Robbinsville Public Schools will operate on a fully remote schedule until Jan. 11, 2021, superintendent Brian Betze announced Nov. 19.
The decision was made as positive COVID-19 cases continue to ramp up state- and county-wide. As of Nov. 18, the daily average of new cases in Mercer County sat at 42.2 per day—within the top third of the state.
“The number of students and staff needing to quarantine in our schools and community has grown exponentially over this time period with the expectation that things will be getting worse,” Betze said. “Additionally, we have witnessed a large percentage of parents choosing for their child to move from in-person learning to fully remote learning and more students testing positive.”
Many school districts in Mercer County, including Hamilton, West Windsor-Plainsboro and Lawrence, have also made the move to an all-virtual model starting after Thanksgiving break.
Robbinsville’s move to remote learning started Nov. 30. The Jan. 11 reopen date could be moved up or back, depending on data and Department of Education mandates. Betze said parents will receive communication as plans are established.
“I ask that you hope for a better scenario while preparing for the Jan. 11 reopening of all three schools,” he said. “We realized for some that this could put more strain on your family and work circumstances, so any change will be communicated as soon as possible.”
For now, though, schools will remain closed, as the district reaches its “tipping point.”
“In conjunction with and the advice from the Robbinsville Department of Health, staff, parents, and the Board of Education, the current data supports a move to full-remote learning to help mitigate the spread in our community and protect the well-being of our student, staff and their families as we move into the end of the year,” Betze said. “This is not a decision that is made lightly or without great consternation. However, the health and safety of staff and students are paramount.”
If a parent or child requires assistance, contact your school’s guidance department. If you are in need of a district Chromebook, send an email to tech-help@robbinsville.k12.nj.us.
