The reopening of schools requires a broad community commitment to reduce the risk of exposure to the I was out in front of one of our middle schools this morning, the kids got off the bus and they just immediately kind of fall in and keep themselves separated.”. CHERRY HILL, N.J. (CBS) — Even as some school districts are reverting to virtual learning because of surging COVID-19 cases, some are staying open for at least some in-person learning. In New Jersey, more than 17,500 school-aged children have contracted COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic – but fewer than 270 are known to have caught the virus at school, … But they are concerned that state documents that guide when schools should close – issued in June – do not reflect new evidence and lessons learned about daily conditions. School district officials say the kids are adapting to a new normal in a most abnormal situation. The Department recognizes that “schooling” cannot continue as usual and that schools … The New Jersey Department of Health reported on Monday there were 193 COVID-19 cases linked to 51 outbreaks in the state's 3,000 schools. “It glosses over the real-world conditions in too many schools.”. School districts in New Jersey are in daily contact with state health officials. While teacher unions did not specifically call to close schools, they said governors were sending the wrong message about safety at a time when an alarming second wave of cases has packed hospitals and led to new restrictions for businesses and home gatherings. The first COVID-19 vaccines in New Jersey will be administered to health care workers at University Hospital in Newark on Tuesday. “We’ve had 56 cumulative in-school transmissions impacting a couple of hundred people since school opened. As of Wednesday, New Jersey had recorded 269 cases and 66 outbreaks of COVID that can be traced to transmission in school, according to the state Department of Health. COVID-19 School-Age Tuition Assistance. Five new COVID-19 outbreaks associated with in-school transmission have been reported in New Jersey this week, state officials said Wednesday. During a Wednesday coronavirus briefing, New Jersey Gov. That is where their focus is at this point and they’re working with school districts to ensure everyone stays safe. Cherry Hill School District officials say they’ve welcomed back at least 25% of students in a hybrid learning setting while some parents have chosen to continue all digital education for their children. “We are calling for every district to honestly assess the situation, based on current conditions and the latest scientific and medical guidance, and consider a period of remote instruction when that is the best way to protect the health and safety of students and staff,” he said. There is no official tally of New Jersey school employees who have contracted COVID. “The strain on our school nurses is huge as they are forced to now act as primary contact tracers as the local and county boards of health are not equipped to support the schools that have in-person instruction,” Blistan said. New Jersey had its biggest jump in school coronavirus outbreaks and cases this past week as a new report says the COVID risk keeps rising for … That’s 56 out of over 3,000 buildings.”. The Northeast governors, including New Jersey's Phil Murphy, say the low rates of in-school transmission “make clear that in-person learning is safe when the appropriate protections are in place, even in communities with high transmission rates.”, “Assuming we can do it safely, and keep our case transmission as low as it has been, I hope we can keep schools open,” Murphy said Monday in an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America.". “We continue to monitor this at the district level every single day.”. Some will be remote well into January, COVID second wave: North Jersey COVID-19 testing lines grow ahead of Thanksgiving, Lawsuit: Former Hackensack High School student alleges abuse by guidance counselor in lawsuit. ©2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Still, even if students can pass along the virus, they don’t appear to be doing so in great numbers at school. The dueling narratives have sparked a dispute with union leaders who say the governors of seven Northeastern states – who issued a joint statement last week supporting in-person schooling – are downplaying the dangers of COVID-19. But a database maintained by the National Education Association, which relies on voluntary reporting, shows that at least 100 in New Jersey have tested positive for COVID this fall. New Jersey’s union leaders have not called for a statewide shutdown like the governor imposed in the spring. New Jersey schools and colleges will remain closed for the remainder of the academic year as the state continues to battle the COVID-19 outbreak, Gov. Five percent of of those cases have been diagnosed in just in the past four days. Across all ages, cases have totaled 313,863 and are rising to daily record-highs. The number of New Jersey schools reporting cases where students and teachers caught COVID-19 at school rose to 98 this week after 10 new outbreaks around the state, health officials said. They are also concerned that schools are not being transparent about the number of people who test positive, said NJEA spokesman Steve Baker. Robert Johnson, dean of Rutgers’ two medical schools, was among the first people in New Jersey to receive the vaccine against COVID-19 on a historic day in the fight against a virus that has crippled the nation since last spring. “We’ve got hybrid districts, we’ve got completely remote, we’ve got in-person, we’ve got combinations,” Murphy said. Source: The New Jersey Department of Health produces the report based on coronavirus test results submitted by … Title: COVID-19 Activity Level Report [Updated: Dec. 3, 2020.]