Two Margate classroom set up for social distancing instruction.
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
The Ventnor and Margate school districts held virtual meetings Thursday, Aug. 6 to present the districts' school reopening plans and answer questions posed by parents.
Ventnor Superintendent Carmela Somershoe, and Margate Superintendent Thomas Baruffi and Ross School Principal Audrey Becker presented their respective plans, which differ in that Margate will be offering in-person instruction five days a week, while Ventnor has opted for a hybrid model, where children attend class in person two days, with virtual learning the rest of the week.
Both plans meet each district's unique needs, the superintendents said, and were developed after surveying parents and staff.
We went through the survey results to balance parent concerns with staff concerns, Baruffi said, discounting a parent's opinion that the district was putting too much weight on staff concerns.
What is in flux is the Gov. Phil Murphy's mandate that indoor activities be limited to 25% of capacity. Superintendents have not been able to determine if that mandate applies to schools. If it does, none of the districts will have enough room for students and new plans for remote instruction will be developed.
Baruffi said the district may have to come up with a third option that includes two 3-hour sessions with remote learning.
The Ventnor City Board of Education unanimously approved its plan for submission to the Atlantic County Executive Superintendent of Schools. Margate will approve its plan at the Aug. 12 board meeting, which will also be held via the Zoom online meeting platform.
Margate also plans remote school based parent meetings on Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 6 p.m. for the William H. Ross Elementary School and 7 p.m. for the Eugene A. Tighe Middle School.
Baruffi said Margate has added class sections to reduce the number of children in each classroom. Desks will be placed a minimum of 6 feet apart and each will have desk shields. Students will attend class from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. with the afternoons reserved for teacher lunches and planning periods, which are required in their collective bargaining agreement.
He said Margate's plan calls for more precautionary measures than state guidelines require.
Adding additional classes utilizes all teaching staff to the greatest extent possible, fulfills contractual requirements, allows for grade-level collaboration among teachers, time for professional development, student progress monitoring and individual online learning support. The 4-hour in-class sessions also allow time to clean all classrooms and public areas and reduces the amount of time students and teachers must wear masks.
The Ventnor plan calls for students to attend full-day in-school instruction two days a week, with remote learning the other two days. All students will learn remotely on Fridays, Somershoe said.
Parents in both districts can opt out of in-class instruction, but they must let the district know in advance so class schedules can be developed, they said. The deadline for 100% remote learning is Aug. 13 in Ventnor and Aug. 12 in Margate. Parents will be required to fill out forms posted on the districts' websites. They will sign up for remote learning for the first marking period which end in November in Ventnor and December in Margate. Baruffi said the district would be willing to work with parents if remote learning is not effective for the child.
Teacher assignments will be posted as soon as the districts know how many students will be opting out of in-school learning. For those who chose remote learning, some instruction will be live with some lessons on video so children can learn at their own pace. Nevertheless, all students will be required to complete all assignments and be tested to ensure they are learning the required curriculum.
One of the most pressing questions posed by parents in both districts is what happens if a child or teacher contracts COVID-19.
The Atlantic County Health Department would notify the district of the positive diagnosis and help the district establish protocols on a case-by-case basis depending on how many students or staffers were exposed to the infected person. The health department will do contact tracing and advise the district about closing classrooms or, if required, the entire school. A positive case could result in 14-day quarantines for students and staff.
Both districts reported they have had no positive cases reported at this time.
Baruffi said the district would be increasing outside air circulation through the HVAC system to accommodate two air changes per hour. And Somershoe said teachers could have outdoor classes on the school grounds, weather permitting, to give students the opportunity to socially distance without having to wear a mask.
Both districts will allow students to use their backpacks instead of lockers to ensure social distancing is adhered to by students.
Both districts will offer after-school care on a limited basis for parents who work.
Both superintendents said teachers are looking forward to returning to the classroom and being with their students. Social interaction is an important component of student learning, they said.
These are challenging times and we cannot meet the needs of everyone, Somershoe said, encouraging parents to set an example for their children by being patient and resilient.
We have a remarkable staff who truly care about your children, Baruffi said.
Somershoe said any parents who have questions should contact their school principal, or email [email protected], and update their contact information on the school website Parent Portal as soon as possible.
Ventnor Board of Education Vice President Kim Bassford summed up what many parents may be feeling during these difficult times.
I don't know what I'd do if I had a child in school right now, she said.
Margate parents may contact their building principals for more information.
Updated Ventnor School Reopening plan
Reopening_August__2020_Revised
Updated Margate School Reopening Plan
VIRTUAL Reopening Schools Staff-Parent Meeting
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