Metuchen School District

Dr. Herzog's Presentation at the March 9th Board of Education Meeting regarding the Mental Health Initiative Update, can be found here: https://5il.co/qj5d

Dr. Caputo's Presentation at the March 9th Board of Education Meeting regarding Hybrid Learning Survey Results: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1J_rVvmzvbuK3feduvZ5Kjzzo4b1RSZHvZ7JyvbTywYQ/preview

Good afternoon. As always, I hope this message finds you well. Yesterday’s CALI report puts New Jersey back in ORANGE status, with three of the six regions of the state (including central-east) in ORANGE and the other three in YELLOW. Please continue to avoid gatherings, especially indoors. And despite what some states are doing, please continue to wear a mask. Let’s be honest, it is not that big of an inconvenience. Keep your family and your neighbors safe. Get tested at MHS each Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning. Students and staff, and their respective families are eligible. Register for a tele-med appointment. Then pick your appointment time. Testing is critical for returning to normal. So far, we have tested over 1100 individuals. Get your test as early as tomorrow! If travel is unavoidable, travelers should consider getting tested with a viral test (not an antibody test) 1-3 days before the trip and again 3-5 days after the trip. If travelers test positive, they should self-isolate for at least 10 days and should postpone travel during that time. If travelers test negative, they should quarantine for a full 7 days after travel. If testing is not available (or if the results are delayed), travelers should quarantine for 10 days after travel. People who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 3 months and recovered do not need to quarantine or get tested again during that three-month period as long as they do not develop new symptoms. If new symptoms develop after travel, people should follow instructions for what to do if you're sick. At this time, individuals who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 should continue to follow the State's travel advisory. Here is an update regarding meals. Parents/guardians of roomers can pick up 7 days’ worth of breakfast and 2 weekend lunches each Friday from 7:30 to 9:00am. Parents/guardians of zoomers can pick up breakfasts and lunches on Mondays and Thursdays from 7:30am - 9:00am. Pick up at the High School, door #29. We will serve MHS roomers lunch on March 23, 24 and 25. Campbell and Edgar have ½ days for conferences. On Monday, March 22 parents/guardians can pickup for Campbell and Edgar roomers: 3 lunches and 3 breakfasts. Will not be serving breakfast/lunch during spring break. Have a great weekend. Be extra nice to each other!

Good afternoon. I hope this message finds you well. COVID status: For the first time since the middle of November, New Jersey has dropped to YELLOW (moderate risk of transmission). While this is good news, it is not time to let your guard down. Maintain social distance and avoid indoor gatherings all together. Wear masks when indoors and when around other people outside. I have been trying to be a good role model, wearing two masks, a cloth mask over a blue 3-ply paper mask. Let’s push really hard so our kids can have a decent spring and a good summer. To see the state’s weekly CALI report, click here: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_19_Report_Week_2021_7.pdf Travel: Travel is still discouraged. Travelers and residents returning from any U.S. state or territory beyond the immediate region (New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) should self-quarantine at their home, hotel, or other temporary lodging following recommendations from the CDC: If travel is unavoidable, travelers should consider getting tested with a viral test (not an antibody test) 1-3 days before the trip and again 3-5 days after the trip. If travelers test positive, they should self-isolate for at least 10 days and should postpone travel during that time. If travelers test negative, they should quarantine for a full 7 days after travel. If testing is not available (or if the results are delayed), travelers should quarantine for 10 days after travel. Click here for the full link: https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/travel-and-transportation/are-there-travel-restrictions-to-or-from-new-jersey Mid-year student (grades 5-12) and parents (all) survey: Please check your email from Tuesday around 2pm for a link to the survey. Thanks so much to the over 1000 students/parents who have already responded. We got a taste of nice weather at the end of this week. Monday is March 1. Spring is coming. Summer won’t be far behind. Hang in there. Please reach out if we can help.

Good afternoon. I hope this message finds you and your family doing well. Is it summer yet? Just a quick update today on COVID status. There is some good news. Three of the six regions in the state are now YELLOW (moderate risk). Our central-east region and the state both remain ORANGE. Keep adhering to the mitigation strategies of distancing, masking, and handwashing. Please continue to avoid crowds and indoor gatherings. I am going out to do some shoveling (again). Hang in there. Warmer temperatures are coming and with pitchers and catchers in camp, spring is right around the corner. Have a nice weekend. VCaputo

Metuchen Public Schools will operate on an all-remote, early dismissal schedule on Friday, 2/19/21. Food distribution is still on as scheduled. Stay safe.

