Remote Learning Led To Shift In Cherry Hill Teaching: Official

CHERRY HILL, NJ — The shift to remote learning in the Cherry Hill Public School District earlier this year included a shift in thinking, according to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Meloche.

“We transitioned from grades to what we want student learning to look like,” Meloche said during a coronavirus update with Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. and Camden City Superintendent of Schools Katrina McCombs on Tuesday. “We discussed what we want our teachers to do, and how we want to assess the students.”

There was no standardized testing for New Jersey students during the 2019-20 school year, as schools closed from March until the end of the academic year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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Meloche said there was no drop off in grades for Cherry Hill students from the time they shifted to a remote learning environment in March. He also acknowledged that while kids can be doing well in school, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re learning. That’s what the district is focusing on as it heads into an uncertain 2020-21 school year.

Schools across the state are discussing what the next year will look like in their district. Meloche presented a range of options for the upcoming year last week, with an update scheduled for the July 28 board of education meeting. Read more here: Remote, In-Person Learning On Table When Cherry Hill Schools Reopen

Cherry Hill is doing its best to ensure that each student is in a position to learn and to succeed, including ensuring they have the needed resources. To that end, Meloche said 2,000 Chromebooks were sent home with students earlier this year, and the district provided families with 200 Wi-Fi hotspots. Over the summer, the district has gone out and secured additional hotspots.

“We still don’t have 100 percent connectivity, and that’s a problem,” Meloche said.

Last week, Gov. Phil Murphy said he's pumping tens of millions of dollars into boosting virtual learning in New Jersey, saying the state can use CARES Act funding to help bridge the so-called “digital divide.” The term refers to a gap between school districts where "not every student has a laptop." Read more here: NJ To Pump Millions To Boost Schools’ Virtual Learning Amid COVID

Cherry Hill received $700,000 in CARES Act funding, which is money from the federal government to provide relief to schools and the economy amid the coronavirus outbreak. Much of that money is being spent on technology upgrades, but the district is still in need in other areas.

“It would cost $2.5 million a year to purchase paper masks for everyone in the district for every day of the school year,” Meloche said. “That’s untenable.”

In the schools, staff members and students will be required to wear masks at all times, and the district will adhere to social distancing and health guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Meloche is asking parents to help their children pick out masks that they like that are school-appropriate. The district will have additional masks it can provide, and community members and vendors have also offered to donate masks.

See more stories about New Jersey's coronavirus recovery.

On Monday, Murphy said the Department of Education will provide guidance later this week for parents to allow for them to opt for all-remote learning for their children this fall. Read more here: NJ To Offer Remote-Learning Option For Schools Amid Coronavirus

“We already have an all-virtual option in our plans,” Meloche said. “Many people are medically fragile, and they’re scared about going to school. They might have to make the choice between their health and going back to school. We don’t want them to have to make those decisions.”

There will be stringent cleaning of the schools and buses in the district to help preserve physical health. Mental health is a concern, too, as Meloche acknowledged the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has been a traumatic experience for students, their families and staff.

“Learning is a social experience,” Meloche said. “Kids need to see each other. Kids miss being in school; it’s where their world is centered.”

Students who engage in 100 percent remote learning will still be permitted to participate in their school's club activities and sports in-person.

The district is following the guidelines for playing sports that have been put forth by the NJSIAA, the state's governing body for high school athletics, which have been delayed one month. To see the NJSIAA's latest guidance, visit njsiaa.org.

See related: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

This article originally appeared on the Cherry Hill Patch