@HSD Health Update

In the Haddonfield School District, we believe in thorough planning and preparation. While the final step of Phase II implementation occurs on Monday, March 15, we are working diligently to finalize planning for Phase III: a full-day, full-return to school. Our leadership team has developed the framework for Phase III, but there are still details to address.

In-school lunch is among the most significant of the challenges we must overcome; current plans include outdoor lunch for our three elementary schools and HMHS, with inside eating only during inclement weather. The elementary schools will hold five lunch periods, and, to make this work, we will be soliciting parent volunteers to assist with elementary supervision. (More on that next week.)

At the middle school level, we are currently problem-solving the outside space issue since HMS and Central share that space.

The leadership team is now reviewing plans and gathering teacher feedback to solve problems and complete a plan that mitigates risk to the greatest extent while ending the 2020-21 school year as close to normal as possible. These plans will also be discussed and reviewed by our building-based and district-based Pandemic Response Teams. We will have a public presentation and will begin a discussion of Phase III at the March 18th Board of Education meeting, but we thought it was important to share the dates with you sooner, rather than later.

Finally, it is important for us to reiterate the high level of support, dedication, and collaboration exhibited by our teachers and staff. We are immensely grateful for the work they do in all our schools, and we are proud to serve the needs of this wonderful community.

On Friday, February 19, comprehensive information concerning HSD's Phase II Reopening was sent to all families. This information is also posted on the HSD website under the REOPENING tab. Some of the key links are below:

• HSD On the Road Back Comprehensive Reopening Information
• Phase II Model of Instruction Selection Information
• Increased Risks Associated with Phase II
• Superintendent Klaus's Presentation to the BOE, 2/18/21

The State of New Jersey and the Haddonfield School District strongly discourage all non-essential interstate travel at this time, especially when travel impacts our ability to deliver instruction to students. We recognize that families, for a variety of reasons, may still choose to travel. We are attempting to address this issue with flexibility, while also mitigating otherwise unnecessary planning and preparation on behalf of our staff.

Otherwise in-person students may be placed in “virtual instruction only” due to a documented medical necessity and/or following isolation, quarantine, or travel protocols**, and may later return to in-person instruction pending medical clearance and documentation.

Based on the preliminary Phase II instructional model selections, we are anticipating a significant reduction in the number of students choosing the all-virtual learning model. In some of our classes, there will not be any all-virtual students. This means that those teachers will no longer need to prepare time-consuming video lessons and prepare at-home materials for their students. While we recognize that COVID+ and close contact situations fully require an in-person student to transition to virtual-only instruction, doing so for voluntary travel and vacations is discouraged.

However, we also want to help ensure that when traveling out of the tri-state area, for any reason, that we are supporting New Jersey's recommending travel quarantine. **As such, students who are quarantining due to adherence to NJ's travel guidance will be permitted to temporarily transition to the all-virtual model during the 7-10 day quarantine period. Students will not be permitted to transition to the all-virtual model for voluntary quarantine pre-travel.

For example, an in-person student traveling to any US state beyond the immediate region (NY, PA, CT, DE), is not permitted to join instruction virtually during travel but will be permitted to do so upon return when observing NJ's recommended travel quarantine.

This practice will help to accommodate families traveling over spring break without the loss of instructional time.

Please visit HSD's COVID-19 Decision Tree for additional details.

Except when ill, students who choose the Phase II in-person model must attend school in-person on their assigned days; in-person attendance is not optional. Unless they are ill, students who do not report to school in person on their assigned cohort days will be recorded as “absent” for that specific day. It is permissible for students to participate virtually if they are ill, but well enough to participate from home; in that case, they will be marked present with comments. Students placed in “virtual instruction only” due to a documented medical necessity and/or following isolation, quarantine, or travel protocols, may return to in-person instruction pending medical clearance and documentation.

Email: gpriolo@haddonfield.k12.nj.us
Website: https://haddonfieldschools.org/
Location: 1 Lincoln Avenue, Haddonfield, NJ, USA
Phone: 856-429-7510
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HaddonfieldSchoolDistrict/
Twitter: @HaddonSchools