Columbia

CHS Virtual Graduation Ceremony

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The District will celebrate the Class of 2020 with a virtual ceremony on Wednesday, June 24.  At 6 pm that evening, families can tune into the broadcast of a professionally-produced virtual ceremony that will feature speakers, video vignettes, messages from dignitaries and celebrities and end with a finale montage that incorporates photos and statements from the Class of 2020.  Each graduate’s name and image will appear on screen over the course of the broadcast.

Seniors should keep an eye out for requests to upload videos and images that will be included in the virtual ceremony.  While the program will be broadcast at 6 pm on the 24th, graduates and their families can view it at any time after that.

Following the broadcast, we invite everyone in our two towns to step outside their homes at 8:20 pm (20:20) to make some noise for our graduates using whatever means available.  We’ll be distributing a free, branded cowbell to every senior at the personalized sign and t-shirt pick up to help them Make Some Noise and hope that everyone uses #CHSNoise2020 to post videos and photos of the moment for all to see.

This is the latest from the HSA and Midnight Madness.  Be sure to stay up to date at the Midnight Madness website and follow our Midnight Madness Facebook group, Instagram and Twitter accounts for all the latest information.  If you’d like to offer your support as a volunteer, please send us a note at mm@nullcolumbiahsa.org.  

SOMSD Schools Closed Indefinitely – Distance Learning to Continue Until Further Notice

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April 7, 2020

Dear SOMSD Community,

Thank you for your support and all that you have done and continue to do as our District has shifted into distance learning.

As of, Tuesday, April 7, 2020, Governor Phil Murphy has ordered the closure of all NJ schools indefinitely. While we initially anticipated the tentative reopening of schools in our district on April 20 (this was based on previous updates from the Governor’s office); all schools will now operate virtually until further notice.

We will proceed with our distance learning methodology and keep you abreast through our communication platforms, regarding any academic or operational updates. As we head into Spring break, we hope that staff, families, and students are able to receive some respite and return somewhat refreshed mentally and emotionally as we continue with distance learning on Monday, April 20.

If you would like to email us closure-related questions please use: info@nullsomsd.k12.nj.us. Also, please visit our district COVID site for additional resources for families on mental health resources.

Again, thank you for your continued flexibility and cooperation during this unprecedented time.

Educationally Yours,

Dr. Ronald G. Taylor
Superintendent of Schools

SOMSD Extends School Closure through April 17, 2020 – Letter to Community

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March 25, 2020

Dear SOMSD Staff & Family,

I hope that this correspondence finds you, your families, and your loved ones (both near and far) safe and healthy.  Thank you for your continued patience and support as we work together as a community to keep everyone safe. I appreciate your efforts at home in helping provide our students with a continuity of education during this closure period.

School Closure Update:
On Friday, March 13, 2020, as you know, we closed all schools in order to protect the health and wellness of our students, our staff, and their families. We wanted to do our part in the nationwide movement to exercise the practice of “Social Distancing” to limit the transmission of the COVID-19 virus. The following week, Governor Murphy issued an executive order mandating that all NJ public, private, and parochial preschool programs and elementary and secondary schools, including charter and renaissance schools, would close by Wednesday, March 18, 2020, and would remain closed as long as the order stood.

With Governor Murphy’s executive order still in effect, South Orange & Maplewood School District has extended its distance learning through Friday, April 17, 2020, with students tentatively returning to school on Monday, April 20.  As we share often, this is a fluid situation, and we continue to partner with the Governor’s Office, the NJ Department of Education, local health agencies, and our educational leaders to ensure that our future plans meet the needs of our greater community. We believe the extension of distance learning through April 17 is a realistic and logical adjustment that is aligned with the recent steps taken by our Governor for the protection of our citizens.

Since our distance learning period began on March 18 and was tentatively slated to last two weeks, this extension will formally begin on Wednesday, April 1 (as a reminder, the first two days of school closures, March 16 & 17, utilized the District’s unused calendar-embedded emergency school closure dates).  As we continue distance learning into April, we will move into our normally scheduled Spring Break from April 10 – 20.  During this break, we will provide optional high-quality supplemental instructional enrichment opportunities for our students/families to engage with if they wish.

