Nutley Superintendent of Schools Updates Community on COVID-19 – TAPinto.net

March 15, 2020

Dear Nutley Parents, Staff and Community,

Thank you for all of your support and patience during this unprecedented and uncertain time. While there are cases of the virus in Essex County, Nutley still does not have any confirmed cases of COVID-19 at this time. Our decision to close schools beginning Monday, March 16 is to do our part to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus. These are not vacation days, and we will be continuing to provide daily education through the district’s Public Health Related School Closing Plan. Expectations for students and families are detailed again below.

Virtual Learning Plan

Please remember to have your child/children log in tomorrow, Monday, March 16, at 9:30am to test our Schoology system. Students should answer the discussion post, made by their teacher, on Schoology at that time. This is all that is expected on Monday. This is a non-instructional day.

Virtual Learning will begin on Tuesday, March 17 and continue through March 27. At that time, a determination will be made, based on the evolution and status of COVID-19 of whether there is a need to extend remote learning. Please remember to check your email and www.nutleyschools.org frequently for the most up-to-date information.

Students:

• Attendance will be based on a submission, per class, of a daily assignment or discussion post by the student

. • PK-1 expectations include parent support to answer a discussion post on Schoology, to verify attendance and review assignments for the day. Supplemental hard copy materials were provided.

• Grades 2-5 students will have a hybrid of Schoology and hard copies of assignments.

• Log-in to Schoology daily at 9:30 am or as soon as possible thereafter.

• Students should check in Schoology for classwork expectation each day.

• Assignments will be posted through each course by 9:30 am and students will complete assignments by 4 pm, unless otherwise specified by the teacher. Extended time will be provided for students that receive modifications or accommodations. Each assignment should take approximately 40 minutes to complete.

• If a student has questions about an assignment, they should contact the teacher between 9:30 am and 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm through Schoology or district email, unless otherwise indicated by the teacher (ie. scheduled discussion/group chat through Schoology).

• Elementary students have assignments for the special subjects on the day they regularly meet

. • The Block Schedule will NOT exist at NHS. Every class will meet every day.

Parents:

• Help students log-in and access Schoology using their student account:

o Go to nutley.schoology.com

o Sign in using the student’s Nutley Google Account credentials

• Frequently check for updates at www.nutleyschools.org

• Provide time and an environment that supports virtual learning.

• The district attendance policy of absences will be in effect. Attendance will be taken daily, in the method detailed above.

Free and Reduced Lunch and Food Services

Students who typically receive free or reduced breakfast and or lunch at school will still be provided with food. If your family does not receive free or reduced lunch, but your family needs additional food support, please call 973-667-1884, option #7. No one will be denied a meal. We are so very grateful to Pomptonian Food Service for donating all fresh items like pears, bagged carrots, and more to be given with our grab and go bags to our students, and to the Nutley Family Service Bureau (NFSB) and their volunteers for coordinating this effort with the Nutley Public Schools. Please consider donating food items for the pantry to support all of our neighbors in need. Donations are gratefully accepted in the marked bins on the porch at the rear of the NFSB Annex at 169 Chestnut Street. Students who are part of our free and reduced lunch program were sent a separate email tonight with distribution information.

Chromebook and Technology Support

If you require a Chromebook repair/swap, loaner device, or technical support, please email VirtualLearning@nutleyschools.org to schedule an appointment at the Oval Field House during limited hours. (On Booth Drive, between Town Hall and the Public Library.)

Please remember that in addition to all school buildings being closed, and activities canceled, Parks and Recreation and the Nutley Public Library are closed as well. While this is certainly not how any of us would like to spend our first days of spring, it is imperative that we follow the necessary and recommended precautions to keep ourselves and our families safe and healthy. In addition to following the health and safety precautions list below, we have attached information on social distancing and ways to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Please take the time to read and review.

Health and Safety Tips

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

• If you don’t feel well, please seek out your healthcare provider.

• Avoid contact with people who are sick

. • Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.

• Cough and squeeze into a tissue or into your sleeve, not your hands.

• Use a tissue and then dispose of it.

• Clean frequently touched objects and surfaces, using a disinfecting spray or wipe.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

• If soap and water are not readily available, use hand sanitizer.

As we all deal with school and office closures, event cancellations, how we will manage child care, remote work and school arrangements, shortages of toilet paper and cleaning supplies, and fear of the unknown, we also all share the collective experience of learning how to be flexible and trying to plan and prepare for what comes next. Thank you so much for working together with us to rise to this challenge.

Stay Safe and Be Healthy,

Sincerely,

Dr. Julie Glazer