Metuchen School District

The Metuchen Public Schools will operate on a half-day, all-remote schedule for Monday, February 1, 2021. All buildings will be closed. All sports and extracurricular activities are cancelled.

Good afternoon. I hope this message finds you healthy (and warm). Here are some updates: The NJDOH reports that New Jersey and the central-east region of the state remain in ORANGE status. Metuchen Public Schools remain open. We continue to offer on-site COVID testing at MHS on Thursdays and Saturdays. Please get yourself and your family tested. You can help reduce the rate of transmission if you know your status. As a reminder to Parents/Guardians of Campbell and Edgar bus eligible students , there was a bus interest letter and survey link sent out to your email. Please fill it out by Tuesday, February 2, 2021 to help us determine bussing interest for the upcoming 2021-2022 school. If you have not received it, please reach out. Congratulations to Mr. Ronk and his the Grade 7 G&T STEM students who competed in the Lego Robotics Competition. We even had Edgar Team B win 2nd place in the Core Values Award! Here is the list of students: Edgar Team A- Oliver Ames, Saanvi Karthik, Matthew Lifton, Reece Osborn-Jones, Natalie Wu, Diwen He, Matthew Li, Katie Chen, Giovanni Fighera Edgar Team B- Chiara Baldi, Helen Tang, Joon Lee, Jack Schaunnessey, Victor Galehouse, Caleb Han, Ryan Stein Edgar Team C- Asher Greenbaum, Erika Mihaylov, Manali Weller, Aidan Bernstein-Lundy, Kai Englert, Tariq Alisammond, Nicholas Timko, Sarah Martin Wear a mask. Stay distant. Wash your hands. Stop gathering. Get tested. Thank you. Have a nice weekend. After a Saturday morning food delivery to St. Joseph’s Social Service food pantry in Elizabeth, I’ll be making sauce and lemon-blueberry bread, and enjoying some basketball on TV. I’ll also be paying plenty of attention to the weather forecast. Dr. Vincent Caputo

Metuchen Public Schools will operate on a full-day, all-remote schedule on Tuesday, January 26, 2021. While there isn’t a lot of snow expected, ice is a possibility. All schools will be remote for a full day of instruction.

Good afternoon: I hope you are healthy and that you are making every effort to keep your neighbors healthy. Here are some updates and links for you. COVID status – Both New Jersey and the central-east region of the state remain in ORANGE: (https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_19_Report_Week_2021_2.pdf). Metuchen Schools remain open with all mitigation efforts in place. COVID testing – Please get tested regularly and whenever you think you may have been exposed. For your convenience we are offering in-district testing for staff and their families and for students and their families. Testing is every Thursday and Saturday. It’s easy, quick, and has no out-of-pocket costs to you. For more information: https://www.metuchenschools.org/article/384549?org=msd Stop gathering, especially maskless, with people outside of your immediate household. That is risky behavior. You can stop the spread. How? Wear a mask, stay six feet apart, wash your hands often, and of course, get tested. Please be honest when you complete the daily screening questionnaire. Your cooperation is expected and appreciated. Pay close attention to travel restrictions and quarantine timelines. We are here to help you. Contact us with any questions. 2021-2022 district calendar – At Tuesday’s board meeting, the calendar for next school year was approved: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1084519/2021-22_School_Calendar_Board_Approved_1.19.21.pdf. We designed a calendar with the longest possible summer break. You’re welcome! Have a great weekend. Enjoy family time when you can. And maybe even more outside time. This week saw the first post-5pm sunset of the year. Spring is coming. Hang in there. Dr. Caputo