Metuchen Public Schools will operate on an all-remote, early dismissal schedule for Thursday, 2/18/21. After school in-person activities and sports are also cancelled.

Good afternoon. I hope this message finds you well. COVID status – while two of the six regions of the state dropped to YELLOW status, the central-east region and New Jersey remain in ORANGE status. Metuchen Schools remain open. Metuchen School District’s Mental Health Supports please visit our website and click on the lime-green mental health resources button: https://www.metuchenschools.org/ To access Mental Health supports at school, contact your school counselor, case manager, or building administrator See below for a summary of service here in the district Tier 1 Supports: Social Emotional Learning, Structured Self Questioning, Problem Solving and Decision Making processes embedded in curriculum Counseling, crisis intervention, and drop in appointments with School Counselors Academic advising with School Counselors Goals setting and post secondary planning with School Counselors Need-based class lessons to address specific issues School wide lessons on coping skills and executive functioning Coping skill tool kits for elementary students Summer Transition Groups from elementary to middle and middle to high Learning Strategies Summer courses for middle and high schoolers Referrals and resources provided to families Parent Workshops, Mental Health Moments resources and Parent Tip Sheets Positive reinforcement classroom management systems Academic interventions and support Tier 2 Supports: Mentors and advisors Individual and group counseling with School Psychologists, School Social Workers and Student Assistance Counselor Partnership with Effective School Solutions (MHS) and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, School Based Programs (Campbell and Edgar) to provide individual and group counseling with a licensed mental health clinician Need based counseling groups (i.e., grief, divorce, friendships) Skill based counseling groups (i.e., emotional regulation, social skills, executive functioning) Need based evening student workshops Positive Behavior Support Plans De-escalation support with calm down/emotional regulation areas Executive functioning lessons and academic support plans Academic interventions and remediation Tier 3 Supports: Partnership with Effective School Solutions for a clinical mental health program for students who benefit from wraparound imbedded supports within their school day (MHS) Partnership with Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, School Based Programs for a comprehensive clinical mental health program (Campbell and Edgar) Crisis Intervention, Mental Health Screening and Safety Planning Highly Individualized Functional Behavioral Support Plans by Board Certified Behavior Analysts Home visits and parent education programs Highly Individualized Academic and Emotional Support Plans Supports for Staff: Professional Development sessions on Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health Archived webinars from Effective School Solutions Consultation with School Counselors, Child Study Teams, Student Assistance Counselor and Licensed Clinicians Consultation with Board Certified Behavior Analyst Psycho-educational resources for staff (monthly newsletters, professional literature, etc.) Shared resources from Clinical Staff of Effective School Solutions and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care with collaboration and common planning for school based programs Support Groups and Share & Care Sessions Additional School Resources: Effective School Solutions Programs Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, School Based Programs Message to the community: I am listening to the voices of students, parents and teachers and I, along with the Board of education, am committed to the task of continuously reviewing our plan to best address the needs of our community. This is no easy task and there is no road map free of barriers, obstacles, and unintended negative consequences. The one thing is crystal clear: there will not be one plan that addresses the needs of all. Therefore, we will continue our commitment to gathering information, brainstorming plans, implementing, and reflecting. This is a cyclical process and every day, I reflect on the information available and act in what I perceive to be the best interest of the majority of the community. We are grateful for the on-going support of our community to enable us to open our schools for the students who need to attend in person. We are pleased that we have been able to offer the flexibility to our students who cannot attend in person to access their educational program from home. We are proud of our teachers who are working tirelessly to meet the needs of Roomers and Zoomers simultaneously. This plan was developed thoughtfully and with much effort and collaboration. As I reflect on the challenges in the districts around us, I think we have done well in this area. However, our plan is not perfect and it may not be working for all students. We have heard some students say they are struggling with the demands of screen time and workload. This week, a coalition of students spoke publicly advocating for a change to the high school schedule. I am proud of their advocacy but also must share with the public the voices of other members of the community that must also be represented. I have received a comparable number of communications from other students and family members advocating to keep a full day schedule. Just as there are students who are struggling with the current model, there are others who have voiced that they struggle equally with less structure, support, supervision, and engagement. If I were to act with an immediate change to the schedule, I assure you that there would be just as much opposition from other members of the community. Therefore, our response must be thoughtful and purposeful. We know there is an impact of the pandemic on student wellness. This is an understandable response to an on-going situation where students are experiencing significant loss at multiple levels, major changes in social opportunities, and additional stressors across a variety of areas, including school. I take this concern with the utmost seriousness and we will maximize the resources we have and continue to offer counseling services to our students to help them through this period. We will also continue to adjust and help to reduce additional stressors whenever possible. Our schools are equipped with school counselors, child study team members, and clinicians to provide tiered services, depending on the level of student need. This group of professionals continue to work closely with families to provide services, referrals, and guidance to best address the current needs of individual students. The highlights of the mental health supports are on the website. Please contact your school counselor to access support as needed. If you need additional assistance accessing these supports, contact your building principal. We also have academic interventions for struggling students, which include remedial tutoring, supplemental instruction, accommodations, and individualized support plans. Students and parents are encouraged to maintain open dialogue with their teachers to discuss the challenges they are experiencing. Teachers, support staff and administrators will collaborate to offer assistance and flexibility, and to reduce any unnecessary stressors whenever possible. Once again, contact your teacher, school counselor, or building principal to obtain this support. Our next steps include the following: Work with our mental health experts to ensure we are maximizing our support and following their recommendations. Ensure our community of students and parents know how to access the supports for student wellness that are available Obtain additional input from students and parents, via an online survey, to identify specific challenges, effective supports, additional needs, and gather input on suggestions for changes. This input will be analyzed to identify specific problems and align possible solutions to those problems Continue to support our teachers and equipping them with the tools they need to be as successful as possible We will work through these steps as quickly as possible without sacrificing our commitment to a collaborative decision-making process. As always, we will remain transparent and consistent. Lastly, this is a big weekend for us. Besides Valentine’s Day (BTW - enjoy your loved ones, and let them know how important they are), Lori’s birthday is this Saturday. Relax and recharge. Remember - on Monday, schools are closed in observance of Presidents’ Day. See you Tuesday!

