Due to the rise in COVID-19 cases and the upcoming holidays, Hoboken’s Public Schools announced they were opting for remote and virtual learning for the week following the Thanksgiving holiday. But just this afternoon on November 20, 2020, Superintendent Christine Johnson announced Hoboken Public Schools will be all-virtual starting November 22nd through December 4th due to rising COVID-19 cases, staff and student exposures, and to reduce transmission rates.
In a message to Hoboken Public Schools families on the school’s website and newsletter, Superintendent Christine Johnson wrote,
I hope this message finds you and your family well. As you know, the Hoboken Public School District has already announced that we will shift to remote learning the week after Thanksgiving, for one full week.
Over the past two days, we have been dealing with a few situations in which staff members and students have been placed on self quarantine due to coming in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Most often this situations are individuals outside of our school community. Our regional area is marked in the “orange” high risk COVID-19 range. I watch this rating very closely. In addition to these COVID-19 situations, it is also cold and flu season. Both our students and staff members are affected and we have seen a rise in absences. In order to operate our schools in the most safe and efficient manner, we must be fully staffed. We are now seeing absences at our paraprofessional, teacher, and administrative levels.
Our staff members have been so incredible. Even when home, self quarantining or caring for themselves or family members, our staff members have been teaching into their classrooms or hosting meetings from home.
While this may not be wildly popular, I must shift the district to remote learning on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week as well, for all PK-12 grade students. This will provide us with two full weeks out of the school buildings. This time frame will complete any quarantine that begins as of today, and will provide an adequate window of time after Thanksgiving if anyone begins to present with symptoms. We will be changing our COVID-19 form to include travel questions.
All children have been asked to bring their belongings home with them, including what will be needed for remote learning from Monday, November 23rd through Friday, December 4th. We will return to onsite learning on Monday, December 7th. Please be aware that I will be monitoring the COVID-19 data locally and statewide very closely. There certainly is a possibility that this remote learning shift could be extended. If it is necessary, you will be informed immediately.
Thank you for your continued patience, understanding and commitment. In the midst of this trying time, take a moment to be proud of all the good things we are doing in the Hoboken Public Schools. We are all doing our best during this very complex period of time.
The full update can be viewed here.
Hoboken has seen a spike in cases over the last few weeks, with the latest numbers on November 19th at 32 positive cases.
Read more about the latest COVID-19 updates here, and get the daily COVID-19 numbers for Hoboken + Jersey City here.
