Metuchen School District

Good afternoon, MHS community. As you know, we were all-remote Thursday and Friday in order for our team, including our school nurse, to complete contact tracing and to consult with the County Health Department. We have identified several cohorts that are suspected sources of transmission. The students involved in these activities and their related close contacts continue to be quarantined for the appropriate 14-day period. Today we have consulted with our school physician and the County Superintendent, and with their approvals and that of the County Health Department, we have determined that we will re-open MHS starting Saturday morning for the ACT and other high school activities. We anticipate regular in-person school on Monday. If there are any changes, I will be in touch. Please maintain social distancing, avoid all indoor gatherings, and continue to wear your masks. Thank you. Dr. Caputo

Hello and good afternoon. I hope this message finds you well. Five of the six New Jersey regions (including central-east of which Metuchen is a part) and the state as a whole remain in ORANGE status. This indicates a high risk of COVID-19 transmission. Please adhere to six-foot social distancing guidelines, avoid indoors gatherings with people not in your household, and wear your mask. As many of you already know, Metuchen High School has been all-remote for the last two days. This has allowed us to complete COVID contact tracing and for extensive communication with the County Health Department and our school physician. A collaborative decision will be made later today about whether MHS must remain closed for 14 days, or if we can reopen beginning as early as Saturday for the ACTs. Stay tuned for a message that will go out to the MHS community. While the COVID cases statewide and locally are high, we continue to plan for allowing students to attend in-person both weeks. We are working with our food-service provider to have enough in-person lunches. Bussing, pending County approval, is set to resume on April 26th, regardless of whether we are still hybrid or open to all students in both weeks. Those of you who have signed up will soon receive your bus passes. For the remainder of this school year, of course, parents may choose to keep their children all-remote. Since February, all MHS students have been able to attend in-person both weeks. I will continue to keep you all updated on whether we are able to allow full in-person attendance both weeks at Moss, Campbell, and Edgar, beginning on April 26th or May 3rd. Testing each Thursday and Saturday will continue. Food pickup also is available as scheduled. Please stay safe and enjoy the weekend. Dr. Vincent Caputo

Hello and good afternoon. I hope this message finds you and your family well. New Jersey and each of the six regions of the state are ORANGE. This means there is a high rate of transmission currently. Among staff and students this past week, here in Metuchen, we had double the number of new cases compared to any other week in the last 13 months. We need to do better. Get vaccinated as soon as you can get an appointment. Keep wearing your mask and social distancing. And please avoid large or indoor gatherings. Beginning April 19, all individuals 16 and older are eligible for vaccination. Fully vaccinated people (two weeks after the last shot) can now avoid quarantine when returning after domestic travel or when deemed a close contact of someone who tests positive. So, what about parents having the opportunity to send their children every day both weeks? We are doing everything that we can to keep April 26 as a possibility for that. We are working with our bussing company and our food service provider. Principals are making the necessary preparations for more students. While the NJDOH has reduced the 6-foot distancing requirement when masked and in the classroom, there are two other factors that I am watching closely to ensure we contribute to the public health: the state and regional CALI report and the local cases. With both trending in the wrong direction, we still have much to do to make 4/26 a reality. Thank you in advance. COVID testing continues at MHS on Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings. Here is the link with instructions on how to schedule a tele-med visit and secure a test time: https://www.metuchenschools.org/article/384549?org=msd. Please consider getting you and family tested regularly. The NJDOE released its school performance reports. You can find the reports for our schools as well as any district or school in the state. Click here: https://rc.doe.state.nj.us/ For most students, there will be no spring state testing this year. Some students still need to be tested. Your schools will be in touch. It looks like there will be new state testing to start the school year in the fall. More information to be released about that. Spring is here. Many seniors are making post-secondary plans, including deciding on colleges. There is still lots of work to accomplish preK to 12 in the next two months. There are also some fun school and district events coming up. Enjoy and continue to keep you and your neighbors safe and supported from COVID, racism, and mental health stresses. Thanks. Dr. Caputo

