Columbia

July 10, 2020

Dear Parents & Guardians,

I hope that all is well.  As the summer progresses, and as we ramp up for the next school year with Covid-19 still at the forefront of our decision-making, I want to provide you with an update on our Columbia High School athletics program.

Dr. Taylor is leading us on this important task and I have been fortunate to have already started working with district and building personnel on the Rethink-Reopen Taskforce. Mr. Ken Mullen, our Interim Atheltic Director, has done a terrific job meeting with our health personnel, coaches, and the building and grounds team to ensure we can begin our sports program while maintaining the health and safety of our students and staff, which is, of course, our first priority.

After many meetings, much research, surveying CHS parents, equipment purchasing, and conferring with neighboring districts, we are ready to begin a summer conditioning and workout program. Since this is a fluid situation with local and national guidelines continuously being updated, we ask for your patience if we need to make any changes. We will announce any updates as soon as they are decided.

CHS Tentative Athletic Schedule

July 21- July 31 Virtual Conditioning & Team Bonding 

• Once our coaches are Board approved, they will begin reaching out to students via virtual platforms, Google Meet or Cisco Webex. The focus of this time will be on team bonding and individual conditioning goals. (Captains’ practices are not allowed because medical personnel are not available to conduct temperature checks.)  

August 3 – August 28 (pending state guidelines) Supervised Conditioning & Practices 

• Starting in early August, our teams will begin with team practices, following the NJSIAA Phase 1 Guidelines. A specific team-by-team schedule will follow from Mr. Mullen and the coaches. By mid-August, our program will shift to the Phase 2 Guidelines that are being released by the NJSIAA on July 10th. 

According to NJSIAA officials, we can expect a shortened season that will begin later in September, so our coaches are comfortable with the time we have to prepare our student-athletes for another successful year. 

Please be on the lookout for more information from Mr. Mullen regarding the forms that your children will need to complete prior to our August start with physical conditioning. This will include physicals for our rising Freshmen students. Currently, the NJ Legislature is considering waiving the annual requirement for physicals for our rising 10th – 12th graders, so we will also update you on that if the guidelines change. 

I hope you are as excited as I am for next year. Throughout the interview process, I heard incredible things about Columbia High School, so I look forward to meeting you all.

Sincerely,

Frank Sánchez

CHS Principal

Hey, Class of 2020 and Class of 2021!

Are you 17 or older? You can register to vote! There is power seen in the streets of MAPSO, and you have the opportunity to bring that power to the polls when you turn 18.

Remember that primaries are super important for local and state elections, so even if the presidential nominees are already decided, you should still vote in the primary. New Jersey holds a closed primary, so you must register by June 16th with a party affiliation (or as an Independent) in order to vote in either the Democratic or Republican Primary.

Young people are historically those who vote the least, but we have the opportunity to change that. As a community, we are active in so many causes, so let’s make sure we’re heard!

Want to educate yourself on the candidates before you vote? Attached below are the websites for candidates for contested nominations in our area, listed alphabetically.

For House of Representatives:
– Donald Payne Jr. (D)
– Gene Mazo (D)
– John Flora (D)

For Senate:
– Cory Booker (D)
– Eugene Anagnos (R)
– Hirsh Singh (R)
– Lawrence Hamm (D)
– Natalie Rivera (R)
– Rik Mehta (R)
– Tricia Flanagan (R)

Candidates for Board of Freeholders

Now that you have the info, print your registration form so you can vote! If you do not have access to a printer or ink, but would like a form to be delivered contact-free, please send an email to pholtreiss@nullgmail.com.

See you at the polls,

Student Council’s Voter Registration Committee and Students For Justice