Safe Return Plan Archive

Jersey City Public Schools Reopening Update May 24, 2021

JERSEY CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Safe Return Plan 2021-2022 School Year Document -JUNE 15,

2021

JERSEY CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Safe Return Plan 2021-2022 School Year Document -JUNE 15,

2021-SPANISH

JERSEY CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Safe Return Plan 2021-2022 School Year Document -JUNE 15,

2021-ARABIC

ARP ESSER Safe Return Plan June 21, 2021 Presentation

ARP ESSER Public Comment Form

JCPS COVID Dashboard

Jersey City Public Schools Frequently Asked Questions April 2021

Jersey City Public Schools Hybrid-Remote Schedule 2021

JCPS COVID Screening App

JCPS COVID Screening App Procedures for Staff and Students Flow Chart

JERSEY CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUILDING READINESS DOCUMENT-JANUARY 27, 2021

Dear Jersey City Public School Community,

Thank you for your dedication and understanding during these critical times. Although the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closing of all schools in March, it never removed the District's Obligation to educate its student. On June 26, 2020, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) released its return to school guidance document, The Road Back: Restart and Recovery Plan for Education. The Jersey City Public Schools Reopening Committees have been thoroughly reviewing State guidance. The Jersey City Public Schools Reopening Model is in the planning stages as we work through the best learning model options available for our students, staff, and families this fall. We are engaged in reviewing and refining our remote learning plan, while also preparing for the in-person reopening of schools in the fall. 

There are many components to a safe reopening plan for the Jersey City Public Schools. The most important aspect of our Plan is to prioritize the health, safety, and well-being of students and staff. The information parents/guardians provided via our initial survey was integral as administrators have been planning out possible learning models for the 2020-2021 school year. Although the State's guidance core goal is for all students to return to school in the fall safely, it is evident that many members of our school community are uncertain about sending their children back to school.

The plan that follows will serve as Jersey City Public Schools "How To" guidebook to open our schools for the 2020-21 school year and complies with the NJ DOE's expectations for districts. While our preferred model of instructional delivery is a traditional educational environment, we anticipate continued health restrictions when classes resume on September 10, 2020. It is important to note that as our current situation continues to evolve, this document will change with it. Further, this document will not answer every question. Instead, it may provide a high-level framework for the standard operational protocols that the school district wants to implement for our 2020-2021 school year. Additionally, the Jersey City Public Schools Reopening Plan (JCPSRP) will be adjusted periodically to reflect new findings and data from the health officials and government officials.  

JCPS REOPENING PLAN

JCPS REOPENING PLAN-SPANISH

JCPS REOPENING PLAN-ARABIC

Leadership and Planning

Reopening Committees 

In the Spring, the Superintendent established a School Closing Committee under the Assistant Superintendent's guidance and a School Reopening Committee for the Deputy Superintendent to chair. These committees were instrumental in closing the school year and following the research of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and scholarly articles. Following Governor Murphy's release of The Road Back Plan, the Superintendent met with the administration on June 30 and established a system to prioritize and expedite information gathering and development a reopening model based on phases from the most restrictive to full in-person learning.  

The reopening committee reflects a diverse perspective due to its composition and allowed to divide the tasks and provide guidance based on different expertise and views. The various committees represent the Board, the Administration, Community Stakeholders, the Jersey City Teachers Association, and the New Jersey Teachers Association, Parents, and support employees. See Appendix A.

The Superintendent formed the reopening committees to address the conditions for learning outlined in The Road Back and through full committee meetings to voice concerns and reach consensus and sub-committees to document the best practices in the following areas: 

1. General Health and Safety Guidelines
2. Classrooms, Testing, and Therapy Rooms
3. Transportation 
4. Student Flow, Entry, Exit, and Common Areas
5. Screening, PPE, Response to Students and Staff Presenting Symptoms
6. Contact Tracing
7. Facilities Cleaning Practices
8. Meals
9. Recess/Physical Education
10. Extracurricular Activities and Use of Facilities Outside of School Hours

The JCPS Reopening Committee was established to provide guidance for the reopening of schools during the 2020-2021 school year. The members of the committee were divided into groups to work on the various considerations necessary for the return of students to in-person learning. Parents were surveyed and the District received over 7,000 responses. The responses emphasized that the community was not ready to decide about sending their children back to school. On June 29, 2020, the full committee met for the first time.

The JCPSRP follows the guidance in The Road Back for in-person instruction during the 2020-2021 school year and the flexibility to shift from a fully remote model to all students attending classes in school. It is a gradual scale-up of school operations that include mitigation strategies that incorporate physical distancing, enhanced cleaning, health screening protocols, and many others. Currently, based on the most current guidance, the JCPS will begin classes on September 10, 2020, with Phase 1.  Across all phases, the JCPS will follow the CDC and the Department of Health recommendations for schools in terms of social and physical distancing, health and hygiene, cleaning, and disinfecting.

The District is planning to educate students with two models: 1) All-Virtual/Remote model, in which students would do all of their classes virtually, and 2) In-Person Hybrid model, in which students would alternate between doing five (5) days of instruction in school and five days of full virtual instruction based on the consensus of the JCPSRC. We are committed to making sure that students continue to experience the care and commitment of our faculty and routine of daily learning, even when participating in remote learning. We must acknowledge that our approach to distance learning cannot replicate the magic that happens when school is in regular session. However, we do contend that quality learning can occur from a distance. During phase 2 of the reopening, approximately 33% of the students will be in the classroom at once. In a class of fifteen students, only five will be present, and in a class of twenty-four, a maximum of eight students will be attending in-person instruction.   The District intends to keep the same student cohorts together and will strive to keep families scheduled for the same days of in-person learning.

A hybrid learning environment allows staff to monitor student movement, lessen the number of students in classes and hallways to maintain social distancing according to The Road Back Plan. Instructional and non-instructional schedules can include designated times to support school building level logistics required to maintain health and safety requirements.

As of July 30, 2020, the Reopening Committee agreed that each group/cohort of students would attend in-person classes for five (5) consecutive days and then spend ten (10) days during remote learning.

The District Calendar will post the schedule of instruction for each of the three groups participating in hybrid learning during the first two months in Phase 2. After the Board meeting, the District decided to begin phase 2 in October.  

The requirements outlined in the NJDOE Guidance and incorporated into this Plan are controlled by Executive Order of the Governor of New Jersey and are subject to change.

A hybrid learning environment allows staff to monitor student movement, lessen the number of students in classes and hallways to maintain social distancing according to The Road Back Plan. Instructional and non-instructional schedules can include designated times to support school building level logistics required to maintain health and safety requirements.

As of July 30, 2020, the Reopening Committee agreed that each group/cohort of students would attend in-person classes for five (5) consecutive days and then spend ten (10) days during remote learning.

The District Calendar will post the schedule of instruction for each of the three groups participating in hybrid learning during the first two months in Phase 2.

Board Presentation Schools Reopening Plan August 6th.

JCPS-Presentation-REOPENING PLAN-JULY 28TH

JCPS Health-Related School Closure Plan UPDATED MAY 20, 2020

Student Loaned Technology Return/Repair

 

Report any issues with Student Loaned Technology

• Resources include Social emotional learning packets for grades K-12.
• The State of NJ Department of Families and Children Resources.
• Jersey City Public Schools Counselor List.
• Links to Supplementary Online Educational Resources (Virtual Flied trips, Instructional links by content area).