Good afternoon. Here are some updates: COVID status – New Jersey and the central-east region of the state are still in ORANGE status. The Metuchen Public Schools remain open with all mitigation efforts in place. COVID testing In-district – please consider taking advantage of our in-district testing for students and staff, and their families. Testing takes place on Thursdays and Saturdays at MHS. So far, in two weeks, we have administered 275 tests. Testing provides you valuable information that allows you to protect your family and the community at large. The process is easy. It includes a virtual tele-medicine visit and bringing your printed prescription to MHS at the appointment time you choose. Other options – of course there are plenty of other options. We are partnering with Excell Labs on Ethel Road in Edison. They have been collaborative and have even taken our suggestions on how to make the process better. We have heard that late morning seems to be a good time to go if you are able to. They take those who may have been exposed and those who are symptomatic. MHS additional in-person opportunities – beginning January 25th, current hybrid students at MHS will be given the chance to attend in-person both weeks. Every MHS student will retain their A/B week status, and for now, this opportunity does not impact all-remote students. Mr. Peragallo will be communicating to families of in-person students next week to gauge their interest in attending both weeks. We plan to pilot this for a month. Meals – no-cost breakfast and lunch for all students will be offered for the rest of the school year. In addition, Pomptonian has teamed up with award-winning pediatrician, author and keynote speaker, Dr. Jill Garripoli Pedalino. Here is a link to Dr. Jill’s first edition, “5 Tips for Enjoying a Healthy, Happy and Safe Lifestyle.” https://www.pomptonian.com/nutrition-news/ Schools are closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr Day. Here is an interesting place to start learning about MLK Jr Day: https://nationaltoday.com/martin-luther-king-jr-day/ Inauguration Day – next Wednesday, January 20th, according to the US Constitution, is Inauguration Day. For decades, some teachers and students have watched the historic ceremony live. This year will be no different. Principals and teachers will collaborate around age-appropriateness and content-relatedness in determining if to incorporate the viewing of the inauguration into their lesson plans. True – we live in complicated times. More than ever, our students need us to be there to support and guide them. I did a quick Google search for some starter information. Here are some links to learn about the history and traditions of the inauguration: https://www.inaugural.senate.gov/ https://washington.org/DC-guide-to/inauguration-day-frequently-asked-questions-washington-dc https://historyinpieces.com/research/presidential-inauguration-dates

Good afternoon. I hope this email finds you well. COVID activity level Central-East = orange (high) Statewide = orange (high) Influenza activity level: statewide = low COVID testing: As a reminder, the District is offering free COVID-19 testing to staff and students. There is no out-of-pocket or co-pay required of you, and no need to first have to go in-person to a busy doctor’s office for a test and/or test prescription. Our quick and easy plan requires you to register for a telemed visit (one easy step to book a two-minute telemed visit, which you can do on your phone or computer at home) prior to test day. Then upon receiving an email after the telemed, you book your test slot (one easy step) and go to MHS with your printed prescription. Questions? Send email to: Covidtesting@metuchenschools.org Travel restrictions: “New Jersey strongly discourages all non-essential interstate travel at this time. 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. The advisory is no longer specific to certain states. Because of the rising number of case counts across all states, there is an increased risk of spread of COVID-19 upon return from any travel. The self-quarantine is voluntary, but compliance is expected. Travelers arriving from areas with increasing COVID-19 cases may wish to postpone their travel to the region if they are unwilling or unable to follow the quarantine advisory. Travelers and those residents who are returning from states and territories beyond the immediate region should quarantine at their home, or a hotel or other temporary lodging. Individuals should leave the place of quarantine only to seek medical care/treatment or to obtain food and other essential items.” Meals: We will now be offering 7 breakfasts and 7 lunches to all students. Pick-up days, times and locations are being finalized for both Roomers and Zoomers. A flyer will be sent out on Wednesday with distribution details. Winter sports: As of now, we are offering winter sports. See below for practice and game start dates. Please understand that these sports seasons are subject to change. They may be delayed, paused, or cancelled if it becomes necessary. Ice hockey: practices start 1/3 and competition begins 1/15 Basketball: practices start 1/11 and competition begins 1/26 Swimming: practices start 2/1 and competition begins 2/16 Winter track: practices start 2/1 and competition begins 2/16 Wrestling: practices start 3/1 and competition begins 3/16 Have a nice weekend. Enjoy family time and some basketball and football on TV. Reach out if we can be of any help.