This new arrangement will provide our administrators and staff with an opportunity to take a deep breath and prepare (we hope) to return to our normal operations.  The District will be sending a more detailed communication providing additional guidance on the continuation of our distance learning platform to our families via email by end of day tomorrow, Thursday, March 26.

I would also like to remind you that we have a district “Coronavirus Updates” webpage dedicated to our communications on this matter: www.somsd.k12.nj.us/coronavirusupdates. This page includes resources that can support your student (and family’s) mental health needs during this time of uncertainty.  We are keeping the needs of ‘the whole child’ at the forefront as we move forward together.  Thank you again for your partnership.  Be safe and well.

DOWNLOAD:  SOMSD School Closure Extension, 3/25 Letter to Community

Sincerely,

Dr. Ronald G. Taylor, Superintendent of Schools

 

SOMSD COVID-19 Two-Week School Closure, Effective Monday, March 16, 2020

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Important Message from Superintendent Taylor on COVID-19 School Closure

March 13, 2020

Dear South Orange & Maplewood School Family,

The School District of South Orange & Maplewood continues to monitor the emerging public health issue with COVID-19, also known as Coronavirus. The health, safety, and well-being of our students, staff, and community members continues to be our main priority.

I have been in contact with our local health officials, Department of Education officials, a network of superintendents, our board of education and others in order to arrive at the most responsible decisions and course of action for the students and families in our school district with respect to the Covid-19 pandemic.  While there are currently no confirmed or suspected cases of Covid-19 in our District, recent guidance from the CDC, NIH, local health department, the NJ Department of Health as well as Governor Murphy’s announcement yesterday to cancel all events statewide with more than 250 people, make it clear that the most prudent decision is for us to close our schools and transition to distance learning.

We recognize that this closure will be disruptive for families, and it is not something that any of us takes lightly, but we have a collective responsibility to preemptively address this public health challenge.

Therefore effective, Monday, March 16 thru March 27, 2020 we have made the decision to enact our SOMSD emergency closure plan and all District schools will be closed for a period of at least two-weeks.  

Please know that we take this decision very seriously and are being as thoughtful as possible to ensure equity and access in our preparation. It is our goal to provide support both academically and systemically, to the most vulnerable families in our community. We know that schools are not just buildings where learning takes place, for some, ‘school’ is a vital part of their food security and a virtual bridge to a generational opportunity.

Monday, March 16 and Tuesday, March 17, schools will be closed utilizing the District’s unused calendar-embedded emergency school closure dates. These days will be utilized as we are traditionally governed by an inclement weather closure.  The decision to transition to distance learning is a precautionary, proactive measure in an effort to minimize the potential risk of exposure to Covid-19.

Distance learning via home instruction for students will begin on Wednesday, March 18, 2020.   Our educators are doing an outstanding job in preparing to implement our distance learning plan.   All students from K–12 will be provided with access to Google Classroom to access two-weeks’ worth of assignments from their teachers.  Parents will be receiving letters in the mail that should arrive early next week providing important information on accessing your child’s classroom portal.   If you do not have internet access and need a hard copy of your child’s(ren’s) assignments, please contact your child’s teacher via email or contact our District office with your child’s name, school, grade, and teacher name via:

  • Email: info@nullsomsd.k12.nj.us

All field trips, athletics, school-based activities/events, and ancillary programs are canceled effective March 13, 2020, until further notice. While schools are closed, there will be no-access permitted in our buildings, except to select personnel and approved visitors.  By, Friday, March 27, 2020, a decision will be made regarding either the resumption of school and after-school activities (for Mon., March 30) or the continued closure of school.  We will continue to evaluate this evolving situation and provide updates to the community via email, robocalls, our district website, and social media.

During our closure, for those families who qualify for the federal free or reduced lunch program or if your family is in need of food support, please contact the Parenting Center by calling:  Karen Weiland, (973)762-5600, ext. 1850 or via email:  kweiland@nullsomsd.k12.nj.us and food delivery will be arranged for your family.  In addition, starting on Wednesday, March 18, we will provide bagged lunches/breakfast during our closure for those families who qualify for the federal free or reduced lunch program (no one will be turned away).  Additional communication regarding distribution centers and pick-up times will be provided shortly.