Metuchen Public Schools will operate on a delayed opening schedule for Thursday February 11, 2021

The Metuchen Public Schools will operate on a delayed opening schedule for Monday, February 8, 2021. Consult the school websites for start times. Food distribution will continue as scheduled.

Happy Friday. I hope this message finds you and your family well. COVID status: New Jersey and the central-east region of the state are still ORANGE. Metuchen Schools remain open with mitigation measures in place. See report here: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_19_Report_Week_2021_4.pdf COVID testing: Over 700 nasal swab PCR tests have been administered at MHS. Come out to get you and your family tested on Saturday. You must make a telemed appt for tonight in order to be tested tomorrow. Gatherings: Please don’t gather this weekend. Stay socially distant. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Ensure there is good ventilation. Have a great weekend. Stay safe.

The Metuchen Public Schools will operate on a half-day, all-remote schedule for Wednesday, February 3, 2021. Buildings will be open by the afternoon and your principal or coach/advisor will let you know about extracurricular activities. Food distribution will be rescheduled for Thursday. Regular COVID testing will take place Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning. Dr. Vincent Caputo

The Metuchen Public Schools will operate on a half-day, all-remote schedule for Tuesday, February 2, 2021. Decisions about after school activities will be made tomorrow on a school-by-school basis. Food distribution is scheduled for Wednesday and Friday. COVID-19 testing is scheduled for Thursday and Saturday.

The Metuchen Public Schools will operate on a half-day, all-remote schedule for Monday, February 1, 2021. All buildings will be closed. All sports and extracurricular activities are cancelled.

Good afternoon. I hope this message finds you healthy (and warm). Here are some updates: The NJDOH reports that New Jersey and the central-east region of the state remain in ORANGE status. Metuchen Public Schools remain open. We continue to offer on-site COVID testing at MHS on Thursdays and Saturdays. Please get yourself and your family tested. You can help reduce the rate of transmission if you know your status. As a reminder to Parents/Guardians of Campbell and Edgar bus eligible students , there was a bus interest letter and survey link sent out to your email. Please fill it out by Tuesday, February 2, 2021 to help us determine bussing interest for the upcoming 2021-2022 school. If you have not received it, please reach out. Congratulations to Mr. Ronk and his the Grade 7 G&T STEM students who competed in the Lego Robotics Competition. We even had Edgar Team B win 2nd place in the Core Values Award! Here is the list of students: Edgar Team A- Oliver Ames, Saanvi Karthik, Matthew Lifton, Reece Osborn-Jones, Natalie Wu, Diwen He, Matthew Li, Katie Chen, Giovanni Fighera Edgar Team B- Chiara Baldi, Helen Tang, Joon Lee, Jack Schaunnessey, Victor Galehouse, Caleb Han, Ryan Stein Edgar Team C- Asher Greenbaum, Erika Mihaylov, Manali Weller, Aidan Bernstein-Lundy, Kai Englert, Tariq Alisammond, Nicholas Timko, Sarah Martin Wear a mask. Stay distant. Wash your hands. Stop gathering. Get tested. Thank you. Have a nice weekend. After a Saturday morning food delivery to St. Joseph’s Social Service food pantry in Elizabeth, I’ll be making sauce and lemon-blueberry bread, and enjoying some basketball on TV. I’ll also be paying plenty of attention to the weather forecast. Dr. Vincent Caputo