1/6/20201 Good evening. The images we saw out of Washington DC today may have been disturbing for our students (and adults). We are here to support you and your children. Below are some resources that you could use to make some sense out of today and some of the key terms we are hearing. While I encourage you and your students to learn from social media, just be aware of the sources of the material. Start with some trusted sites: When news breaks of disaster or violence, your students may want to discuss a crisis as it unfolds. Here’s how: https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/when-bad-things-are-happening Presidential Disability and Succession: https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-xxv Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition: https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-i US House of Representatives/Impeachment: https://history.house.gov/Institution/Origins-Development/Impeachment/ National Archives/Electoral College: https://www.archives.gov/electoral-college Like many of you, my family has visited Washington DC a few times. We toured the White House, visited the museums, took photos at the iconic monuments and buildings of democracy, and saw the men and women of the Secret Service hard at work. Today was a rough day in American history. And still, we saw democracy in action. Georgia held runoff elections to determine the control of the Senate. Congress certified the Electoral College results in preparation the President-Elect Biden’s inauguration on January 20th. Superintendents this year have been thrust into a new reality. You probably shouldn’t need to get political and government updates from me, but just as it has been with sharing accurate information about COVID-19, it’s my responsibility to inform our community of events, especially those that will have traumatic effects on staff and students. Feel free to reach out. Educators will educate. Counselors will counsel. That’s what we do. We are here for you today, tomorrow, and every day. Have a restful evening.

1/4/21 Thank you to those who took advantage of our free Covid-19 testing for all staff and students last week. Beginning January 7th, we will offer testing on Thursdays from 2:30 to 6:30 pm for staff; 3:30 to 6:30 pm for students; and on Saturdays from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm (staff and students). Learn more here: https://5il.co/o9a5 You must register in advance and complete a virtual “telemedicine visit” prior to Test Day. No walk-ups will be permitted. You will be asked for insurance information when you register. If you do not have insurance, the test will be given to you free of charge. You must arrive at your test with your PRINTED Telemed Covid-19 Test Script in hand, which will be emailed to you after your telemed visit. Moss, Campbell and Edgar students must be accompanied by an adult in order to be tested. To register for a test, please go to https://backtoworksolutions.com/MetuchenPSD.html. Any questions can be sent to Covidtesting@metuchenschools.org. Testing takes place in the MHS Wrestling Room (enter from outside rear door by baseball field). To those who will be tested, thank you for doing your part to ensure a safe return to school in 2021. Dr. Vincent Caputo

Thank you to those who took advantage of our free Covid-19 testing for all staff and students today. Beginning January 7th, we will offer testing on Thursdays from 2:30 to 6:30 pm for staff and from 3:30 to 6:30 pm for students; and Saturdays from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm (staff and students). You must register in advance and complete a virtual “telemedicine visit” prior to Test Day. No walk-ups will be permitted. You will be asked for insurance information when you register. If you do not have insurance, the test will be given to you free of charge. You must arrive at your test with your PRINTED telemed Covid-19 Test Script in hand, which will be emailed to you after your telemed visit. Moss, Campbell and Edgar students must be accompanied by an adult in order to be tested. To register for a test, please go to https://backtoworksolutions.com/MetuchenPSD.html. Any questions can be sent to Covidtesting@metuchenschools.org. Testing takes place in the MHS Wrestling Room (enter from outside rear door by baseball field). To those who will be tested, thank you for doing your part to ensure a safe return to school in 2021. Happy New Year! Dr. Caputo

We are happy to announce that we are offering free Covid-19 testing for all staff and students. We have partnered with Back to Work Solutions and have scheduled our initial Test Day for this Thursday, December 31, from 11 am to 3 pm in MHS Wrestling Room (enter from outside rear door by baseball field). You must register in advance and complete a virtual “telemedicine visit” on Tuesday or Wednesday prior to Thursday’s Test Day. No walk-ups will be permitted. You will be asked for insurance information when you register. If you do not have insurance, the test will be given to you free of charge. You must arrive at your test on Thursday with your printed Telemed Covid-19 Test Script in hand. Moss, Campbell and Edgar students must be accompanied by an adult in order to be tested. More information can be found on this flyer https://5il.co/o7j7. To register for a test, please go to https://backtoworksolutions.com/MetuchenPSD.html. We will begin weekly testing next week and will forward information when available.

