Dear Hackettstown School Community Members,
I would like to take this moment and welcome you back to the 2022-2023 school year. Throughout the summer months, the district continued to enhance our school facilities. When our school doors officially open come September 1st, the only projects remaining for completion will be the delivery of furniture for our elementary schools media centers and Morrison Field turf replacement. The media centers have an expected completion date for late September through mid- October and Morrison Field turf replacement will begin following the conclusion of the fall athletic season. Aside from those two projects, you will find our schools revitalized with paint, full completion of HVAC units, completion of three outdoor playground projects, Morrison Field track replacement, resurfacing and paving of parking lots, and security enhancements to name a few.
In addition to our facility upgrades, the district has partnered with Effective School Solutions in providing clinical services to students, professional development for parents and staff, and an overarching mental health and wellness program. We are very excited to have their organization join our team.
Remote/Virtual learning remains a school function for those students who are home with COVID-19, so please have all instructional technology at your disposal and maintain a learning space within the home should isolation be required. Below are several changes related to district function and operation in regards to COVID.
COVID Related Items
COVID Quarantine: If positive with COVID, stay home for 5 days. If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you can return to school. Continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days as still required per CDC guidelines.
Masks: Masks are optional unless you have been diagnosed with COVID, please see above.
Vaccine: Vaccination information is no longer required by the school district. Non-vaccinated staff will no longer be required to test weekly.
Contact Tracing: The district will no longer contact trace on an individual basis. Broad based notification of potential exposure will be sent out to affected families as with other infectious diseases as outlined by the New Jersey Department of Health.
Symptom Screening: The symptom screener checklist has been placed in the District’s Realtime portal. Please refer to the checklist frequently. If either staff or students have symptoms listed in the checklist, they should test for COVID and remain home until the result is received
Social Distancing/Cohorting: Cohorting is no longer recommended by the CDC.
Over the last few weeks of summer, each of our building principals will be sending parents, students, and staff opening of school information. Please take time to review expectations and contact each respective building office with all questions and concerns. Going forward and on behalf of the Board of Education, my office wishes all members of our Hackettstown School Community a healthy and safe end of summer and positive school year!
See you all soon!
Sincerely,
David C. Mango
Superintendent of Schools
Hackettstown School District