We are in unchartered territory and there will be many questions and challenges that arise in the coming weeks, and we will all work together to do everything we can to support our students and help them progress.  We will be communicating additional information to families and students, including how to get help with technology-related matters, picking up of student’s personal belongings (if applicable) and other details.  This will not be perfect, but under the circumstances, we will stretch our resources and do our best to support our 7,200+ student body.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and flexibility as we continue to educate our children while implementing best practices to keep everyone safe

Educationally yours,

 

Dr. Ronald G. Taylor

Superintendent of Schools

 

 

 

Coronavirus Update, 3/10 – District Letter to Families, Staff & Students

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March 10, 2020

Dear South Orange & Maplewood Families,

The South Orange & Maplewood School District continues to work in partnership with our local, state, and federal health agencies to receive and share daily updates, guidance and mandates surrounding the coronavirus disease, or COVID-19.  We will continue to work with Public Health Officials at the town, county, and state level as we make decisions that impact all of us.

At this time, there are no known or reported cases of COVID-19 in Essex County.  Currently, there are 15 positive cases of COVID-19 in New Jersey.  I am also in close contact with many colleagues at nearby school districts.  A number of schools have closed because of COVID-19 exposure, while others are doing so to prepare for the potential impact of contamination.  We understand that closing schools is disruptive to the lives of our district families; at this time, therefore, our District is not planning to close schools.

We will be shifting Friday, March 13th to an early-dismissal day for the entire school district (this date was previously scheduled as a parent-teacher conference early-dismissal for elementary schools only). Our District team has been working with key staff members on the development of an offsite learning plan in case of a long-term closure.  While we do not believe that additional full days for professional development are necessary to complete this plan, we do want to provide our teachers with a timely review of the extended academic student assignments.

In the event that we experience a confirmed positive COVID-19 case in the School District of South Orange and Maplewood (staff or student), we will close all schools in our school district for 24 hours. During this 24 hour-period, every school building will be deep-cleaned, and we will reassess the concern with our local health officers to determine next steps.

The District will put an offsite learning plan into effect only if dire circumstances force a long-term school closure or if the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) orders our schools to close for an extended period to control the spread of the virus.  The closure of District schools would not only create child care challenges and other disruptions for district parents/guardians but would also suspend critical and social services for hundreds of our families.  We hope to avoid that eventuality if possible.  If we do need to implement an offsite plan, it will involve multiple modes of sharing learning and assignments with students, likely including some online work for many students.  For the first time ever, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) will allow schools to utilize online learning to satisfy the 180-school-day requirement if the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH)

I would like to provide you with a few updates on what our District is doing to prepare for the potential impact of COVID-19 on our schools.

  • A draft framework has been developed for our educational approach to offsite learning for Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, and High School and Special Services students. Our Curriculum and Instruction team is now formalizing our approach to ensure that the design offers consistency across all grade levels and secondary courses. The team will work with subject-level and grade-level supervisors (i.e., teachers and department leader) to provide input and details and assignment design.
  • We are working to establish Google Classroom sites specifically for each grade level in each school from 3rd – 12th (Assignments would be graded.)
  • Technology needs and gaps are being reviewed to determine hardware capacity. We have a diverse student population, and some of our students do not have regular access to technology or the internet. We will ensure that all students will have equal access to learning.
  • We are assessing the language translation needs for parental guidelines.
  • Services and logistics for out-of-district placement for students with severe disabilities and special needs are being assessed.
  • Since, by law, the district must continue providing meals to students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch if schools are closed due to COVID-19, we are planning for this scenario with our food service vendor.
  • Finally, we are requesting that teachers provide activities/syllabi to any students who have to self-quarantine for a prolonged period.

In response to recommendations by the CDC (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) to limit social contact, the District has reviewed upcoming events that were to bring large groups of students, adults, and community members together, as well as upcoming field trips.  It has been determined that the following postponements/cancelations are necessary:

  • The Matilda performances scheduled for Columbia High School are postponed. I have been in personal contact with Principal Morgan and the show’s director, Bethany Pettigrew, and we will continue the conversation on how to provide opportunities for our cast and crew to share their production with those who have purchased tickets.
  • Our Parent/Teacher Conferences scheduled for this week will no longer be face-to-face. We are encouraging our teachers, principals, and school-based personnel to support telephone conferences, Skype conferences, and other alternatives.
  • We will create a digital alternative to our Intentional Integration Town Hall, which is scheduled for next Wednesday, March 18.
  • A moratorium has been placed on all field trips until further notice. The First Tech Challenge (FTC) New Jersey Robotics State Championship that was scheduled for Columbia High School has also been postponed.

