Morris School District Superintendent Mackey Pendergast is not happy with parents, according to a notice he posted yesterday. Why?

Some parents are not following quarantine restrictions for their children, not informing the school when children or family members have been exposed or have tested positive for COVID-19, or sending children to school even when they are symptomatic.

And,

We know that coronavirus transmission is not occurring within our school buildings but rather through activities outside of school within people’s homes and out in the community. Creating the conditions that allow our schools to remain open requires making sacrifices and difficult choices–as well as saying no to things our children would like to do.

Anyone who knows kids knows this is happening. And Morris School District is hardly alone with these concerns: Two weeks ago Superintendent Michael LaSusa of School District of the Chathams wrote a similar letter to parents, warning that “that if one child in your household is ill, all of your children will be excluded from school until the sick child tests negative for COVID.”

Currently all six regions of New Jersey are reporting a CALI level of “High,” which means that all schools should consider moving to full-time remote instruction. If the CALI level reaches “Very High,” all schools in the region are supposed to close, although the State Department of Education remains mute and Governor Murphy says he has no plans to order any shutdowns.

Here’s the full letter from Morris School District Superintendent Pendergast:

DECEMBER 9, 2020
ALL MSD SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION UNTIL JANUARY 4. STUDENTS WILL ACCESS THEIR INSTRUCTION VIRTUALLY BEGINNING THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, THROUGH WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23. WINTER BREAK BEGINS DECEMBER 24.

Local Health Departments Advise Two-Week Closure. Based on the direction of our local health departments, the Morris School District will be closed to in-person instruction through December 23. All students will access their instruction virtually during the closure. This decision was not made preemptively; it is in response to the actual context in which we currently find ourselves and is the result of several factors that our health officials considered in the aggregate before advising us, namely:

• There are multiple active positive cases of COVID-19 within our schools (93 positive cases within the last month).
• Data shows that cases in our local area have increased dramatically following the Thanksgiving holiday
• A significant increase in activity at testing sites suggests there will be a marked increase in positive cases by the end of next week
• Some parents are not following quarantine restrictions for their children, not informing the school when children or family members have been exposed or have tested positive for COVID-19, or sending children to school even when they are symptomatic; health and school officials fear that such instances of noncompliance will continue, needlessly exposing hundreds of students, staff, and families to the coronavirus
• Health officials saw a decrease in active positive cases on the heels of our November 16-25 districtwide closure; this means that a short-term closure can help slow community spread
• The state of NJ has been designated “high risk” (orange on the NJ Regional Risk Matrix)
• The local health departments hope that if we can once again contain coronavirus spread by closing our school buildings to in-person instruction, we will be able to reopen on January 4

• Virtual Learning Schedule. All schools will follow their regular virtual learning schedules. Please note that preschool children enrolled in MSD Partner Program sites outside of the district will continue to follow the schedule designated and communicated by their individual school; as of this writing, all partner sites were planning to remain open. These families should contact their site director if they have any questions.

• Daily Student Screening is STILL NECESSARY. Even while we are learning virtually through December 23, it is imperative that you continue to monitor your child closely for symptoms and complete the Daily Student Screening each morning so that our district administration and local health departments can accurately gauge transmission rates. Please continue to call the school nurse if:
• Your child exhibits ANY symptoms consistent with COVID-19
• Your child has tested positive or is assumed to be positive for COVID-19
• Someone in your household has tested positive or is assumed to be positive for COVID-19
• Your child is awaiting test results or has been instructed by a doctor to get tested for COVID-19
• Someone in your household is awaiting test results or has been instructed by a doctor to get tested for COVID-19

• Keeping Schools Open Long-Term is Our Goal. It bears repeating that the primary goal of our local health departments and of the Morris School District is to keep our schools open whenever possible for as long as possible. However, this goal can ONLY be achieved if we have the full and consistent cooperation of our district community–students, families, and staff alike. Keeping our schools open throughout the present heightened stage of this pandemic requires that everyone acknowledge the correlation between individual choices and behavior on the one hand, and the impact of these choices and behaviors on our schools on the other hand.

• A Crucial Reminder: Individual and community behavior will determine our ability to resume in-person instruction in January and remain open for any length of time. We know that coronavirus transmission is not occurring within our school buildings but rather through activities outside of school within people’s homes and out in the community. Creating the conditions that allow our schools to remain open requires making sacrifices and difficult choices–as well as saying no to things our children would like to do. Specifically, health officials advise the following:
• Wearing masks and staying at least six feet apart from other people who are not part of your immediate household, regardless of whether you are indoors or outdoors
• Not having meals or drinks with people outside your immediate household, whether in a home or at a restaurant or bar
• Not allowing indoor playdates, where close contact is difficult to avoid and sharing items is likely
• Not allowing teenagers to gather at the park or downtown in groups that cannot maintain six feet of social distancing
• Not attending indoor holiday parties
• Avoiding crowded stores, shopping malls, or other indoor venues
• Avoiding other behavior that puts you or your child in situations where the risk of transmission is elevated because social distancing is not observed and/or masks are not worn
• Additionally, the NJ Department of Health has compiled these guidelines for the holiday season

• NEW to Morris County: Free At-Home COVID-19 Testing. Morris County launched a new at-home, no-cost COVID-19 testing program this week for Morris County residents and people who work in Morris County, as the number of new cases continues to increase in correlation with a statewide spike in the virus. A portal through which qualified Morris County residents and workers can apply for testing materials to be sent to their homes may be found on the Morris County’s Office of Health Management COVID-19 information page. People applying to receive the home tests will reach a landing page informing them of two available tests – one involving salvia and one nasal – and directing them to select one.

• Free On-Site COVID-19 Testing is also available through Zufall Health at St. Margaret’s Church in Morristown (6 Sussex Avenue) on Mondays 1-5 and Wednesdays 9-1 and at Father Connolly Center in Dover (37 North Essex Street) on Tuesdays 1-5 and Fridays 9-1. Appointments may be scheduled online at www.zufallhealth.org; call 973-328-3344 (choose option 1). See this flyer for more information.

• Meal service throughout the closure will continue as previously announced, with “Grab & Go” meals available at no charge twice a day on Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays. Please refer to this letter for the complete distribution schedule. If you need assistance with meals but are unable to pick them up at the designated times, please contact Linda Ladolcetta at 973-292-2000, Ext. 2111, or linda.ladolcetta@msdk12.net, before December 23.