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Second HMHS student tests positive for COVID-19

The Haddonfield School District announced this afternoon that second High School student has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. This brings to seven the number of members of the public school community who have contracted the disease.

Superintendent of Schools Chuck Klaus sent the following letter to parents, guardians, and staff today

This letter is to inform you that an individual at Haddonfield Memorial High School has tested positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Contact tracers will be using timelines based on the onset of symptoms and dates of positive test results. If there are individuals identified as close-contacts, whether the contacts happened in school or elsewhere, they will be notified by the district and/or the Camden County Department of Health, most likely within the next 24-48 hours.

Here are all of the details that we are permitted to share at this time:

  • The individual is a female in her 10s in Cohort A.
  • The individual was symptomatic beginning Wednesday, November 4.
  • The individual was tested on November 6 and received notice of a positive COVID test on Sunday, November 8. According to guidelines, there is a “look back” period beginning two days prior to either the administration of a positive test if asymptomatic or two days prior to symptoms with a positive test. In this case, the “look back” is Monday, November 2.
  • Based on currently available information, this individual did not likely contract the virus in school.

The District is coordinating closely with public health officials and following CDC, state, and local health department guidelines in order to assure the health and safety of our community.

Cleaning and disinfecting of all exposed areas are completed daily. The school is also taking extra precautions to prevent the introduction and spread of viruses and other germs and is cleaning frequently touched surfaces daily. The status of this situation is fluid, and we are monitoring it closely.

We understand the level of concern regarding COVID-19. We encourage parents and students to continue following the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention promoted safeguards, such as:

  • Staying home when you are sick;
  • Washing hands often with soap for at least 20 seconds;
  • Covering coughs and sneezes and properly disposing of tissues;
  • Limiting close contact with people who are sick and not sharing food, drinks, and utensils;
  • Practicing social distancing;
  • Wearing a face covering while in school, (additional mask guidance);
  • Continuing to monitor your health for symptoms.

As always, we appreciate our community’s support and cooperation. We have shared all of the information that we are permitted to share publicly at this time. If there is additional information to share, we will do so under the guidance of our medical team and the Camden County Department of Health. You can assist us by remaining vigilant but sensible in your approach to dealing with this health concern. Below are some resources that might be helpful.

RESOURCES
a) NJDOH COVID-19 Information for Communities and the General Public:
https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/covid2019_community.shtml
b) Get the Facts about Coronavirus: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
c) Symptoms of COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptomstesting/symptoms.html
d) Testing: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/index.html; https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/testing e) How to Protect Yourself: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-gettingsick/prevention.html
f) What to Do if You Are Sick: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/stepswhen-sick.html

Update: Board of Education election

The election-night most recent count for the uncontested Haddonfield Board of Education election on November 3, 2020, was updated late on Saturday, November 7..

The new numbers are:

  • Thomas Vecchio 5,285
  • Lynn Howard Hoag 5,299
  • Heather Paoli 5,332
  • Write-In 440

We will report the official count when it becomes available.

Update: Board of Education election results

CORRECTION (November 7): The post below contains an error. The number of votes for Lynn Howard Hoag should have been reported as 4,553.

A new update (November 8) contains new numbers for all three candidates, and for write-ins.

The election-night vote count for the uncontested Haddonfield Board of Education election on November 3, 2020, has been updated.

The new numbers are:

  • Thomas Vecchio 4,523
  • Lynn Howard Hoag 5,553
  • Heather Paoli 4,577
  • Write-In 346

We will report the official count when it becomes available.

A “thank you” to school custodians

The Haddonfield School District posted this “thank you” on its Facebook page today:

UNSUNG HEROES PART I

It is of paramount importance that we take some time to thank the unsung heroes of the last 10 days.

We had a successful opening that enabled us to get our students back in school for the first time in six months. Tim McFerren (Director of Facilities) and his crew along with Lisa Chadwell and the Prichard (custodial) staff worked frantically, efficiently, and effectively to get the schools ready. They had to be problem-solvers, focused and forward-thinking, as they anticipated issues that might arise. They worked long hours and came in on days off to make sure that the buildings were ready. This often back-breaking work made it possible for teachers and students to walk into safe and clean buildings.

We heartily thank Tim and his team of Kenny Lambert, Rick Sparks, William Fisher, Klaus Henkel, Stephen Kocher, Jeff Lee, Matt Soulliard, Rob Wisnewski, Steve Hale, Patrick Mickles, and Merced Valenzuela.

