April 9, 2021
Dear Springfield Public Schools Community:
Happy Friday! We hope that you all enjoyed a restful Spring Break and a smooth return to remote instruction this week.
Next week, the district will be returning to four-day in-person instruction for families that previously indicated that preference. The purpose of this letter is to share our next steps regarding the remainder of the school year.
First, families with students in the virtual instruction program now have the opportunity to request a change in their child’s program. If your child is in the virtual program, identified as “Cohort C,” you will be able to log into OnCourse Connect and respond to a survey question asking whether you wish to change your child’s program from virtual to in-person. Only the families with current virtual program students will receive the survey question. The survey question will only be available on OnCourse Connect until April 18, 2021, so that the district can prepare the classroom arrangements necessary to accommodate additional in-person students. If you wish to change your student to virtual instruction, please contact the school directly. Students changing programs will be able to return to in-person instruction beginning Monday, May 3, 2021.
Please note, this is the last time this school year that such a change will be an option, and families that choose for their students to remain virtual will remain virtual for the remainder of the school year.
Second, for students in grades Pre-kindergarten through Grade 5, this will also mark the shift to a five-day week. The daily schedules will remain the same, and Wednesdays will remain half-days for students to support professional development and planning. Due to significant challenges shifting the schedules at this point in the school year, grades 6-12 will remain on a four-day in-person schedule with virtual instruction on Wednesdays.
Third, for families of students that are eligible to receive the vaccine, please contact the school nurse once your student’s vaccines are completed. We are currently collecting information related to student and staff vaccinations to assist with contact tracing efforts, and asking those who have received the final dose to share that information with the school nurse.
Finally, we are continuing to monitor positive cases of students and community members. As a reminder, all students will be asked to continue to complete the OnCourse health questionnaire. We ask that every member of our community remain vigilant in protecting the health and safety of our community by washing hands, wearing masks, and maintaining the appropriate distance.
Thank you all for your patience, grace, and support as we continue to move through this school year. We are actively monitoring the guidance from the Governor’s Executive Orders and the New Jersey Department of Education as we look to plan for end-of-year events. Please know that our school leaders are actively planning for events such as Prom, JDHS Graduation, and moving up ceremonies, with a variety of options that are dependent on the state guidance.
Best Wishes for a Restful Weekend,
Rachel Goldberg
Superintendent of Schools