Hello. I hope you are doing well as we close out 2020. Calendar – see you on January 4, 2021 when we will continue to follow our approved district hybrid calendar. Lunch – Meal pickup will restart on January 4, 2021. We are collaborating with Pomptonian. Pickup will either continue daily for lunch - or it may switch to twice per week (and include breakfast in addition to lunch). Stay tuned. I will update the community next week. We have clear advice regarding the holidays from the governor and mayor. Please adhere to it. Don’t travel. Avoid gatherings. Wear a mask. I want to say thank you to the entire Metuchen community. To our staff – thank you for providing excellent instruction in a full-day, hybrid schedule. I really appreciated your collaboration all summer and into September as we returned our most needy students right away and then all our students by October 1. I look forward to our continued work together on 2021. To our parents, thank you for your trust and cooperation. Your confidence is us is greatly appreciated. Your children are our most important stakeholders. We are here to work together with you to see that they get the best academic and social-emotional instruction that we can provide. Your elected board members are committed to seeing that instruction in Metuchen is second-to-none. That’s part of why I love working here! And to our students – thanks for your efforts to be better yourselves - and for your feedback - so that we can be better for you. Your accomplishments in music and art and on the athletic fields this fall have left me impressed and inspired. Your work in the classroom is certainly noticed. It’s a great time to take stock and reflect on where we are and where we want to be by June. Keep working with us to make the educational experience the best it can be. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Hello. I hope this message finds you and your family healthy and safe. Below is information of interest for you this week: We continue to follow our approved district calendar. Next week, all schools are remote for students. You may see teachers working in-person or from home. We return to our in-person hybrid schedule on January 4, 2021. The COVID-19 Weekly Activity Report for week ending December 12, 2020 can be found on the NJDOH website at: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/statistics/covid/index.shtml. As of the week ending December 12, 2020 (MMWR week 50), all six regions in the state have a COVID-19 Activity Level Index (CALI) Score of 3 and the statewide activity level remains at high. The NJDOH Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report can be found here: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/flu/surveillance/Flu_Report_2020_Week_50.pdf. Influenza activity remains low across the state. Get your flu shot now. The Metuchen Education Foundation has approved Dr. Sandy Vorensky’s grant application for "Math Path." Please consider participating in Metuchen Education Foundation fundraisers if you can. All the monies return to the schools to support innovative pilot programs not currently included in the budget. Each year, thousands of dollars of grants are approved. I will try to highlight the great work by this organization as well as the great work of the PTC and the school PTOs. The FBI is raising awareness for parents and caregivers of school-age children about potential disruptions to schools and compromises of private information, as cyber actors exploit remote learning vulnerabilities. We have been asked to share with all parents/guardians. See the PSA at this link: https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2020/PSA201215 My daughter received her first college acceptance this week. Good luck to our MHS seniors who are also awaiting word. Thank you for your continued support. Stay well. Enjoy some football and basketball this weekend.

Metuchen Public Schools will operate all-remote, on an early-dismissal schedule on Thursday, 12/17/2020. Kids can be kids - and play in the snow by mid-day. And adults can be adults - and shovel while there is still plenty of daylight (or they can be kids and play in the snow too!). Check the individual school website or look for a communication from the principal about the schedule specifics for tomorrow. Under N.J.A.C. 6A:32-8.3(e) and Executive Order (E.O.) No. 175, a school day, whether in-person or remote, must consist of at least four (4) hours of active instruction, exclusive of recess periods or lunch periods, and which may include synchronous and/or asynchronous instruction to students by an appropriately certified teacher. I believe this is the best of both worlds. We plan to implement this schedule for weather-related closures this year. Thursday will count toward the required number of instructional days and we will be able to move the last day of school (including MHS Graduation) up to 6/15/2021. If there has even been a year that we all could use a long summer, it is this one! The Board will consider and most likely approve this calendar change when it reconvenes in January. Enjoy tomorrow and be safe

