Maintaining 6 feet of social distancing is our point of departure for establishing a safe and protective environment for students and staff in our school buildings.

In classrooms, this can be accomplished by making adjustments as necessary, such as removing excess furniture, seating students at desks rather than tables, reorienting classroom set ups, and utilizing appropriate non-classroom spaces. At the middle and high schools, one-way hallways and stairwells will help streamline traffic flow when students change classes. Lockers will not be used. Arrival and dismissal procedures will ensure safe movement into and out of the buildings.

Bus capacities will be reduced by approximately 25% so students can be seated at some social distance; certainly, the fewer the number of students who ride each bus, the more distance we can create between them. However, it is unlikely that we will be able to maintain a full six feet of social distancing between bus riders, given the anticipated number of students requiring transportation. 

Face coverings, including masks, are an important mitigation strategy in helping to reduce the spread of coronavirus, especially because many people do not show symptoms even if they are infected.

Students and staff are required to wear a face covering or mask at all times in our school buildings and on school buses. If a student forgets their face covering, a disposable mask will be provided. Students will take "mask breaks" outdoors in a safe and controlled manner at coordinated times during the school day. 

The CDC recommends cloth face coverings, but disposable masks are also acceptable, as long as the mouth and nose are properly covered. Please do not use masks with exhalation valves. Plastic face shields are not permitted as a substitute, except for students who are exempt from wearing masks due to a documented medical condition or disability. Bandanas, snowboarding gaiters, or other coverings without straps or ear loops will not be accepted.

We recommend that students bring an extra mask or two each day, stored in a ziploc bag or other sanitary container. Cloth masks should be washed after use; be sure to dry thoroughly before wearing. Dress code policies apply to face coverings insofar as objectionable images and slogans are not permitted.

Parents may wish to help their child build "mask stamina"--that is, practice wearing a mask for longer and longer stretches of time so that they are able to comfortably wear one for the duration of the school day. Dr. Jennifer Weber and Dr. Caroline Linfante, MSD behavior consultants, have created this fifteen-minute video presentation as a guide for parents to help their children acclimate to wearing masks, develop positive associations with masks, and become comfortable wearing masks while in school. The presentation is also available as a slide deck in Spanish or with Spanish voice over. “Building Stamina for Wearing Masks” is the first of a three-part series of videos on transitioning back to school and setting students up for a successful start to the year. (To access the English version, click on the link above and enter your name and your child’s school. At the conclusion of the video, there is a space to type questions for Dr. Weber and Dr. Linfante; be sure to provide your email address so that the presenters can respond to you.)

These additional videos may assist your conversations with younger children about mask wearing:  
https://www.pbs.org/video/what-it-important-wear-mask-right-now-l7gvqh/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KRuP1QGmhU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgaKLpSxQag

Please click here to read comprehensive guidance for K-12 schools from the NJ Department of Health.

Symptom Screening.  The CDC does not currently recommend daily universal symptom screening of K-12 students at school. Therefore, we are developing protocols for symptom screening whereby parents will conduct a symptom check of their child each morning before leaving the house, including taking their child's temperature, and attest to their child being symptom-free. Students with a fever (100 or above) should not be sent to school under any circumstances. We are developing protocols for symptom screening for staff members as well; all MSD staff will be required to complete a COVID-19 screening questionnaire or app each day.

Click for Daily Student Screening

Symptoms will also be monitored at school. If a student or staff member exhibits symptoms consistent with COVID-19, they will be safely and respectfully isolated from others as per direction from the NJ Department of Education. 

Response to Symptoms and Positive Cases. Students suspected or showing signs of having COVID-19 will be released to the parent or guardian to begin self-isolation at home and will be instructed to follow up with their health care provider immediately to determine if testing and quarantine are warranted. Students must be fever-free for at least 72 hours without the aid of fever-reducing medicine before they may return to school. In addition, clearance to return to school after a fever or other symptoms consistent with COVID-19 will require a negative result on a COVID-19 test and/or a doctor’s note indicating the non-COVID-related medical issue that resulted in fever or other symptoms.