Good afternoon. I hope this message finds you well. We have summer-like temperatures on the eve of spring break. Below are some updates for this week and next. I’ll communicate again on 4/9 unless there is something timely to report before then. Our COVID status remains ORANGE. This means across the state and the central-east region of the state, the transmission rate remains high. Percent positivity and case rates have both increased in our area. In no way are we done with this pandemic. Please continue to wear a mask and social distance from others. Stay outside when you can and continue to keep your bubble small. As a reminder, travel restrictions are still in place. Those traveling during the week will need to quarantine and will be excluded from school buildings and co- and extracurricular activities. Please communicate with your teacher, principal, nurse, coach, and/or club advisor. Testing is an important tool to reduce the spread of the virus. To that end, we will continue our COVID testing at MHS tomorrow, next Thursday and next Saturday even while we are on spring break. I encourage you to take advantage of this testing. Keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. I will repeat my message from last week. While we have had many requests from parents to have their children attend every day, every week, at this point we can only accommodate that at MHS. At Moss, Campbell, and Edgar we are still targeting 4/26 or 5/3. Yesterday the NJDOH reduced social distancing from 6 feet to 3 feet under certain circumstances, with several conditions. I am also closely watching the local case numbers and the weekly state CALI reports. There are many details to be worked out over the next month. I can assure you we would like nothing more than to offer every day, every week attendance for all families who want that. Here are two other reminders. There are no meals served next week. The district is always looking for daily subs – apply online. Thanks for all the support you provide us. Have a great spring break. Enjoy and stay safe. Thanks.

Dr. Caputo's Presentation at the March 23rd Board of Education Meeting regarding Hybrid Learning Survey Results: https://5il.co/qwyv

Good afternoon. I hope this email finds you and your family happy and healthy. You may notice our flags at half-staff through Monday. Over the last several years, we have seen increased discrimination and hate directed toward Asian-Americans. This week’s violence and murders in the Atlanta-area were just gut-wrenching. Racism anywhere is racism everywhere. The Metuchen Public Schools stand with our Asian-American families. We must fight hard all the time for a society in which we want are children to grow up. Take a minute this weekend to check in on your neighbors. Yesterday’s CALI report keeps the state and the central-east region in ORANGE status. This means, while we have more residents receiving vaccines each day, COVID transmission remains high. Stay vigilant. COVID testing is available Thursdays and Saturdays at MHS for students and their families and staff and their families. Make your tele-med appointment, then pick your testing day and time. There should be no out-of-pocket cost to you. Testing will continue through spring break – same days and times. Travelers and residents returning from any U.S. state or territory beyond the immediate region (New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) should self-quarantine at their home, hotel, or other temporary lodging following recommendations from the CDC. If travel is unavoidable, travelers should consider getting tested with a viral test (not an antibody test) 1-3 days before the trip and again 3-5 days after the trip. If travelers test positive, they should self-isolate for at least 10 days and should postpone travel during that time. If travelers test negative, they should quarantine for a full 7 days after travel. If testing is not available (or if the results are delayed), travelers should quarantine for 10 days after travel. Click here for full link: https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/travel-and-transportation/are-there-travel-restrictions-to-or-from-new-jersey. travelers must still adhere to quarantine rules even if fully vaccinated. Here are some questions that I have been getting about all students in all schools attending five full days every week: Q1: When might all students be able to attend five days per week? A1: While MHS students can currently attend both weeks due to lower in-person attendance there, we cannot commit for the other three buildings, to a specific date at this time. However, April 26 or May 3 are possible, depending on: Whether the NJDOH changes its guidance for schools (now that the CDC has made 6 vs 3 feet recommendations) The state COVID transmission status (we need to be yellow on the CALI report) Cases locally in Metuchen. We have seen a high number of cases in Metuchen over the last two weeks. We need to drive these numbers down. Q2: Can it be sooner? A2: No. I don’t think it can be earlier than April 26. We want five weeks out from this week for fully vaccinated staff (and of course, we want two weeks after spring break because of travel despite recommendations not to.) Q3: What happens next? A3: The administration continues their daily meetings. We also have upcoming collaborative meetings with our District Leadership Team, the Instructional Council, the School Leadership Teams, and my Parent and Student Advisory groups. I will continue working with the board and will provide brief updates at the next several board meetings. Q4: What can you do? A4: Wear a mask (or two masks). Maintain social distancing. Wash your hands frequently. Finally, congratulations to the Campbell School Green Team. This morning, the team was awarded a $10,000 grant from Sustainable Jersey for Schools. Way to go! You can hear the announcement for yourself and learn more about our project at Facebook.com/SustainableJersey. We were announced approximately 25 minutes into the presentation!

