September 18, 2021
ROBBINSVILLE, NJ (MERCER)–Unfortunately, most of the 2021 Robbinsville Community Day was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns about an outbreak of the virus in the Robbinsville School District. The planned fireworks were held on schedule shortly after 8:00 p.m.
See update below the photo gallery from Brian J. Betze, Superintendent of Robbinsville Schools about the latest COVID-19 information.
Photo gallery:
September 18, 2021
Dear Robbinsville Community,
I am providing an update on the COVID-19 outbreaks within our schools and the next steps we can take to slow the public health outbreak we are currently seeing in our schools.
As we began the school year, I stressed the importance of safety and health for all of our students, staff and faculty. I asked families/guardians to please follow the health safety guidelines. Our Board of Education and the administration want to have our students in the classroom. We are committed to providing quality education and focusing on the mental health of our students.
Currently we know that only 62% of our students in the 12-17 age category are vaccinated. This crosses our middle and high school students. The Department of Health has made us aware that the Delta variant is very different in being able to combat COVID-19.
The number of COVID-19 positive cases have increased significantly at our high school this past week. Working in partnership with the State of New Jersey Department of Health and local health department we have determined that it is in the best interest to temporarily close the high school for five school days. Conversations over the past few days have taken place with the State of NJ Epidemiologist, multiple infection disease doctors from the State of New Jersey and the local health department to determine where the outbreaks are coming from within the community.
Robbinsville High School will be closed from September 20 – 24, 2021. Students may return on Monday, September 27th, as long as they do not exhibit symptoms, have a positive COVID test or are waiting on the results from a COVID test and the Department of Health does not require us to be closed for a longer period of time.
We do have a significant number of students at Pond Road who are quarantined and one class at Sharon Elementary that is quarantined, but based on current contract tracing and feedback from health officials, we feel that the precautions in place allow us to continue in person learning. We are continuing to monitor and work with families for contract tracing and parent notification at all of our schools. It is important that if you receive a call, please assist us in contract tracing efforts. If you have not received a call at this time your child has not been identified as being in close contact with an individual who is positive. If you have needs for technology or meals for a student that has been asked to quarantine, please contact your respective principal.
Remote instruction will begin on Monday, September 20th for all high school students. All students are expected to be at home for remote instruction. This will give the state and local officials time to conduct contact tracing and the district the ability to do a deep cleaning of the high school.
If you receive special education services, your case manager will reach out to discuss how your IEP will be implemented during remote learning.
Additionally, it is important for the community to understand that none of the decisions that have been made about our sports teams, clubs and activities that had to be canceled were done lightly. These cancelations were done based on the guidance and direction from health officials and working in partnership to stop the spread we are seeing in our schools. Our goal is that we are only pausing for now and able to resume quickly. We understand the importance of these activities and are working to get special senior activities rescheduled or recognized at a separate date. Our goal is to keep everyone safe.
I remind families/guardians that if your child(ren) need counseling support that resources are available in the district. Please visit the counseling page for your respective school building – Robbinsville High School, Pond Road Middle School or Sharon Elementary School.
Our administration will continue to work in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Health and the local health department. State and local health department officials along with the administration have been in constant communication about the outbreaks and what we can do to limit the spread. The decision to close the high school for five days was made in partnership and in an effort to best stop the spread of COVID-19 and control the public health outbreak we are seeing in Robbinsville.
We will continue to work in partnership with all health officials to get our students back in the classroom, but we need the community to work with us, as well. Please be honest in completing the COVID form, please work with school officials to assist with contact tracing. We appreciate the support of the Board of Education, Mayor Fried and other local leaders for also working in conjunction with the health department and canceling events in an effort to get in front of these outbreaks. If we work together, we can get through this time and be stronger for it.
Thank you,
Brian J. Betze