. As part of the public health emergency, the state launched the New Jersey School-Age Tuition Assistance Program to help families pay for care for their school-age child in need of child care as a result of COVID-19 remote learning schools schedules. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, most New Jersey students have had to learn remotely either full- or part-time. Most NJ students have computer access, but that won't close divide, advocates say, List of North Jersey schools that have reported COVID cases or paused in-person learning, Teaneck honors man whose legacy 'runs deep through the veins' of the community, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Nurses still lack hospital-grade masks, while many schools still need repairs or upgrades to ventilation systems, she added. Another 35% are conducting all-remote instruction. TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey's COVID-19 caseload surged Thursday to levels not seen even during the height of the spring outbreak, with Gov… Education South Jersey schools … The continuing rise in coronavirus cases has many school districts in the tri-state area reverting to all virtual learning, but New Jersey officials are staying the course offering a range of options. Phil Murphy has left it to each school district to decide what works best for its students and he believes that system is working. Of those 47 new cases, 23 of were reported in one particular school in Union County -- although New Jersey officials did not specify which school that was, NJ.com reports. Many parents are eager for children to … If a student tests positive for COVID-19, the places where the student spent significant time should be closed for 24 hours and then cleaned before they are put back in use. One of those districts is Cherry Hill. COVID In New Jersey: Washington Township School District Moves To Fully Remote Instruction Until 2021 By CBS3 Staff December 7, 2020 at 7:44 am Filed Under: coronavirus , Local TV , New Jersey news An outbreak refers to two or more cases that occur as a result of contact at a school. Remote learning: NJ school districts fear post-holiday COVID spike. The statement “ignores evolving and troubling scientific evidence about COVID-19 and children,” education associations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut responded in their own statement. “Our in-school experience so far, I’m knocking on wood, has been very good,” Murphy said. New Jersey Department of Health . “The situation is changing – and getting worse – daily.”. at least 100 in New Jersey have tested positive for COVID this fall. Marie Blistan, president of the New Jersey Education Association, said the toll on schools was great as outbreaks have forced hundreds of students and staff into quarantines. Murphy and the other governors said in-person instruction was the “best scenario” for children and improves learning and mental health, especially for those with special needs and from low-income families. In recent months, studies and guidance have shown that children may play a role in spreading coronavirus infections. However, under N.J.S.A. FOUR more cases of Covid-19 in Jersey schools have been identified - but some year groups affected by previous cases are being allowed to return having carried out the necessary isolation. NJ school districts fear post-holiday COVID spike. New Jersey Gov. As cases of COVID-19 spike across New Jersey, school districts in Monmouth and Ocean counties are playing a game of quarantine whack-a-mole to try and stop the spread of the virus. The total number of cases among students and staff, regardless of where they contracted it, is far higher. As school districts continue to monitor cases within their school environments, Murphy continues to give them the autonomy to decide how to continue to keep students safe. New Jersey has had 17,556 cases involving children ages 5 to 17 since March, making up 5.6% of all cases, according to state health department data. Response: Schools are not expected to screen students or staff for cases of COVID-19. A growing body of domestic and international research suggests in-person schooling has not been a significant driver of COVID spread, especially among young children. The New Jersey Department of Education (the Department) is deeply committed to supporting its students, families, and educators as we work together to reduce the spread of COVID-19. New Jersey has 281,493 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Monday. “School buildings and school-related activities are far more dangerous than the state’s data indicate,” the union said in a statement last week. Hannan Adely is an education and diversity reporter for NorthJersey.com. In New Jersey, more than 17,500 school-aged children have contracted COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic – but fewer than 270 are known to have caught the virus at school, state data shows. “This week, we welcomed children back into the buildings for the first time in almost eight months,” Cherry Hill School District Superintendent Dr. Joseph Meloche said, “which really is kind of going against what most other school districts are doing at the moment. ALBANY - New York City schools in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade will begin to return to in-person classes Dec. 7 after closing earlier this month due to COVID-19. Principal Dana Martinotti explains new safety and cleaning procedures at Cliffside Park School #5. Last week, a Hackettstown High School student, who attended classes on the first day of school, tested positive for COVID-19, according to a News 12 New Jersey report. The Department of Health has issued COVID-19 recommendations for schools that cover steps to take to respond to cases and outbreaks in schools. The New Jersey Education Association, the union representing teachers and other school professionals, has said that the state's statistics about in-school transmission are “misleading.” The data does not include cases where students or staff are infected during school-related activities such as sports and other extracurricular programs, the union says. More than half of New Jersey school districts are utilizing a hybrid learning model. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. RELATED: New … Some will be remote well into January, North Jersey COVID-19 testing lines grow ahead of Thanksgiving, Former Hackensack High School student alleges abuse by guidance counselor in lawsuit, New Jersey has had 17,556 cases involving children. Robert Johnson, dean of Rutgers’ two medical schools, received the inoculation along with high-risk health care workers. NEW JERSEY — New Jersey had its biggest jump in school coronavirus outbreaks and cases this past week as a new report says the COVID-19 risk keeps rising for teachers and students. We take all of that very seriously. Gov. More than 13,000 people in the state … Phil Murphy showed off a new data dashboard that will be used to keep track of cases associated with in-school … Schools that report cases of COVID-19 will work with local health officials to identify cases of the virus and implement next steps. Many schools have had to temporarily close to deal with local cases and staffing shortages, she said. Find the latest news, guidance, resources, and support here. “Our students have definitely been prepared, wearing masks,” Meloche said. NJ school reopening: COVID precautions at Cliffside Park School #5. K-12 Schools . Phil Murphy announced Monday. But the in-school transmission figure proves classrooms are not high-risk environments, according to state leaders who support keeping schools open. The large and rapidly growing tally of youth cases has alarmed school professionals who sit in close quarters with students and worry about exposure. The guidance and resources provided below come from national educational leaders, researchers, and teachers with content area expertise. 18A:16-2, a board of education has the right to require a medical examination of any employee showing evidence of abnormal health. Our children had been on full remote instruction since the beginning of September, and honestly since back on March 16 when we started in the spring.”. This is no time to minimize or downplay the risks faced by our students and the educators who have worked so hard for the last eight months to keep New Jersey’s children safe, healthy and learning.”. New Jersey has more than 170,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19, according to the state Department of Health. “The coming holiday season, where travel and gatherings are inevitable, will undoubtedly make the situation even worse. As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, Chatham High School has turned to … Five percent of New Jersey's cumulative COVID case total since March, which has topped 281,000, have come in just the last four days, a sober Murphy said — that's one in every 20 cases. ‘Restrictions Are Temporary, But Death Is Permanent’: Philly’s COVID Cases Surge As New Restrictions Set To Take Effect, Philadelphia Police: 47-Year-Old Woman Killed, Pedestrian Critically Injured In Crash Involving Wrong-Way Driver, COVID In Pennsylvania: Health Officials Report Over 7,000 New COVID-19 Cases, Another Daily Record, By viewing our video content, you are accepting the terms of our. COVID-19 Public Health Recommendations for Local Health Departments for . The official COVID-19 Information Hub for the State of New Jersey. Digital divide: Most NJ students have computer access, but that won't close divide, advocates say, Education: List of North Jersey schools that have reported COVID cases or paused in-person learning, 'Pillar of community': Teaneck honors man whose legacy 'runs deep through the veins' of the community. Virtually all Sussex County schools will be remote through mid-December, with some extending into the new year, following a surge in COVID-19 cases. All New York City, Nassau, Westchester and Suffolk public schools will close to … Blistan said New Jersey has not updated its own guidance to reflect the latest evidence and guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The continuing rise in coronavirus cases has many school districts in the tri-state area reverting to all virtual learning, but New Jersey officials are staying the course offering a range of options. “They know about washing hands, many of them are carrying hand sanitizer with them. At least a dozen New Jersey students tested positive for coronavirus after attending a party over Labor Day weekend. 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In Sussex County, three schools … Schools in New York and New Jersey have closures planned as officials deal with the spread of coronavirus. Philip D. Murphy has urged New Jersey school districts to open for some face-to-face instruction, repeatedly noting that the coronavirus … Updated November 19, 2020 NJDOH will implement a statewide approach for school reopening with a regional/local focus. Germany has entered a hard lockdown, closing schools and non-essential businesses in an attempt to stop a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections. Camden County officials say they are seeing a surge in Camden City. Others have not opened at all this fall, worried about high rates of COVID transmission in their communities and the likelihood that cases will only get worse after the holidays. The studies suggest that strict measures like social distancing, mask-wearing and quarantines for COVID-positive students have kept transmission rates under control. NEW JERSEY (WABC) -- Coronavirus numbers continue to rise across New Jersey, causing officials to give warnings about cases in schools and celebrating the …