Job well done!

Board of Ed says “thank you”

This message, from the Board of Education, was posted on Monday, September 7.


As the sun sets on the Summer of 2020, we wanted to take a moment to recognize our staff who have
been on the job under extraordinary uncertainty to plan for this very different school year.

Simply put, our administrators completed a staggering amount of work to prepare for the many possible
eventualities as months flew by and the guidance repeatedly changed. They worked into the nights and
over weekends, postponing personal time to ensure that our system would be as close to ready for
tomorrow as possible.


We would also like to recognize our teachers and staff who were integral to the process of finding
solutions and paths forward. Our fine educators make the crucial leap from planning to engaging our
children with the highest level of integrity.


Tomorrow we will open schools in a new and unprecedented way. Some changes will be inconvenient
and difficult, others will result in a new way to view education and may result in wonderful
advancements for our future.

Please take a moment to say thank you to your teachers and administrators for being ready for this
challenge, and let’s start this extraordinary school year …

  • with a positive attitude,
  • with a growth mindset,
  • with appreciation,
  • and with patience.


Good luck to all in the 2020-21 school year.

Message from Superintendent Klaus

I would like to first welcome all families, students and teachers to the 2020-21 school year at Haddonfield School District.
We are now a week away from our return to school for the fall of 2020. It would certainly be an understatement to say this is a different opening than those we have experienced in the past.

I am sure all of us could rattle off a litany of differences as well as things we wish were different! Notably, some of these challenges have required our administration team and teacher leaders to spend countless summer hours to develop, revise, publish, and republish our return to school model.

Sometimes I feel as though we have spent the last six months talking about the changes caused by the “new normal,” but today I’d like to take a moment to look at how many things are still the same.

As a school district, we continue to uphold our commitment to providing high-quality education to your children. We maintain high expectations for our students, teachers, and administrators. We anticipate a year that – in spite of opening with 50% capacity – will close with all of our students in school all day. These are our goals, and we believe that a prudent start will help us to achieve them.

As in every summer, a great deal of focus was placed on growth and improvement. What may have gotten lost in the shuffle this summer are the many accomplishments of the last 10 weeks not connected to COVID-19.

  • Curriculum has been rewritten and revised. HSD continually invests in improving and modifying curriculum in all areas. Among other revisions, two main areas of focus are improving the middle school Gifted and Talented program and adding mandated LGBTQIA+ standards. Additionally, we invested a great deal of work in designing professional development specifically connected to distance and virtual instruction based on what we learned in the spring.
  • The vestibule projects at Elizabeth Haddon and J.F. Tatem Elementary Schools are 95% complete and 100% functional. We are waiting for delivery of a few final items before we can call them complete.
  • Cameras have been installed in the interior and exterior of all district buildings. This adds an additional level of safety.
  • With the help of the Haddonfield Educational Trust, the area behind the stadium has been upgraded. What was once an expanse of blacktop is now a showpiece for spectators to experience at school events.
  • Work has started on a new air-handling unit tower at the high school. Connected to this project will be the addition of an outdoor classroom and a garden seating area providing an outdoor extension to the cafeteria.

We also continue to work on our three strategic plans. We will nurture our students and teachers by providing social-emotional training and support. We will continue to empower by investing time and training into innovative teaching strategies and learning environments. Finally we work to inspire everyone to embrace cultural competency and pursue social justice as we build on lessons learned at our June Town Hall meeting. The target date for our next open forum is early October.

Last, please take a look at our website. If you have any questions at any time during the school year, please look at the top middle of the web page under “Contact Us” where there is an “Ask a Question” tab that you simply click on and ask us any question(s) you wish. We will get you an answer as quickly as we can. Have a wonderful school year, everyone. Welcome back!

Voting Info: Register to vote

To check if you are already registered to vote in New Jersey, go HERE.

To register to vote in New Jersey, you must:

  • Be a United States citizen.
  • Be at least 17 years old, though you may not vote until you have reached the age of 18.
  • Be a resident of the county for 30 days before the election.
  • Be a person not serving a sentence of incarceration as the result of a conviction of any indictable offense under the laws of New Jersey or another state or of the United States.
  • Complete a Voter Registration Application and/or Party Affiliation Form, available HERE. The form also is available in Room 101 of the Borough Hall, 242 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield.