Good afternoon. I hope this email finds you and your family doing well. Here are some updates: Three of the six regions of the state (including central-east) are in ORANGE. The state of New Jersey is also ORANGE. This indicates a HIGH rate of COVID-19 activity. Please continue to adhere to social distancing and mask wearing. While more and more people are vaccinated, we still have a long way to go. Now is not the time to let down our guard. COVID testing is available Thursdays and Saturdays at MHS for students and their families and staff and their families. Make your tele-med appointment, then pick your testing day and time. There should be no out-of-pocket cost to you. Testing will continue through spring break – same days and times. Travelers and residents returning from any U.S. state or territory beyond the immediate region (New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) should self-quarantine at their home, hotel, or other temporary lodging following recommendations from the CDC. If travel is unavoidable, travelers should consider getting tested with a viral test (not an antibody test) 1-3 days before the trip and again 3-5 days after the trip. If travelers test positive, they should self-isolate for at least 10 days and should postpone travel during that time. If travelers test negative, they should quarantine for a full 7 days after travel. If testing is not available (or if the results are delayed), travelers should quarantine for 10 days after travel. Click here for full link: https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/travel-and-transportation/are-there-travel-restrictions-to-or-from-new-jersey. travelers must still adhere to quarantine rules even if fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated individuals (two weeks after final dose) or those with proof of a positive test within the past 90 days are no longer required to quarantine as a close contact. Meals will continue to be served at MHS for the next two weeks. Meals will not be served over spring break and will then resume upon our return to school. Dr. Herzog's presentation at the March 9th Board of Education Meeting regarding the Mental Health Initiative Update, can be found here: https://5il.co/qj5d My presentation at the March 9th Board of Education Meeting regarding Hybrid Learning Survey Results: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1J_rVvmzvbuK3feduvZ5Kjzzo4b1RSZHvZ7JyvbTywYQ/preview The last two days have felt like spring training weather. The next few days are back to March weather and March Madness. Don’t forget to spring your clocks ahead this weekend. Dr. Vincent Caputo

Dr. Herzog's Presentation at the March 9th Board of Education Meeting regarding the Mental Health Initiative Update, can be found here: https://5il.co/qj5d

Dr. Caputo's Presentation at the March 9th Board of Education Meeting regarding Hybrid Learning Survey Results: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1J_rVvmzvbuK3feduvZ5Kjzzo4b1RSZHvZ7JyvbTywYQ/preview

Good afternoon. As always, I hope this message finds you well. Yesterday’s CALI report puts New Jersey back in ORANGE status, with three of the six regions of the state (including central-east) in ORANGE and the other three in YELLOW. Please continue to avoid gatherings, especially indoors. And despite what some states are doing, please continue to wear a mask. Let’s be honest, it is not that big of an inconvenience. Keep your family and your neighbors safe. Get tested at MHS each Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning. Students and staff, and their respective families are eligible. Register for a tele-med appointment. Then pick your appointment time. Testing is critical for returning to normal. So far, we have tested over 1100 individuals. Get your test as early as tomorrow! If travel is unavoidable, travelers should consider getting tested with a viral test (not an antibody test) 1-3 days before the trip and again 3-5 days after the trip. If travelers test positive, they should self-isolate for at least 10 days and should postpone travel during that time. If travelers test negative, they should quarantine for a full 7 days after travel. If testing is not available (or if the results are delayed), travelers should quarantine for 10 days after travel. People who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 3 months and recovered do not need to quarantine or get tested again during that three-month period as long as they do not develop new symptoms. If new symptoms develop after travel, people should follow instructions for what to do if you're sick. At this time, individuals who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 should continue to follow the State's travel advisory. Here is an update regarding meals. Parents/guardians of roomers can pick up 7 days’ worth of breakfast and 2 weekend lunches each Friday from 7:30 to 9:00am. Parents/guardians of zoomers can pick up breakfasts and lunches on Mondays and Thursdays from 7:30am - 9:00am. Pick up at the High School, door #29. We will serve MHS roomers lunch on March 23, 24 and 25. Campbell and Edgar have ½ days for conferences. On Monday, March 22 parents/guardians can pickup for Campbell and Edgar roomers: 3 lunches and 3 breakfasts. Will not be serving breakfast/lunch during spring break. Have a great weekend. Be extra nice to each other!