Hi everyone! I hope this message find you and your family well. If you are struggling with COVID, please get well soon. If you need any assistance from us, don’t hesitate to reach out and ask. Calendar: As most of you know already, we are sticking with our approved hybrid district calendar. All students will be remote for the next two weeks. You may see some teachers working in-person while others choose to work from home. Then, in the new year, we will return to our hybrid schedule, starting on January 4, 2021, with B-week students and all staff in-person. Tweets from Governor Murphy today: “Just because a vaccine is right on the horizon doesn’t mean we can start to let our guard down. Do your part. Every day. There is no light switch. We have to get through this winter. We cannot give up. We cannot just let this virus run rampant and have its way with us. All of us need to fully recommit to doing our part to slow the spread. We have to fight to protect every resident, every family, every community.” Lunches: We are partnering with Pomptonian Food Service to provide free school lunches for all students. No preordering is necessary. Last day for lunch pickup is 12/23/2020 from 7:30am to 9:00am. Lunch pickup is at MHS door #29. Lunch pickup for zoomers and lunch service for roomers then resumes on 1/4/2021. Tomorrow is Cookie Day in the Caputo household. Yum! Enjoy the weekend. Stay distant. Mask up. Wash your hands.

1. NJ COVID information: a. NJ COVID-19 Dashboard: https://covid19.nj.gov/forms/d... b. COVID-19 Activity Level Report: COIVD-19 activity level for the state is HIGH and for the Central East Region (including Middlesex County), it is also HIGH. See the link below for more information: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/d... 2. NJ Flu information: Flu activity level for the state is LOW and for the Central East Region (including Middlesex County), it is also LOW. It is a great time to get you and your loved ones vaccinated against the seasonal flu. See the link below for New Jersey’s Influenza-like Illness Weekly Report: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/d... 3. District calendar: We are following our district calendar and will remain hybrid until 12/11 as scheduled. Next week is A-week. Then, beginning on 12/14, we will be all-remote for students. Staff have the option of working from the buildings or from home. We will return to our hybrid plan on 1/4/2021 with B-week. 4. Winter sports update: The opening dates for all winter sports have officially been pushed back to January. This will give us additional time to assess the viability of offering sports here in the district. As you know, we are making every effort to provide students with as many co- and extra-curricular opportunities as we can. At this date, I cannot say if it will be safe to offer indoor winter sports. Stay tuned. 5. Masks: NJDOH explicitly changed their wording from “face coverings” to “masks”. Based on that change, our nurses advise that all students and staff should wear masks rather than gaiters or bandanas. (However, there is not specific language at this time saying gaiters and bandanas cannot be worn. This is however the interpretation of our nurses, who are our medical experts.) Here is a link with some info: https://www.cdc.gov/coronaviru... Wear a mask! 6. Cooperation: I want to again encourage you to cooperate with contact tracing calls from the state, county, and the district. And please continue to report to us positive cases and close contacts, even if your child is all-remote. It helps us greatly in completing the tracing and reporting that we must do. 7. Update NJDOH guidelines for schools: https://www.state.nj.us/health... 8. Social-emotional character development committee: The SECD Committee is proud to release our first podcast: Coffee Talk. Each month the podcast topic will vary to match current happenings and be influenced by parent/community feedback. This month’s topic is “The First Steps”, how to approach your child when you notice they are getting upset. Click on the following link to access the podcast: https://tinyurl.com/CoffeeTalkPC1. We would greatly appreciate your feedback on our podcast and will do our best to include questions from parents on upcoming topics. Please reach out to: SECD_MSD@metboe.k12.nj.us 9. The Footlighters are filming their performance of the musical The Drowsy Chaperone for viewing on: • Thursday December 3 • Friday December 4 • Saturday December 5 7:00 pm - performances will be viewed online. If you would like to see the production, you will buy tickets and view the film online. For tickets go to: mhsfootlighters.com. Scroll down to The Drowsy Chaperone logo and click on Buy Tickets Today. This takes you to the website for purchasing tickets and viewing the film. There will also be info here for how to access the film. Tickets are $12.00 per device - so people in the same house can all view! 10. Parent Instructional Technology Support: Please join us for our upcoming workshops: a. Tuesday, December 8th: Google Classroom, Drive, Meeting and Room b. Thursday, December 10th: Grade 1-5 Technology Platforms Workshops will take place at 10am and 4pm. Please register at https://tinyurl.com/MSD1220

Happy Thanksgiving. That’s it. That’s the whole message. Detailed Friday communications will continue next week. Be safe!