Similarly, any staff member suspected of having COVID-19 will be sent home and instructed to follow up with their health care provider immediately to determine if testing and quarantine are warranted.  The staff member must be fever-free for at least 72 hours without the aid of fever-reducing medicine before they may return to school. In addition, clearance to return to school after a fever or other symptoms consistent with COVID-19 will require a negative result on a COVID-19 test and/or a doctor’s note indicating the non-COVID-related medical issue that resulted in fever or other symptoms.

• If an individual who has spent time in any of our buildings or buses tests positive for COVID-19, we will notify local health officials, staff and families that a case has been confirmed and follow all other required procedures. The local health department will guide us in determining the identification of close contacts, where close contact is defined as someone who has been within six feet for a period of at least ten minutes. Contacts will be instructed to stay home and maintain social distancing from others (at least 6 ft) until 14 days after their last exposure, in case they become ill. Contacts who develop symptoms should promptly isolate themselves and notify their healthcare provider, the school nurse and local public health authorities.

When to Stay Home. As per NJDOH guidance, students and staff will be instructed to stay home if they have: 

• Tested positive (viral test) for COVID-19
• COVID-19 symptoms (see above sections on symptoms of COVID-19)
• Potential exposure to COVID-19:
  • Recent close contact (being within 6 feet for at least 10 minutes) with a person with COVID-19 in the past 14 days. 
  • Travelled to an area with high levels of COVID-19 transmission in the past 14 days:  
    • NJ travel advisory list 
    • International travel advisory

Please consult your child's school nurse if you observe symptoms consistent with COVID-19:

• Fever (100 or above)
• New cough
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of taste or smell
• Headache
• Bodyache
• Chills
• Sore Throat
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Congestion/runny nose

 

Frequent hand washing and hand sanitizing will occur throughout the day. All classrooms, hallways, and entry points will be equipped with automatic hand santizers. Students will be reminded when and how to properly wash hands according to CDC recommendations, and parents are encouraged to review and reinforce these practices at home. We will continue to follow and remind students of the CDC's guidance on general hygiene during the coronavirus pandemic.

Snack time for elementary students will be carefully coordinated and monitored to ensure students' safety, and will take place outside whenever possible.

Students will not share equipment that cannot be sanitized between uses. Children in elementary schools will have their own Chromebooks and desk supplies.

We will continue to adhere to existing required facilities cleaning practices and procedures, and will follow any new specific requirements of the local health department as they arise. 

We will also increase routine cleaning and disinfecting, especially of frequently touched surfaces and objects, such as desks, chairs, tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, sinks, etc.

Bathrooms will be cleaned and sanitized daily and between uses as much as possible according to protocols outlined by the EPA.

Buses will be cleaned and sanitized in between bus runs and at the end of the day.

Nurses' offices at our schools are being outfitted with additional resources, including touchless temperature scanners and protective personal equipment for our nursing staff. authorities to respond rapidly. 

An isolation room will be established in each school so that students and staff who develop symptoms can be safely and respectfully isolated from others and attended to. We will follow all guidelines and requirements of the local health department regarding reporting and contact tracing and ensure adherence to privacy laws.

All of our water fountains are equipped with a bottle filler feature with no-touch sensor activation. Students are encouraged to bring reusable water bottles to school each day, as they will not be permitted to drink directly from the fountains.

Each of our classrooms and large capacity spaces have unit venilators that meet required standards for air exchange. Units are continuously maintained to ensure safe ventilation of spaces. 

Our transportation protocols align with all guidance from the NJ Department of Education and our local health department.

To ensure everyone’s safety, we will be taking extra steps to clean and disinfect each school bus along with reducing capacities (the total number of students who ride each bus). Each school bus will be disinfected in between each route, and a thorough cleaning and disinfecting will be completed at the end of each day. Capacities will be reduced by approximately 25% in order to allow for social distancing to the maximum extent practicable; this is likely to be fewer than six feet given the number of students requiring bus transportation. All students and staff will be required to wear a mask while on the bus. If a student forgets their mask, a disposable mask will be available for them on the bus.

