From the Morris School District:
MARCH 24, 2021
PREK-5 SCHOOLS WILL OPEN FOR IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION FOLLOWING SPRING BREAK. FMS AND MHS WILL BE ALL-VIRTUAL FROM APRIL 5-9.*
- The number of MSD faculty and staff who will be required to quarantine following spring break travel (as per NJ Department of Health guidelines) will make it operationally impossible for us to open all ten of our schools after spring break. As a result, we have determined that the middle and high schools will be closed to in-person instruction during the week of April 5-9; FMS and MHS students will access virtual instruction from home. Athletic practices and competitions will take place as scheduled.
- * Please note: students in our self-contained (MD) special education classes at FMS and MHS will attend school in person according to their regular schedule. These families will receive separate communication to this effect.
- PreK-5 schools will open for in-person instruction as planned on Monday, April 5.
- We are tremendously grateful to Atlantic Health System for partnering with us to facilitate vaccinations for MSD employees! Thanks to this partnership, hundreds of our faculty and staff members have received their shots or are scheduled for an upcoming appointment.
- Quarantine Guidelines For Out-of-State Travelers. Anyone who travels outside of the immediate region (CT, DE, NY, PA) must quarantine upon their return as per the NJ Department of Health. The protocol for quarantine remains the same as previously communicated: at the direction of our local health departments, students will quarantine for 14 days (NOTE: day 1 of quarantine is the day AFTER your return from travel). IMPORTANT: Contact the school nurse upon your return to notify the school of the quarantine and confirm your child’s precise quarantine dates.
- Q: Why is the quarantine timeline for students different from what is stated in the NJ COVID Information Hub?
- A: Our local health departments have determined that, given our region’s overall risk level (orange, or high risk) and case rates (red, or very high risk), as well as the presence of variant strains of the virus, traveling outside of our immediate region warrants a full 14-day quarantine in order to keep our schools and community safe. If you have any questions about this decision from our local health departments, please contact them directly.
- As weary as we all are of restrictions, we must continue to be vigilant about practicing careful and responsible behavior in and out of school–especially during spring break. Let’s continue working together to protect the health and safety of our district and wider community by observing all protective measures, including following quarantine protocols, so that we can finish the year strong, allow our children to enjoy special milestone moments and end-of-year events, and position the district well for a successful school reopening in September. We appreciate your cooperation.
- Grab & Go Meals During Closure. Meals will continue to be available free of charge during spring break and while FMS and MHS are closed to in-person instruction, according to our current schedule:
- Grab & Go Meals may be picked up at Morristown High School (at the rear circle by the flagpole off of Atno Avenue) on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. There will be two service times, from 8:00 am to 9:00 am and again from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.
*Words that appear above in maroon are clickable links!
This is disgraceful and unprofessional. I support teachers desire to be safe. I have defended virtual schooling. I have defended the shutdowns. This is NOT defensible. Professionals DO NOT take vacations that require them to be at home to quarantine. Professionals DO NOT hinder the operations of their job and impair a child’s education so they can vacation where they want.
I’m hoping that I’m wrong but the school board needs to be held accountable.
These teachers have been traveling and going on vacation since the summer of 2020. Trust me I know this as fact I have seen it and been told it directly from the horses mouth.
During the summer of 2020 they were bar hopping in Lavalette from their shore houses and meeting in groups laughing the day away.
Teachers for some reason feel comfortable taking their families on trips yet can’t be in the classroom.
Teaching was a profession I once respected and considered the backbone of America; now I view some teachers and their unions as recidivist mafia criminals. They do not deserve pay raise or contracts for years to come.
Open the schools 100% or give me my tax money back!
DEFUND THE NJEA!!!
FIRE ALL TEACHERS WHO WILL NOT RETURN TO THE CLASSROOM!
Since Murphy said there will be no virtual option next year, schools are going to have to open and this nonsense will be an option no more! Can’t wait to toss all the chromebooks!
So families gave up going away because they value live instruction then the district goes virtual anyway?
Shameful how the administration takes every opportunity to go virtual. The learning loss is astounding. I wonder who is really traveling, the teachers or the students.