Hello. I hope this email finds you and your family staying healthy. Below are some updates: Winter sports: The start of the winter season has been officially pushed back by the NJSIAA. While I am still unsure of the likelihood of having indoor winter sports, at least I have more time before decisions need to be made. Practice start dates, per the NJSIAA are as follows: Ice hockey: December 16 Basketball: January 11 Swimming and winter track: February 1 Wrestling: March 1 Two notes: (1) There is no guidance on middle school basketball, so obviously if we were to have a season, practices would not begin before January 11. (2) As a reminder, these are only guidelines from the NJSIAA and decisions about whether we will be participate will be local ones. COVID-19 updates Here is a link to the COVID NJ Alert App. Consider downloading it. https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/app. Please cooperate with district and county contact tracing. You may receive calls from the County Health Department, the school principal, the school nurse, or Mr. Ortman, our district safety coordinator. Thanks. Our mitigation efforts include the following: conducting entry screenings and temperature checks, ensuring that all staff and students wear masks, keeping everyone in the buildings six feet apart, cleaning all high contact areas throughout the day, and conducting process cleaning every night. State COVID-19 dashboard: Visit the website here for the daily updates: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/covid2019_dashboard.shtml Middlesex County reported 347 additional cases on Thursday New Jersey’s rate of transmission (Rt) = 1.42 Across the state, there have been 56 school outbreaks with 239 linked cases In Middlesex County, there has been one school outbreak reported with 3 linked cases NJDOH COVID-19 Activity Level Report: This is a weekly report, usually available on Thursday or Friday. You can find the latest version here (as soon as it is published): https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_19_Report_Week_46.pdf Statewide Activity Level = HIGH Central East Region (includes Middlesex County) Activity Level = HIGH Flu shots: In order to help keep its residents safe and continue to practice social distancing, Middlesex County Office of Health Services is highly recommending flu shots. Please consider getting vaccinated. Traveling? Please visit https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/travel-and-transportation/which-states-are-on-the-travel-advisory-list-are-there-travel-restrictions-to-or-from-new-jersey Here is a list of FAQs about travel: https://nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/Travel_advisoryFAQs_6-25-2020.pdf You will be excluded for 14 days – for the safety of the staff and students in the buildings. Thanks in advance for your honesty. I appreciate it. On campus? All visitors to our campus, including the front and back fields and the stadium, must wear a mask. Thank you for your cooperation. Calendar: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/903203/2020-2021_School_Calendar_Board_HYBRID_Sept.pdf. The eight school days prior to Thanksgiving (11/16 to 11/25) are all-remote for students. The buildings are open and staff may be working in-person or from home. Lunches: Our lunch pickup system remains in effect. I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. If you have any questions, let us know. Maintain social distancing. Wear a mask. Get tested. Have a great weekend. Go Bulldogs! Go Scarlet Knights! Go Broncos!