Good afternoon. I hope this message finds you well. COVID status: For the first time since the middle of November, New Jersey has dropped to YELLOW (moderate risk of transmission). While this is good news, it is not time to let your guard down. Maintain social distance and avoid indoor gatherings all together. Wear masks when indoors and when around other people outside. I have been trying to be a good role model, wearing two masks, a cloth mask over a blue 3-ply paper mask. Let’s push really hard so our kids can have a decent spring and a good summer. To see the state’s weekly CALI report, click here: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_19_Report_Week_2021_7.pdf Travel: Travel is still discouraged. Travelers and residents returning from any U.S. state or territory beyond the immediate region (New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) should self-quarantine at their home, hotel, or other temporary lodging following recommendations from the CDC: If travel is unavoidable, travelers should consider getting tested with a viral test (not an antibody test) 1-3 days before the trip and again 3-5 days after the trip. If travelers test positive, they should self-isolate for at least 10 days and should postpone travel during that time. If travelers test negative, they should quarantine for a full 7 days after travel. If testing is not available (or if the results are delayed), travelers should quarantine for 10 days after travel. Click here for the full link: https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/travel-and-transportation/are-there-travel-restrictions-to-or-from-new-jersey Mid-year student (grades 5-12) and parents (all) survey: Please check your email from Tuesday around 2pm for a link to the survey. Thanks so much to the over 1000 students/parents who have already responded. We got a taste of nice weather at the end of this week. Monday is March 1. Spring is coming. Summer won’t be far behind. Hang in there. Please reach out if we can help.

Good afternoon. I hope this message finds you and your family doing well. Is it summer yet? Just a quick update today on COVID status. There is some good news. Three of the six regions in the state are now YELLOW (moderate risk). Our central-east region and the state both remain ORANGE. Keep adhering to the mitigation strategies of distancing, masking, and handwashing. Please continue to avoid crowds and indoor gatherings. I am going out to do some shoveling (again). Hang in there. Warmer temperatures are coming and with pitchers and catchers in camp, spring is right around the corner. Have a nice weekend. VCaputo

Metuchen Public Schools will operate on an all-remote, early dismissal schedule on Friday, 2/19/21. Food distribution is still on as scheduled. Stay safe.

Metuchen Public Schools will operate on an all-remote, early dismissal schedule for Thursday, 2/18/21. After school in-person activities and sports are also cancelled.

