West Essex High School and Middle School to Teach Remotely Through January 18

by Carolyne Volpe Curley / Carolyne@WestEssexNOW.com
Published 4:49pm

This afternoon, Damion Macioci, West Essex Regional Superintendent of Schools, asked families for patience as he announced that both West Essex High School and West Essex Middle School will teach remotely through Monday, Jan. 18. 

Macioci referenced the NJ Department of  Health's High Risk designation for North Jersey along with the amount of ever-growing cases throughout the entire West Essex community.

The Jan. 18 date was chosen to ensure that anyone who would need to quarantine for 14 days following the holiday break will be able to do so without putting the entire school population at risk of exposure.

Damion Macioci
West Essex Regional Superintendent of Schools
Dec. 18, 2020

​Dear West Essex Families,
After consultation with our local health officials and District Physician, we have decided to remain fully remote for instruction through Monday, January 18 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day).  The WERSD Daily Calendar and Bell Schedules have been updated to reflect this change.   
As previously communicated, our Northeast Region remains at High Risk. 

Within this category, stricter exclusion criteria continues to hinder our ability to effectively execute our hybrid model as more staff and students are required to work or attend school remotely.  The decreased attendance in our buildings creates less than optimal conditions for learning. 
​
Additionally, according to the health department, the weeks after the winter recess pose an even greater concern than the time period following Thanksgiving.  The longer break, which will likely include social gatherings and travel, will again increase the possibility of transmission.  With a two-week closure following our recess, school and health officials can identify individuals who may need to self-isolate, as well as complete proper health protocols without risking exposure in our schools. 

In the weeks ahead, our Reopening Committees will continue to monitor our hybrid model, review current cohorts, and analyze data from forthcoming surveys. 

Again, thank you for your continued patience and support. 
Stay safe and be well.​

Due to the recent storm, the school was already teaching remotely today.

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Further Reading:

• Essex County Covid-19 Vaccination Plan Announced​
• West Essex Municipal Covid-19 Updates
• Essex County, NJ, ​Covid-19 Case Report on Children and Young Adults
• Essex County, NJ, Covid-19 Updates December, 2020
• New Jersey Hospitals on Code Red Alert Have Suspended Visitation
• New Jersey Covid-19 Updates December, 2020
• New Jersey ​Covid-19 Case Report On Children And Young Adults
• West Essex Regional Schools Returning To Remote Learning On Monday After Cases In Both Middle And High Schools
• West Essex Middle School Will Stay Open As Planned After Three Individuals Test Positive Outside Of The School Setting​
• Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Cases In New Jersey Children And Adolescents