NJ schools reopening in fall with students back in classrooms. Here are the guidelines

Students will return to classrooms across New Jersey in the fall, but they should social distance and wear masks in tight spaces, according to reopening guidance released by the state Friday.

The Department of Education's 104-page plan sets a minimum framework for reopening, leaving school districts to make many decisions about what the school year will look like. The state will require some in-person instruction in every district, but does not set a specific number of hours or days.

The guidance acknowledges students likely can't properly social distance if they all return at the same time, so it lets districts come up with alternate schedules that combine remote and in-person instruction or create cohorts of students who attend in-person on alternate days.

"Our guide will begin to fill in the picture of what a safe education system will look like in the fall," Education Commissioner Lamont Repollet said in a statement.

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The reopening plan, which has been in the works since mid-May, says:

• Social distancing must be practiced "as much as possible" in classrooms and should be done on buses. Students should sit 6 feet apart, but if that is not possible barriers should be installed between desks, or desks should all face one direction.
• Face coverings are required for teachers, other staff and visitors, unless they have a medical reason they are unable to wear them. Students are strongly encouraged to wear masks and must wear them if they can't distance.
• More cleaning, disinfecting and handwashing procedures must be implemented for buildings and buses.
• Screening policies must be adopted by districts to detect if students and staff have symptoms or have been exposed to the novel coronavirus. State officials said that can include observation and temperature checks, which are preferred. Anyone who has symptoms must be isolated.
• If districts continue to use shared cafeterias, meal times must be staggered to allow for social distancing and cleaning between groups of students. Districts must stop self-service or buffet style lunches, opting instead for grab-and-go meals, for example.
• Recess must be staggered to limit the number of children, and playground equipment must be disinfected between groups. Schools should consider closing locker rooms, but physical education classes may continue.

The guidance didn't, after a first review, answer all of the questions for Freehold Borough Superintendent Rocco Tomazic. Districts have just a little more than two months to get ready to reopen their buildings, which have been shuttered since March.

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"Until I know how many kids I am allowed to put in a classroom, I cannot come up with the alternate schedule, that will become my one question on details," he said. "If we mask them up, can we get less than the 6 feet?”

In the absence of state directives, many districts had already begun looking to September reopening and discussing how to do so.

"I don't think there is anything that we had not talked about anyway," Point Pleasant School District Superintendent Vincent Smith said.

Districts should create "restart committees" to help write reopening plans that must be submitted to county and state education leaders for review. Those plans should also be shared publicly, with parents and staff, at least four weeks before the start of the school year, the state guidance says. Repollet said districts will have room to adjust their start dates if they need more time to prepare, as long as they meet the state requirement of 180 days of instruction.

The plan will remain in effect as long as the state continues to beat back the coronavirus. Should the virus flare up, or if there is a second wave, districts must work with local health departments and prepare to close and switch to remote learning, as they did earlier this year, state administration officials said.

"Protecting everyone continues to be our top priority," Gov. Phil Murphy said Friday.

The Department of Education's reopening requirements are based on feedback from leaders of about 50 education and community organizations and more than 300 superintendents, as well as a survey of nearly 300,000 parents. There are approximately 1.4 million public school children in the state spread through about 580 districts, not including charter schools.

Superintendent James Santana of the Northern Valley Regional High School District said the hybrid model of remote and in-person teaching means the district must prepare every possible scenario.

“It’s going to be a monumental summer,” said Santana. “One of the busiest. This whole environment has turned education upside and caused all of our teachers to basically become first year teachers again because every day is new.”

Even before the new state guidelines came out, the district put together a task force to study what other states and countries have been doing to prepare to reopen, so the possibility of bringing a hybrid model to the district was already being discussed, said Santana.

“We knew what we needed to prepare for, but it’s nice to have that guidance now so we can get going,” he said. The regional high school district that serves Closter, Demarest, Harrington Park, Haworth, Northvale, Norwood and Old Tappan.

Emerson superintendent Brian Gatens said after being able to quickly pivot to at-home learning, he believes the district can continue to adjust their teaching if a hybrid model is called for.

"On one hand, I look forward to the challenge that this time presents,” said Gatens. “It gives all of us a chance to be our very best selves by working together and setting an example for our children regarding how adults solve problems together.”

On the other hand, Gatens recognizes that these unprecedented times have required staff, students and families to extend themselves “emotionally, physically and educationally.”

“I just want everyone to take care of themselves in every possible way,” said Gatens. “We have the capacity to weather this time together."

He and his staff got feedback from student, staff and family members about the district’s current at-home model and collaborated with other school districts to share information to improve on their model.

Looking ahead, the biggest challenge for the Emerson school district will be implementing the various alternative systems that may come up during the year, said Gatens. “From on-site modified learning, to hybrid models, to a full closure all of us will have to remain flexible and open,” said Gatens.

Denville Superintendent Steven Forte welcomed the state's announcement that schools would reopen in the fall. Leaders of the K-8 district have been considering options, including half-days, using livestreamed instruction or alternating week-by-week groups of students for in-person and remote instruction.

"Now that we have the guidance we can come up with a plan," Forte said. "We plan on making a video for families to show what school is going to look like when kids come back.”

“I think it will be difficult, but it is something you have to do," he added of reopening. "You have to get them back in school.”

Lodi Superintendent Douglas Petty said he was pleased with the new guideline document. "It aligns with our initial planning efforts and provides us with insight as to where modifications and/or considerations should be made,: he said.

“Our ‘what will September look like’ conversations began immediately following the governor's announcement closing schools for the remainder of the school year," Petty said. "We formed a reopening task force, including multiple stakeholders, charged with working through a variety of scenarios for the 2020-21 school year."

View a summary of the reopening guidance below.

Staff writers Ste Kaite Sobko contributed to this story.

Stacey Barchenger is a reporter in the New Jersey Statehouse. For unlimited access to her work covering New Jersey’s lawmakers and political power structure, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: sbarchenger@gannettnj.com Twitter: @sbarchenger