Additionally, we continue to implement all of the preventative measures as we have indicated in prior communications.  Within our buildings, custodial staff members are cleaning common and high-traffic areas several times a day, and we are providing resources, supplies, and time for students to wash their hands regularly. Our cleanliness expectations were reiterated to our custodial staff during recent trainings. Hand sanitizer continues to be distributed to every classroom teacher in the district. We have also implemented a daily sanitizing schedule for our school buses. Lastly, in a preponderance of caution, we will proceed with a new weekend deep-cleaning methodology utilizing electrostatic disinfectant sprayers for each school building (beginning this Saturday).

Please help us by keeping sick children at home. We are asking anyone with symptoms of any illness stay home for a minimum of 48 hours without a fever. If a student exhibits illness or COVID-19 related symptoms, the school nurse will contact a parent or guardian to come pick them up immediately.

We recognize how challenging this situation is for our families, students, and staff, and we take this situation seriously. We are taking real-time preventative measures in response to new information that key agencies provide.

Our goal is to keep our doors open as long as possible while prioritizing the health and safety of our students and staff. Thank you for working with us through this evolving situation that impacts all facets of life in our entire community. We will continue to provide you with regular updates.

Educationally Yours,

 

Dr. Ronald G. Taylor

Superintendent of Schools

Download:  March 3, 2020, SOMSD Coronavirus Update Letter to Families/Staff/Students

COVID-19 Updates in NJ (as of 3/9/20)

In conjunction with the NJ Department of Health and our local health departments, we want to provide you with the most up-to-date information on the coronavirus (as of 3/9/20), as news and updates are changing constantly.

  1. There are currently 15 positive cases of coronavirus in New Jersey (updated as of 3/10)
  2. The CDC advises that those over the age of 60 and those with underlying health conditions should practice social distancing and avoid large crowds in public spaces and large gatherings.  Examples of public spaces include anywhere that people can freely gather in significant numbers: malls, grocery stores, the movie theatre, concert halls, libraries, gyms, and community centers.
  3. We are advised to reconsider travel plans by plane and to continually follow the travel advisories by the CDC.
  4. To prevent the spread of any respiratory disease, please practice RESPIRATORY ETIQUETTE. That means the following:
    • Cover your cough or your sneeze with the elbow of your sleeve or with a tissue and throw it away;
    • Wash your hands for 20 seconds and use a paper towel to open the door if you are in a public space, or use hand sanitizer;
    • Wash your hands every time after being in a public space;
    • Stay home if you are sick; and
    • Get a flu shot. While the flu shot does not prevent coronavirus, it can help strengthen your immune system and keep you healthier during this time.
  1. The CDC advises that those who have traveled to a Level 3 Travel advisory area should self-monitor or self-quarantine at home and practice social distancing for 14 days from the time of departure from that country.
    • When you are self-quarantining/ self-monitoring, you may not have any symptoms.
    • If you are self-monitoring, please practice social distancing. Social distancing is staying away from public spaces, and not attending social events.
  1. If you have traveled, or have come in contact with a positive case of coronavirus and are exhibiting signs and symptoms of cough, fever, and shortness of breath, please call your health care provider. Inform them by phone of your travel or exposure history and your symptoms BEFORE you go to the doctor’s office or to the emergency room.
  2. Starting this week, your health care provider can write a prescription for you to get a COVID-19 lab test at a commercial lab such as Quest or LabCorp. However, the lab will not test you unless you meet the symptom criteria of coughing, fever, and shortness of breath and have had exposure to a positive COVID-19 case or a recent travel history.
  3. If you have any questions about self-monitoring during this time, please call the 24-hour state hotline for COVID-19: (800) 222-1222.
  4. Yesterday afternoon, as part of the state’s coordinated response to address the novel coronavirus outbreak, Governor Phil Murphy declared a State of Emergency and a Public Health Emergency, effective immediately, to ramp up New Jersey’s efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. Executive Order No. 103 declares a state of emergency and public health emergency across all 21 counties in New Jersey, allowing state agencies and departments to utilize state resources to assist affected communities responding to and recovering from COVID-19 cases.

 

 

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