Metuchen Public Schools will operate on a full-day, all-remote schedule on Tuesday, January 26, 2021. While there isn’t a lot of snow expected, ice is a possibility. All schools will be remote for a full day of instruction.

Good afternoon: I hope you are healthy and that you are making every effort to keep your neighbors healthy. Here are some updates and links for you. COVID status – Both New Jersey and the central-east region of the state remain in ORANGE: (https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_19_Report_Week_2021_2.pdf). Metuchen Schools remain open with all mitigation efforts in place. COVID testing – Please get tested regularly and whenever you think you may have been exposed. For your convenience we are offering in-district testing for staff and their families and for students and their families. Testing is every Thursday and Saturday. It’s easy, quick, and has no out-of-pocket costs to you. For more information: https://www.metuchenschools.org/article/384549?org=msd Stop gathering, especially maskless, with people outside of your immediate household. That is risky behavior. You can stop the spread. How? Wear a mask, stay six feet apart, wash your hands often, and of course, get tested. Please be honest when you complete the daily screening questionnaire. Your cooperation is expected and appreciated. Pay close attention to travel restrictions and quarantine timelines. We are here to help you. Contact us with any questions. 2021-2022 district calendar – At Tuesday’s board meeting, the calendar for next school year was approved: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1084519/2021-22_School_Calendar_Board_Approved_1.19.21.pdf. We designed a calendar with the longest possible summer break. You’re welcome! Have a great weekend. Enjoy family time when you can. And maybe even more outside time. This week saw the first post-5pm sunset of the year. Spring is coming. Hang in there. Dr. Caputo

Good afternoon. Here are some updates: COVID status – New Jersey and the central-east region of the state are still in ORANGE status. The Metuchen Public Schools remain open with all mitigation efforts in place. COVID testing In-district – please consider taking advantage of our in-district testing for students and staff, and their families. Testing takes place on Thursdays and Saturdays at MHS. So far, in two weeks, we have administered 275 tests. Testing provides you valuable information that allows you to protect your family and the community at large. The process is easy. It includes a virtual tele-medicine visit and bringing your printed prescription to MHS at the appointment time you choose. Other options – of course there are plenty of other options. We are partnering with Excell Labs on Ethel Road in Edison. They have been collaborative and have even taken our suggestions on how to make the process better. We have heard that late morning seems to be a good time to go if you are able to. They take those who may have been exposed and those who are symptomatic. MHS additional in-person opportunities – beginning January 25th, current hybrid students at MHS will be given the chance to attend in-person both weeks. Every MHS student will retain their A/B week status, and for now, this opportunity does not impact all-remote students. Mr. Peragallo will be communicating to families of in-person students next week to gauge their interest in attending both weeks. We plan to pilot this for a month. Meals – no-cost breakfast and lunch for all students will be offered for the rest of the school year. In addition, Pomptonian has teamed up with award-winning pediatrician, author and keynote speaker, Dr. Jill Garripoli Pedalino. Here is a link to Dr. Jill’s first edition, “5 Tips for Enjoying a Healthy, Happy and Safe Lifestyle.” https://www.pomptonian.com/nutrition-news/ Schools are closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr Day. Here is an interesting place to start learning about MLK Jr Day: https://nationaltoday.com/martin-luther-king-jr-day/ Inauguration Day – next Wednesday, January 20th, according to the US Constitution, is Inauguration Day. For decades, some teachers and students have watched the historic ceremony live. This year will be no different. Principals and teachers will collaborate around age-appropriateness and content-relatedness in determining if to incorporate the viewing of the inauguration into their lesson plans. True – we live in complicated times. More than ever, our students need us to be there to support and guide them. I did a quick Google search for some starter information. Here are some links to learn about the history and traditions of the inauguration: https://www.inaugural.senate.gov/ https://washington.org/DC-guide-to/inauguration-day-frequently-asked-questions-washington-dc https://historyinpieces.com/research/presidential-inauguration-dates