Hello. I hope this message finds you and your family healthy and happy. If there is anything that we can do to help, please let me know. Below is some information for you: School security drills for November – expect test calls on Tuesday As you are likely aware, in accordance with N.J. School Drill Law N.J.S. 18A:41-1, every school is required to have one fire drill and one school security drill each month. Following directives from the Officer of the Governor, adjustments have been made to the types of drills being conducted to help reduce the likelihood of virus transmission during the school year. The New Jersey Department of Education and the Office of School Preparedness & Emergency Planning are requiring each school to conduct a Notification Drill during the month of November. This drill will identify the capability of schools to effectively communicate emergency messaging to all stakeholders. Please expect high-alert test messages to come from the individual schools at these approximate times: Metuchen High School - Tuesday, November 17, 12:00 p.m. Edgar Middle School – Tuesday, November 17, 12:00p.m. Campbell Elementary - Tuesday, November 17, 12:00 p.m. Moss Elementary - Tuesday, November 17, 12:00 p.m. This is not an emergency situation, rather, this is a drill designed to monitor and ensure the functionality of our notification system. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your school principal. COVID-19 updates Here is a link to the COVID NJ Alert App. Consider downloading it. https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/app. Please cooperate with district and county contact tracing. You may receive calls from the County Health Department, the school principal, the school nurse, or Mr. Ortman, our district safety coordinator. Thanks. COVID-19 notifications from the district: Our goals include speed and transparency. There will be three levels of communication when we are informed of a positive COVID-19 result: A general notification from me to the students, parents, and teachers at the particular school. If necessary. a notice or phone call from the principal informing anyone who may have been a close contact. (Please be patient with us as this communication is made prior to the complete contact tracing and the summary meeting with the County Health Department.) If necessary, a follow-up from the principal confirming those who are (and those who are not) a close contact. Those confirmed as close contacts must quarantine for 14 days. There is no longer the option to test out of quarantine. Our mitigation efforts include the following: conducting entry screenings and temperature checks, ensuring that all staff and students wear masks, keeping everyone in the buildings six feet apart, cleaning all high contact areas throughout the day, and conducting process cleaning every night. State COVID-19 dashboard: Visit the website here for the daily updates: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/covid2019_dashboard.shtml Middlesex County reported 231 additional cases on Thursday New Jersey’s rate of transmission (Rt) = 1.30 Across the state, there have been 51 school outbreaks with 192 linked cases In Middlesex County, there has been one school outbreak reported with 3 linked cases Across the district: we had 1 new case this week, bringing our total to 12. 9 staff members and 11 students are excluded as of today due to a positive test or designation as a close contact. all Metuchen schools remain open. NJDOH COVID-19 Activity Level Report: This is a weekly report, usually available on Thursday or Friday. You can find the latest version here (as soon as it is published): https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_19_Report_Week_45.pdf Statewide Activity Level = MODERATE Central East Region (includes Middlesex County) Activity Level = MODERATE Free drive-thru flu shots: In order to help keep its residents safe and continue to practice social distancing, Middlesex County Office of Health Services will be offering drive-thru flu clinics. This is a free service being offered to all Middlesex County residents ages 6 months and up that meet a set of criteria. To learn more about how to get your free flu shot, upcoming clinic dates, and tips on how to fight the flu this year, residents can visit: http://www.middlesexcountynj.gov/flu. Traveling? Please visit https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/travel-and-transportation/which-states-are-on-the-travel-advisory-list-are-there-travel-restrictions-to-or-from-new-jersey Here is a list of FAQs about travel: https://nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/Travel_advisoryFAQs_6-25-2020.pdf You will be excluded for 14 days – for the safety of the staff and students in the buildings. Thanks in advance for your honesty. I appreciate it. On campus? All visitors to our campus, including the front and back fields and the stadium, must wear a mask. Thank you for your cooperation. Calendar: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.co

Hello. I hope you and your family are well. Here are some updates for this first week of November: COVID-19 updates Here is a link to the COVID NJ Alert App. Consider downloading it. https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/app. Please cooperate with district and county contact tracing. You may receive calls from the County Health Department, the school principal, the school nurse, or Mr. Ortman, our district safety coordinator. Thanks. COVID-19 notifications from the district: Our goals include speed and transparency. There will be three levels of communication when we are informed of a positive COVID-19 result: A general notification from me to the students, parents, and teachers at the particular school. If necessary. a notice or phone call from the principal informing anyone who may have been a close contact. (Please be patient with us as this communication is made prior to the complete contact tracing and the summary meeting with the County Health Department.) If necessary, a follow-up from the principal confirming those who are (and those who are not) a close contact. Those confirmed as close contacts must quarantine for 14 days. There is no longer the option to test out of quarantine. Our mitigation efforts include the following: conducting entry screenings and temperature checks, ensuring that all staff and students wear masks, keeping everyone in the buildings six feet apart, cleaning all high contact areas throughout the day, and conducting process cleaning every night. State COVID-19 dashboard: Visit the website here for the daily updates: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/covid2019_dashboard.shtml Middlesex County reported 169 additional cases on Tuesday New Jersey’s rate of transmission (Rt) = 1.28 Across the state, there have been 25 school outbreaks with 111 linked cases In Middlesex County, there have been no school outbreaks reported NJDOH COVID-19 Activity Level Report: This is a weekly report, usually available Thursday or Friday. You can find the latest version here (as soon as it is published): https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_19_Report_Week_44.pdf Statewide Activity Level = MODERATE Central East Region (includes Middlesex County) Activity Level = MODERATE Free drive-thru flu shots: In order to help keep its residents safe and continue to practice social distancing, Middlesex County Office of Health Services will be offering drive-thru flu clinics.This is a free service being offered to all Middlesex County residents ages 6 months and up that meet a set of criteria. To learn more about how to get your free flu shot, upcoming clinic dates, and tips on how to fight the flu this year, residents can visit: http://www.middlesexcountynj.gov/flu. Traveling? Please visit https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/travel-and-transportation/which-states-are-on-the-travel-advisory-list-are-there-travel-restrictions-to-or-from-new-jersey Here is a list of FAQs about travel: https://nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/Travel_advisoryFAQs_6-25-2020.pdf You will be excluded for 14 days – for the safety of the staff and students in the buildings. Thanks in advance for your honesty. I appreciate it. On campus? All visitors to our campus, including the front and back fields and the stadium, must wear a mask. Thank you for your cooperation. Calendar: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/903203/2020-2021_School_Calendar_Board_HYBRID_Sept.pdf. Next week is A-week at all four schools. Remember that the eight days prior to Thanksgiving (11/16 to 11/25) are all-remote for students. The buildings are open and staff may be working in-person or from home. Maintain social distancing. Wear a mask. Get tested. Have a great four-day weekend. The weather looks great. Go Bulldogs! Go Scarlet Knights! Go Broncos!

