Toms River Schools To Return To In-Person Learning A Week Early – Patch.com

TOMS RIVER, NJ Toms River schools will welcome students back for in-person learning next week, a week earlier than originally announced, the superintendent announced Monday.

In a letter to parents, Superintendent David Healy said school officials analyzed COVID-related quarantines and district-wide staffing and decided to revise the return date to Monday, Dec. 7 instead of Dec. 14.

The area is currently listed as "high risk," which requires consideration of an all-remote learning environment, Healy said, which is why the district determined last week that going fully remote would help keep the school community safe as cases rose.

"We believe our cautious approach was the right one, placing us in a stronger position to re-implement hybrid, in-person learning," Healy said in the letter.

The superintendent warned parents of the possibility that a particular school or grade level may need to move to remote instruction due to COVID-19 cases or transmission within a building or class.

Healy also announced the formation of the TRSS Mental Health Taskforce, which will be composed of staff, district and community mental health professional, administrators and students who will gather information about what types of support are needed for students and families.

"We are happy to reopen earlier than planned, but do so with extreme care and caution," Healy said in the letter. "Rest assured we are constantly evaluating the situation and will continue to consult with local and state health officials on the ever-changing information and data related to COVID-19 to ensure the safety of nearly 17,000 individuals who attend and work for our school district."

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Toms River Schools To Return To In-Person Learning A Week Early - Patch.com