by Common Ground | Feb 2, 2021 | Capitols
New Jersey Department of Health has released new COVID-19 Public Health Recommendations for Local Health Departments for K-12 Schools. Previous guidance called for schools in areas with high virus levels to quarantine entire classrooms or even close schools if...
by Common Ground | Feb 2, 2021 | Capitols
The safe re-opening of schools features significantly in the White House’s newly released plan, National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness. The plan provides a national response framework addressing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic....
by Common Ground | Feb 2, 2021 | Capitols
Gov. Phil Murphy signed Executive Order No. 214 implementing three new policies for the 2020-2021 academic year. The policies allow for more flexibility and understanding due to the unprecedented effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for high school...
by Common Ground | Aug 6, 2020 | Features
In our last edition of Common Ground, we introduced issues impacting special educators and parents as schools and policymakers crafted early responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. While New Jersey’s broad response to the health crisis has, on the whole, been clear...
by Common Ground | Aug 5, 2020 | Parents, Professionals, Students, Teachers
“Today’s guidance comes with one overarching requirement: that our public schools will open in some capacity with the health of students, their families, and educators being the TOP PRIORITY.” – Governor Phil Murphy NJDOE is basing its guidance...
by Common Ground | Aug 5, 2020 | Parents, Professionals, Students, Teachers
The New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) has released a detailed response to NJDOE’s The Road Back Plan. On June 24, NJEA released its Education Recovery Plan. The NJEA plan addresses specific challenges schools and educators expect to face, and details...
by Common Ground | Aug 5, 2020 | Parents, Professionals, Students, Teachers
SPAN Parent Advocacy Network has developed key questions to ask as stakeholders work with schools in developing their reopening plans. School districts across New Jersey are making plans for reopening schools in the summer and for the 2020-21 school year. “The Road...
by Common Ground | Aug 5, 2020 | Parents, Professionals, Students, Teachers
Many New Jersey districts are planning hybrid programs, with some in-person instruction and some remote instruction. For the in-person cohorts, split day or alternating week schedules are also common in preliminary plans, in order to ensure that a fraction of students...
by Common Ground | Aug 5, 2020 | Parents, Professionals, Students, Teachers
With months of remote instruction already behind New Jersey schools, significant gaps still exist in providing students access to technology and technological equipment, such as laptops, tablets, hot spot access devices, and other electronic mobile devices. Many New...
by Common Ground | Aug 5, 2020 | Parents, Professionals, Students, Teachers
6 Tips from Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Consultant, Jessica Minahan: Review the curriculum. Encourage colleagues to review their curriculum before assigning reading and other work. For example, if a character in a book becomes seriously ill or dies, you may...