received and installed univent filters, as well as the repaired motors. During our time, we were able to confirm the conditions of our windows and air handling units that pull in fresh air from our roof units. We reviewed and saw again the many facility upgrades that have been put in place due to our Covid-19 reality (i.e. signage for masks and social distancing, hand sanitizer stations, movement signage, and directional floor markings).
We confirmed the delivery of stockpiles of Covid response supplies available at each school that include masks, disinfectants, hand sanitizer, and other additional resources. We were also able to confirm for our Principals a few rooms in their schools that should not yet be assigned to our teachers and students (this is due to the lack of fresh air being available). These spaces may be quickly returned to operational use as the final few ventilation motors/blowers return from factory repair.
Via planning meetings with their pandemic response teams, our Principals are planning for the creative use of space throughout our buildings. We have made great progress towards our targeted goal of beginning Phase 3 on January 19th. Follow-up walk-throughs are scheduled with our third-party vendor (architects) and our SOMEA partners for early next week.
As we continue to share, the health and safety of staff/students is our top priority. We are in contact with both town's department of health leads, township officials, NJDOH, and District healthcare professionals. As we continue to prepare for school buildings reopening, we are monitoring the Covid-19 rates and will continue to update everyone as we move forward.
Educationally yours,
Dr. Ronald G. Taylor
Superintendent of Schools
Transportation Request Forms Available: Due by Tuesday, January 12
Dear SOMSD Families,
With the return of in-person instruction scheduled to begin on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, the district wants to remind you that if your student(s) is eligible for transportation to their school you must submit a Transportation Request Form to the Transportation Department by Tuesday, January 12, 2021. If the Transportation Request form is not submitted to the Transportation Department by January 12, 2021, the district cannot guarantee transportation will be available for your student on Tuesday, January 19th.
Access the Transportation Request form here: http://bit.ly/35pqaET
Technology Updates: Devices for Students Returning for Hybrid Instruction
- During hybrid instruction, students are encouraged to bring to school the devices they used for remote / virtual instruction. The device type should be a Windows laptop, Apple laptop, Chromebook, Android Tablet, or Apple iPad.
- If a student is participating in a Hybrid schedule and has borrowed a Chromebook from the District, the student should bring the device to school during their in-person day.
- Parents are asked to walk students through how they connect their personal devices to a wireless network. This will allow students to become acclimated to connecting to the district wireless network.
- If the student does not have a device that they can bring into school, the district will assign a Chromebook to the student. To request a device for your child please submit the Return To School - Technology Equipment Request Form (scroll to the bottom of the page): https://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/district/information-technology/sdhs/
The School District of South Orange & Maplewood
Email: communications@somsd.k12.nj.us
Website: www.somsd.k12.nj.us
Location: 525 Academy Street, Maplewood, NJ, USA
Phone: 973-762-5600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/somsdk12
Twitter: @SOMSDK12