March 11, 2020

Cumberland Regional Families and Staff,

As I am sure you are aware, New Jersey has begun precautions due to the novel coronavirus/COVID-19. Governor Murphy has declared a State of Emergency and held a conference call with all school districts. Although that call asked a lot of questions and offered very few directions, it provided a basic framework for school preparedness moving forward.

While there are no plans to close public schools at this time, we were asked to prepare procedures that would allow the educational process to continue, should a closure be warranted. We also were told that implementation of our plan would only be recognized as necessary by the State if the Department of Health were to issue a written directive for us to close school. In that case, days would count as normal school days. If we were to decide to close school for any reason without a written directive from the Department of Health, all days would need to be made up like inclement weather closings. 

We are establishing plans to make sure the educational process continues regardless of the school building being open or closed. Most of our process, including instruction and assignments, would be done online. Alternative assignments would be available for students with restricted internet access. Special Education services would continue, and we are coordinating plans to provide nutrition services for our eligible students. We also are working to ensure our seniors would be able to fulfill all graduation requirements.

In short, there are still more questions than answers, but we will continue to work through the questions as guidance comes from the state and federal government. Presently, we will continue to support a safe and healthy learning environment by taking steps to prevent the introduction of coronavirus in our school, including following the CDC’s recommendations of encouraging proper handwashing, minimizing exposure to people who are sick, and frequently cleaning surfaces in the school building.

We will keep you all informed as information and plans become available.

Steven W. Price, Superintendent