MHS: Clubs and organizations will have virtual meetings in the afternoons throughout the year. Fall athletic practices start on 9/14 and games are expected to begin in October. We will continue to follow guidelines from the NJSIAA regarding return to play. All required safety measures will be followed to minimize contact and sharing of equipment.

FMS: Decisions about extracurricular activities, including FMS fall sports, will be made and communicated in October.

Parents are required to check each child daily for symptoms consistent with COVID-19 using the Morris School District Daily Student Screening every morning before they leave for school. If your child exhibits any of the symptoms listed or if you answer YES to any of the screening questions, DO NOT send your child to school. Call the school nurse for instructions on what to do next.

click for daily student screening

Please click here for a version in Spanish, which appears on the second page.

FOOD SERVICE 2020-21

Since lunch will not be served during the instructional day, "Grab & Go" meals containing both breakfast and lunch will be available at all schools for any student who wants one.  Meals for virtual students are also available for pickup (see below).  There will be no charge for meals.

MHS
Students in school will be offered a daily “Grab & Go” meal at dismissal, containing 1 breakfast and 1 lunch. Distribution will be in the main atrium adjacent to the main office, in the hallway outside the auxiliary gym near the art wing and in the hallway by the auditorium by the “Senior Stairs”.  Students attending in person will pick up meals for their two at-home days of virtual learning.

FMS
Students in school will be offered a daily “Grab & Go” meal from 12:03 PM through dismissal, containing 1 breakfast and 1 lunch. Distribution will be in the cafeteria, at the main entrance and in the foyer outside the gym. Food Service will provide individually wrapped snacks for students eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch who cannot provide their own, to be consumed during the school day.  Students attending in person will pick up meals for their two at-home days of virtual learning.

Elementary Schools and Special Education Preschool
Students in school will be offered a daily “Grab & Go” meal containing 1 breakfast and 1 lunch. The meals will be distributed by food service staff to classrooms 15 minutes before dismissal. Food Service will provide individually wrapped snacks for students eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch who cannot provide their own, to be consumed during the school day.  Preschool students will pick up meals according to the Virtual Students Meal Distribution schedule outlined below for the days they are attending virtual learning.

Preschool - Students attending in-person instruction on Monday and Tuesday
Students will be offered a “Grab & Go” meal on Monday and Tuesday at dismissal,  containing 1 breakfast and 1 lunch.  Meals for Wednesday through Friday can be picked up on Wednesday according to the Virtual Students Meal Distribution schedule outlined below.  Food Service will provide individually wrapped snacks for students eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch who cannot provide their own, to be consumed during the school day

Preschool - Students attending in-person instruction on Wednesday and Thursday
Meals for Monday and Tuesday can be picked up on Monday according to the Virtual Students Meal Distribution schedule outlined below.  Students will receive a “Grab & Go” meal on Wednesday and Thursday, containing an extra meal to supply for Friday.  Wednesday meals will contain 2 breakfasts and 1 lunch, and Thursday meals will contain 1 breakfast and 2 lunches. Food Service will provide individually wrapped snacks for students eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch who cannot provide their own, to be consumed during the school day.

Virtual Students Meal Distribution (UPDATED 1/6)
All students can pick up “Grab & Go” meals Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  Friday's meal will include meals for Saturday and Sunday. There will be one location for pickup: Morristown High School (50 Early Street) will distribute meals from 8:00 am-9:00 am and again from 11:30 am-12:30 pm in the back of the building near the flagpole.

These videos may assist your conversations with younger children about mask wearing:  

• https://www.pbs.org/video/what-it-important-wear-mask-right-now-l7gvqh/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KRuP1QGmhU
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgaKLpSxQag

Please click HERE for a series of video presentations on how to help your child transition back to school in September.

Please CLICK HERE to learn about a four-part series from Atlantic Health Systems dedicated to providing parents with the tools and language to have meaningful, but difficult, conversations about life, and support their children through difficult emotions to help them build coping skills, resilience and HOPE. 

Please click HERE for recordings of our virtual Board of Education meetings, all of which include updates from Superintendent Pendergrast on the District's reopening plans and COVID-19 response.

Please click HERE for a recording of the August 27 Town Hall Meeting on School Reopening.