Completed forms may be submitted to the Borough Clerk at the Borough Hall or mailed or delivered to the Camden County Board of Elections, Elections and Archive Center, 100 University Court, Blackwood NJ  08012. Regular hours: Weekdays from 8:30am to 4:30pm.

The deadline to register to vote for the General Election on Tuesday, November 3 is Tuesday, October 13. (The Camden County Board of Elections will remain open later than its regular 4:30pm closing time on that date.)

School Board to discuss opening procedures

Two new policies covering procedures necessary for the opening of schools for the 2020-21 school year will be discussed and potentially approved during two meetings of the Board of Education, on Thursday, August 28 and Thursday, September 3.

Each meeting will begin at 7pm and may be attended virtually on the School District’s YouTube channel … HERE.

Time will be provided for comments and questions from members of the public.

NJ teachers call for remote learning in all schools; Governor responds

On Tuesday, August 11, the New Jersey Education Association called on Gov. Murphy and the New Jersey Department of Education to direct all New Jersey public schools to open remotely this fall.

The New Jersey Association of School Administrators and the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association joined the NJEA in making the call.

“For months, New Jersey educators and administrators have been working tirelessly to find a way to safely bring students back into school buildings in September. Now, with less than a month remaining before schools are scheduled to reopen, it is time to reluctantly acknowledge that goal is simply not achievable. Reopening schools for in-person instruction under the current conditions poses too great a risk to the health of students and schools staff. The question of whether and when to reopen for in-person instruction is first and foremost a public health decision that cannot be left in the hands of nearly 600 individual school districts. The stakes are too high, and the consequences of a wrong decision are too grave. That is why we are calling on Gov. Murphy and the New Jersey Department of Education to direct all New Jersey public schools to open remotely this fall. We fully support and share the governor’s goal of moving to in-person instruction as soon as the science and data say we can do so responsibly and when the resources are available in our school buildings to do it safely.

“We wish it could be different, but the facts are not in our favor. Our nation is in the middle of an uncontrolled pandemic. Our state, while doing better than many others, has not yet stopped the spread of this virus, particularly among the same young people who are scheduled to return to school in under four weeks. New Jersey’s communities are still at risk, and putting students and staff inside school buildings, even with exceptional precautions, increases that risk.

“We have seen what is happening elsewhere in the country where, within a few days of opening, schools are having to transition to remote learning following outbreaks of COVID-19. Every day, through research and the experience of other states, we are learning more about the effects of this disease on children and their ability to contribute to community spread.

“We have repeatedly asked for universal statewide health standards, which have not been provided. Despite the tireless efforts of all school stakeholders, districts have struggled to meet even the minimum standards that were provided. Inadequate levels of funding, staffing, equipment and facilities will result in inequities in the level of safety afforded to all New Jersey students.

“We urge the governor to act quickly and decisively. We need the rest of the summer to focus our attention and resources on building the most effective remote learning plans possible. While remote education cannot replace in-person instruction, we believe that a carefully planned, well-resourced remote education plan is better than the dangerous, uncertain in-person alternative currently available to us.

“We also need consistent statewide guidance to allow us to focus on addressing critical equity issues. From closing the digital divide to ensuring that students have access to adequate nutrition to figuring out how to provide critical individual therapies and specialized educational services, there will be many challenges ahead. We will be better able to address those issues by all districts starting in a virtual environment, rather than investing our time and scarce resources in a likely unsustainable in-person beginning of the year.

“We remain committed to getting back to in-person instruction as soon as it is safe. It is not safe yet.”

On Wednesday, August 12, Gov. Murphy announced that school districts that cannot meet health and safety standards for safe in-person instruction will begin their school year with all-remote learning.

Public and non-public schools must certify to the Department of Education that they are able to meet the state’s standards for safe in-person instruction. If they cannot, they will be required to provide remote learning for all students.

Easy access to school reopening info

The Haddonfield School District has added a new tab on the home page of its website: Reopening.

The drop-down menu provides access to a variety of topics related to the district’s planning and plans for school in September:

  • HSD Reopening Plan
  • Revised Calendars
  • July 16th Reopening Presentation
  • Community Feedback Summary
  • Parent Survey Results
  • Staff Survey Results
  • District Health Standards and Procedures
  • FAQs for Parents
  • FAQs for Staff
  • NJSIAA Fall Sports News
  • NJ DOE “Road Back” Guidance
  • Haddonfield School District Plan for Instructional Continuity
  • Haddonfield’s Philosophy of Virtual Education

Access the district’s website HERE.