21-22 Looking Ahead Return to School Plan
09-03-21
Dear Parents and Guardians,
On behalf of theĀ Camden City School District staff members, it is with great anticipation and excitement that we welcome all of our students and families as we begin the 2021-2022 school year on Tuesday, September 7, 2021.
Many students have not been in our physical buildings for over a year; so I know there is likely high anticipation for the arrival of our first day of full in-person learning on Tuesday, September 7th. We understand this anticipation and as a district community, we are ready to receive all students. In this era of global health pandemic, we are ready to not only address the educational needs of our students but also their health and safety.
On August 6, 2021, GovernorĀ Murphy issued Executive Order 251 which mandates staff, students, and all persons entering a school building to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status. This Executive Order aligns with the Camden City School Districtās masking requirements of students, staff, and visitors which has been in effect since the summer of 2020. In addition to our masking policy, we will continue to follow all of our mitigation strategies which help to slow the spread of COVID-19, including:
- Wear a mask inside at all times when not eating or drinking
- Conduct a daily health check of your child by following our ASK.ASK.LOOK guidance
- Enforce proper hand-washing hygiene
- Maintain as much distance as we can when in classrooms or group settings
As part of our health protocols, we will continue to ensure all buildings are frequently cleaned. Another mitigation strategy we will offer is free, routine, COVID-19 testing for students at our schools.Ā Ā Testing is 100% FREE to you and your family.Ā Ā By working together to test every student who opts in to the program each week, we will keep our entire school community safer.Ā Positive cases will be identified more quickly, which will reduce any potential spread of COVID-19 in our schools. Students under the age of 18Ā must-have parental consent for testing. I strongly encourage all families to give consent for the school district to test students for COVID-19. Watch this video to see how easy testing students can be. You can give your consent here. Additional information will be shared during the first week of school.
If you have any additional questions or concerns about health and safety in our schools, please take some time to review the districtās Return to School Plan. For English click HERE | Para espaƱol Haga clic aquĆ.
These last couple of months have challenged all of us, collectively. We have and will continue to meet and overcome any obstacles ahead. By working together, we will provide our students with the necessary resources they need to continue to prepare for a successful future.
I look forward to seeing you on the first day of school and look forward to working with you to ensure the success of all of our students.
Students First,
Katrina T. McCombs, M.A.Ed., MPA
State District Superintendent
Camden City School District