PARSIPPANY — A Letter From Dr. Barbara Sargent, Superintendent of Schools.
Dear Parsippany-Troy Hills Families,
We are at an exciting time in our district. All middle and high schools are open for Cohort A and B students to attend together. Knollwood, Northvail, and Troy Hills Elementary Schools also combined Cohort A and B students this week. At each school, the positive energy from students seeing friends and teachers engaging with more in-person learners has been welcome. The remaining elementary schools will begin this attendance model on April 12. We continue to provide remote learning options for parents or guardians who request it for their children.
Good News About Vaccinations
With the gracious assistance of a trusted Parsippany-Troy Hills Township School District colleague and friend, all staff members have been provided a direct connection to Atlantic Health System for securing vaccination appointments. We are providing coverage so that staff members can get vaccinated as quickly as possible. Vaccines aren’t the only solution, however. Keeping our school doors open for students is dependent upon continued attention to health and safety guidelines. Even with the increase in access to vaccinations, we must remain vigilant. It is critical that we all continue to follow social distancing, masking, and other infection control protocols while vaccine administration is ongoing in the State.
Required Travel Quarantine – Travel Plans Are Discouraged
The milder weather is a happy reminder that spring break is just a few weeks away. At this time, the NJ Department of Health guidance is that non-essential, out-of-state travel is discouraged, regardless of a person’s vaccination status. Travelers must continue to follow quarantining recommendations after travel. Unless there is a change in this guidance, all students who travel to any U.S. state or territory beyond the immediate region (New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) must quarantine.
School Calendar Changes
Our Board of Education approved the following changes to the June 2021 calendar:
- Two unused Snow/Emergency Days will be added to the end of the school year; the last day of school for students will be Friday, June 18.
- Parsippany High School will have outdoor graduation on Tuesday, June 22 in the morning; Parsippany Hills High School will have outdoor graduation on Wednesday, June 23 in the morning.
- Brooklawn Middle School will have Grade 8 Promotion on Friday, June 18 (Morning at PHHS Field); Central Middle School will have Grade 8 Promotion on Monday, June 21 (Morning at PHS Field).
- The elementary schools will plan for Grade 5 Outdoor Moving-Up celebrations during the last full week of school.
- Additional details will be communicated as we get closer to these dates. We know from previous experience that much of our planning will be dependent upon capacity limits and NJ Department of Health guidelines.
My best to all our families for a wonderful weekend.
Sincerely,
Barbara Sargent, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