Hello. I hope this message finds you well. Please have a happy - and safe - weekend. Below are some updates. COVID-19 Here is a link to the COVID NJ Alert App. Consider downloading it. https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/app. Please cooperate with district and county contact tracing. Thanks. COVID-19 notifications from the district: Our goals include speed and transparency. There will be three levels of communication when we are informed of a positive COVID-19 result: A general notification from me to the students, parents, and teachers at the particular school. A notice from the principal informing anyone who MAY BE a close contact. (Please be patient with us as this communication is made prior to the complete contact tracing and the summary meeting with the County Health Department.) A follow-up from the principal confirming those who are (and those who are not) a close contact. Those confirmed as close contacts must quarantine for 14 days. There is no longer the option to test out of quarantine. State COVID—19 dashboard: Visit the website here for the daily updates: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/covid2019_dashboard.shtml New Jersey reported 1477 additional cases on Thursday Middlesex County reported 121 additional cases on Thursday New Jersey’s rate of transmission (Rt) = 1.25 Middlesex County’s rate of transmission (Rt) = 1.23 Across the state, there have been 28 school outbreaks with 122 linked cases In Middlesex County, there has been 1 school outbreak reported NJDOH COVID-19 Activity Level Report: This is a weekly report. You can find the latest version here: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_19_Report_Week_43.pdf Statewide Activity Level = MODERATE Central East Region (includes Middlesex County) Activity Level = MODERATE Free drive-thru flu shots: In order to help keep its residents safe and continue to practice social distancing, Middlesex County Office of Health Services will be offering drive-thru flu clinics beginning Wednesday, October 28th. This is a free service being offered to all Middlesex County residents ages 6 months and up that meet a set of criteria. To learn more about how to get your free Flu Shot, upcoming clinic dates, and tips on how to fight the flu this year, residents can visit: http://www.middlesexcountynj.gov/flu. Traveling? Please visit https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/travel-and-transportation/which-states-are-on-the-travel-advisory-list-are-there-travel-restrictions-to-or-from-new-jersey Here is a list of FAQs about travel: https://nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/Travel_advisoryFAQs_6-25-2020.pdf You will be excluded for 14 days – for the safety of the staff and students in the buildings. Thanks in advance for your honesty. I appreciate it. Calendar: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/903203/2020-2021_School_Calendar_Board_HYBRID_Sept.pdf. Next week is B-week. Students have school only on Monday and Wednesday. All staff will be participating in professional development workshop on Tuesday so students should use the time to catch up on assignments. Reminder - the eight days prior to Thanksgiving (11/16 to 11/25) are all-remote for students. The buildings are open and staff may work in-person or from home. Happy Halloween! Vote by November 3rd at 8pm.