New Jersey. More school districts amending plans to begin school year with remote learning

Gov. Phil Murphy said at a press conference earlier this week that 180 school districts have applied to begin the school year with all-remote learning, 59 districts plan to fully reopen, and the rest of New Jersey’s districts are moving forward with a hybrid mix of in-person and remote learning.

The state Department of Education has to approve all district plans before they can be implemented. The DOE has reportedly received 745 total plans for reopening; 105 plans were still under review, and 389 were “returned to districts for necessary revisions,” Murphy said.

Even though the numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths in New Jersey are lower now than they were a few months ago, many teachers and school officials have opted to take caution and begin the new school year with virtual instruction. Published reports from other states and countries have noted a significant increase in cases of coronavirus in children, as well as throughout entire communities following the re-opening of schools and in-person education.

Positive COVID-19 cases in West Milford

In West Milford, according to a daily COVID-19 update on Aug. 26 provided by WM Mayor Michele Dale, “WM had 10 straight days of 0 Cases until today. Despite today’s update of one additional case we are and have done quite well as a township during this pandemic. Out of 26,000 residents to date we have had 368 cases since March 15. The new COVID-19 case in West Milford is a 57-year-old woman.”

That brings the total cases in West Milford to 368, with 27 resident deaths from to the virus.