In mid-March, Mount Laurel’s schools closed because of COVID-19. Students continued their education by remote learning, continuing through the end of the academic year. Recently, the Governor’s office and the Department of Education released a comprehensive plan on reopening. It is generally understood that the State was encouraging in-person instruction but that individual school districts would have to apply that aspirational goal to their own circumstances.
The Mount Laurel School Board and the Lenape Regional Board reached out to parents to seek input on what parents wanted. This was done by way of online surveys. By all reports, Mount Laurel’s pa rents responded to the surveys and provided their input. Neither the Mount Laurel Schools nor Lenape will offer all in-person instruction.
Mount Laurel Schools will divide the students into three cohorts: A, B & C. On Monday and Tuesday mornings, Cohort A will be in school for a four-hour session. Cohort C will be in that afternoon for a four-hour session. On Thursday and Friday, Cohort B will be in school in the morning and Cohort C that afternoon. All Cohorts will be remote on Wednesday. In summary, Cohorts A & B will get 2 days of 4-hour sessions each week. Cohort C, comprised of students with IEPs and special situations, will receive 4 days of 4-hour sessions. Mount Laurel Schools will also offer 100% remote learning upon request.
Lenape is implementing a similar approach by splitting the student body into two cohorts: A & B. Each student will have an in-person day, every other day. Otherwise the students will be remote. The in-person days will be a 7:30am arrival with a 11:55am dismissal. A 100% remote learning option is available upon request. Both districts have implemented detailed plans for social distancing and cleaning.
At this time, there is no decision as to how long the modified remote and in-person schooling will go on. We all hope this transitional time will pass quickly so that normal operations can resume once it is safe.
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