Good afternoon. I hope this message finds you well. COVID status – while two of the six regions of the state dropped to YELLOW status, the central-east region and New Jersey remain in ORANGE status. Metuchen Schools remain open. Metuchen School District’s Mental Health Supports please visit our website and click on the lime-green mental health resources button: https://www.metuchenschools.org/ To access Mental Health supports at school, contact your school counselor, case manager, or building administrator See below for a summary of service here in the district Tier 1 Supports: Social Emotional Learning, Structured Self Questioning, Problem Solving and Decision Making processes embedded in curriculum Counseling, crisis intervention, and drop in appointments with School Counselors Academic advising with School Counselors Goals setting and post secondary planning with School Counselors Need-based class lessons to address specific issues School wide lessons on coping skills and executive functioning Coping skill tool kits for elementary students Summer Transition Groups from elementary to middle and middle to high Learning Strategies Summer courses for middle and high schoolers Referrals and resources provided to families Parent Workshops, Mental Health Moments resources and Parent Tip Sheets Positive reinforcement classroom management systems Academic interventions and support Tier 2 Supports: Mentors and advisors Individual and group counseling with School Psychologists, School Social Workers and Student Assistance Counselor Partnership with Effective School Solutions (MHS) and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, School Based Programs (Campbell and Edgar) to provide individual and group counseling with a licensed mental health clinician Need based counseling groups (i.e., grief, divorce, friendships) Skill based counseling groups (i.e., emotional regulation, social skills, executive functioning) Need based evening student workshops Positive Behavior Support Plans De-escalation support with calm down/emotional regulation areas Executive functioning lessons and academic support plans Academic interventions and remediation Tier 3 Supports: Partnership with Effective School Solutions for a clinical mental health program for students who benefit from wraparound imbedded supports within their school day (MHS) Partnership with Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, School Based Programs for a comprehensive clinical mental health program (Campbell and Edgar) Crisis Intervention, Mental Health Screening and Safety Planning Highly Individualized Functional Behavioral Support Plans by Board Certified Behavior Analysts Home visits and parent education programs Highly Individualized Academic and Emotional Support Plans Supports for Staff: Professional Development sessions on Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health Archived webinars from Effective School Solutions Consultation with School Counselors, Child Study Teams, Student Assistance Counselor and Licensed Clinicians Consultation with Board Certified Behavior Analyst Psycho-educational resources for staff (monthly newsletters, professional literature, etc.) Shared resources from Clinical Staff of Effective School Solutions and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care with collaboration and common planning for school based programs Support Groups and Share & Care Sessions Additional School Resources: Effective School Solutions Programs Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, School Based Programs Message to the community: I am listening to the voices of students, parents and teachers and I, along with the Board of education, am committed to the task of continuously reviewing our plan to best address the needs of our community. This is no easy task and there is no road map free of barriers, obstacles, and unintended negative consequences. The one thing is crystal clear: there will not be one plan that addresses the needs of all. Therefore, we will continue our commitment to gathering information, brainstorming plans, implementing, and reflecting. This is a cyclical process and every day, I reflect on the information available and act in what I perceive to be the best interest of the majority of the community. We are grateful for the on-going support of our community to enable us to open our schools for the students who need to attend in person. We are pleased that we have been able to offer the flexibility to our students who cannot attend in person to access their educational program from home. We are proud of our teachers who are working tirelessly to meet the needs of Roomers and Zoomers simultaneously. This plan was developed thoughtfully and with much effort and collaboration. As I reflect on the challenges in the districts around us, I think we have done well in this area. However, our plan is not perfect and it may not be working for all students. We have heard some students say they are struggling with the demands of screen time and

Metuchen Public Schools will operate on a delayed opening schedule for Thursday February 11, 2021

The Metuchen Public Schools will operate on a delayed opening schedule for Monday, February 8, 2021. Consult the school websites for start times. Food distribution will continue as scheduled.

Happy Friday. I hope this message finds you and your family well. COVID status: New Jersey and the central-east region of the state are still ORANGE. Metuchen Schools remain open with mitigation measures in place. See report here: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_19_Report_Week_2021_4.pdf COVID testing: Over 700 nasal swab PCR tests have been administered at MHS. Come out to get you and your family tested on Saturday. You must make a telemed appt for tonight in order to be tested tomorrow. Gatherings: Please don’t gather this weekend. Stay socially distant. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Ensure there is good ventilation. Have a great weekend. Stay safe.

The Metuchen Public Schools will operate on a half-day, all-remote schedule for Wednesday, February 3, 2021. Buildings will be open by the afternoon and your principal or coach/advisor will let you know about extracurricular activities. Food distribution will be rescheduled for Thursday. Regular COVID testing will take place Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning. Dr. Vincent Caputo

The Metuchen Public Schools will operate on a half-day, all-remote schedule for Tuesday, February 2, 2021. Decisions about after school activities will be made tomorrow on a school-by-school basis. Food distribution is scheduled for Wednesday and Friday. COVID-19 testing is scheduled for Thursday and Saturday.