Good afternoon. I hope this email finds you well. COVID activity level Central-East = orange (high) Statewide = orange (high) Influenza activity level: statewide = low COVID testing: As a reminder, the District is offering free COVID-19 testing to staff and students. There is no out-of-pocket or co-pay required of you, and no need to first have to go in-person to a busy doctor’s office for a test and/or test prescription. Our quick and easy plan requires you to register for a telemed visit (one easy step to book a two-minute telemed visit, which you can do on your phone or computer at home) prior to test day. Then upon receiving an email after the telemed, you book your test slot (one easy step) and go to MHS with your printed prescription. Questions? Send email to: Covidtesting@metuchenschools.org Travel restrictions: “New Jersey strongly discourages all non-essential interstate travel at this time. Travelers and residents returning from any U.S. state or territory beyond the immediate region (New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) should self-quarantine at their home, hotel, or other temporary lodging following recommendations from the CDC: If travel is unavoidable, travelers should consider getting tested with a viral test (not an antibody test) 1-3 days before the trip and again 3-5 days after the trip. If travelers test positive, they should self-isolate for at least 10 days and should postpone travel during that time. If travelers test negative, they should quarantine for a full 7 days after travel. If testing is not available (or if the results are delayed), travelers should quarantine for 10 days after travel. The advisory is no longer specific to certain states. Because of the rising number of case counts across all states, there is an increased risk of spread of COVID-19 upon return from any travel. The self-quarantine is voluntary, but compliance is expected. Travelers arriving from areas with increasing COVID-19 cases may wish to postpone their travel to the region if they are unwilling or unable to follow the quarantine advisory. Travelers and those residents who are returning from states and territories beyond the immediate region should quarantine at their home, or a hotel or other temporary lodging. Individuals should leave the place of quarantine only to seek medical care/treatment or to obtain food and other essential items.” Meals: We will now be offering 7 breakfasts and 7 lunches to all students. Pick-up days, times and locations are being finalized for both Roomers and Zoomers. A flyer will be sent out on Wednesday with distribution details. Winter sports: As of now, we are offering winter sports. See below for practice and game start dates. Please understand that these sports seasons are subject to change. They may be delayed, paused, or cancelled if it becomes necessary. Ice hockey: practices start 1/3 and competition begins 1/15 Basketball: practices start 1/11 and competition begins 1/26 Swimming: practices start 2/1 and competition begins 2/16 Winter track: practices start 2/1 and competition begins 2/16 Wrestling: practices start 3/1 and competition begins 3/16 Have a nice weekend. Enjoy family time and some basketball and football on TV. Reach out if we can be of any help.

1/6/20201 Good evening. The images we saw out of Washington DC today may have been disturbing for our students (and adults). We are here to support you and your children. Below are some resources that you could use to make some sense out of today and some of the key terms we are hearing. While I encourage you and your students to learn from social media, just be aware of the sources of the material. Start with some trusted sites: When news breaks of disaster or violence, your students may want to discuss a crisis as it unfolds. Here’s how: https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/when-bad-things-are-happening Presidential Disability and Succession: https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-xxv Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition: https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-i US House of Representatives/Impeachment: https://history.house.gov/Institution/Origins-Development/Impeachment/ National Archives/Electoral College: https://www.archives.gov/electoral-college Like many of you, my family has visited Washington DC a few times. We toured the White House, visited the museums, took photos at the iconic monuments and buildings of democracy, and saw the men and women of the Secret Service hard at work. Today was a rough day in American history. And still, we saw democracy in action. Georgia held runoff elections to determine the control of the Senate. Congress certified the Electoral College results in preparation the President-Elect Biden’s inauguration on January 20th. Superintendents this year have been thrust into a new reality. You probably shouldn’t need to get political and government updates from me, but just as it has been with sharing accurate information about COVID-19, it’s my responsibility to inform our community of events, especially those that will have traumatic effects on staff and students. Feel free to reach out. Educators will educate. Counselors will counsel. That’s what we do. We are here for you today, tomorrow, and every day. Have a restful evening.