This N.J. school district is staying remote, even as Murphy pushes for more students in classrooms – NJ.com

High coronavirus case numbers or infrastructure issues aren’t factors that have led Hillside Public Schools to stick to its decision to stay all remote for the remainder of the current school year.

The decision, school officials say, is aimed at keeping some consistency in what has been, for many, an unstable year.

“This has really been driven by consistency and not wanting to send our families on a roller coaster, if you will,” Hillside Schools Superintendent A. Robert Gregory told NJ Advance Media.

Hillside’s public school district decided in January that it would keep remote instruction in place until the end of the school year. The district — with about 3,150 students — is staying the course, even as Gov. Phil Murphy has pushed for schools to start bringing students back before the fall and some of the state’s largest districts have begun reopening.

Hillside is one of 118 districts that were remote as of April 12. Some have chosen to temporarily go all-virtual after spring break, so the numbers fluctuate week by week.

Gregory was the interim superintendent of Newark Public Schools about three years ago and then led Marion P. Thomas Charter Schools before coming to Hillside. His successor at Newark Public Schools, Roger León, oversaw a hybrid reopening that began on Monday.

Gregory said he supports the governor’s push to reopen schools, but trends in Hillside have been positive during remote learning.

“If there’s one thing I think we can all agree on, it’s important to have the perspective of each community, and every community is different,” he said.

Students in Hillside have maintained a more than 95% daily average attendance during remote learning, while English and math scores have grown by 5%, according to Gregory. In contrast, 1 in 5 of Newark’s 36,000 students were absent this fall, Chalkbeat previously reported.

The digital divide, however, plays a role in those numbers. While nearly every student in Newark reportedly received a computer or tablet by September, internet connectivity was still an issue.

Gregory said the student population in Hillside fared okay in the tech realm after receiving federal CARES Act funds. Every student has a computer and wifi device, he said. The district also has additional devices for students should they break down.

Hillside, located in Union County, is a much smaller district than Newark, in neighboring Essex County. The majority of residents in both municipalities are Black, but the median household income for Hillside is $75,239 compared to $35,199 in Newark, according to U.S. Census data.

In March, the Hillside school district proposed a budget for the 2021-2022 school year with no tax increases.

There is a reopening advisory committee that includes the superintendent, school board members, teacher union leadership, nurses and all principals. A majority of parents surveyed wanted their children to stay remote, Gregory said.

Hillside Public Schools has a hybrid reopening model and can execute it, but officials say it’s the inconsistencies that come with reopening that the district is trying to avoid.

Some districts have needed to rely on substitute teachers when students returned to the classroom. Gregory said he’d rather rely on permanent teachers to support students instead.

Students’ social and emotional growth has been a concern for many parents during the pandemic. While nothing replaces in-person instruction, Gregory said, consistency would support student’s mental health.

“When it comes to our most valuable resource, which is our children, we have to create the most stable environment for them,” the schools superintendent said.

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Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com.