To keep children safe and to combat the spread of COVID-19, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared that schools in the state would be closed on an indefinite, month-to-month basis, beginning March 16.
In April, as COVID cases increased, he extended the closure until May 15; on May 6, Murphy announced schools would remain closed through the end of the year.
The Haddonfield School District shifted into an online learning mode on March 17, not knowing how long it would last. With Murphy’s eventual ruling expected, district personnel had been thinking about their students and parents, and how to end the year by preserving certain celebrations and milestones without causing further disruptions.
“Everyone is doing a job to support this,” said Superintendent Larry Mussoline, during the board of education’s virtual meeting April 30. “We knew we could sustain this model for a short time, but as we’re moving into the second month and beyond, this is taxing on our staff, it’s taxing on parents, taxing for children.
“The longer this goes on, the harder this all gets. I am very concerned as a 40-year school leader about going back in this environment without a vaccine, without a cure, without a treatment.”
Before he was made aware of Murphy’s ultimate decision, Mussoline and Board of Education President Adam Sangillo mused about what it would have taken to open schools, including policy changes and the far-reaching implications of allowing entire student bodies to be present with students, teachers, staff and administrators who may unknowingly pass the virus onto others.
“Spacing, social distancing, the research that’s out there tells us that children aren’t typically affected by this,” Sangillo noted. “But if they have it and give it to an adult, a teacher, an aide, someone in the class that is around my age, these are all chances that state leaders are going to take.”
Now that the decision on schools has been made from the top, it falls on principals from the district’s three elementary schools, middle school and high school to maintain some semblance of normalcy for kids who would have been celebrating things like moving up and graduation ceremonies, as well as proms, dances and other special events.
“This time of year is a celebration, not just for the kids but also for the parents,” Sangillo said. “You get these kids ready to fly and there’s a lot of pomp and circumstance that goes with it. It’s so sad that it’s different this year.
“The kids are more resilient, and I know as a parent it’s harder.”
Haddonfield Memorial High School Principal Tammy McHale offered a comprehensive list of backup plans in the event Murphy nixed school completely.
Graduation exercises had been scheduled for June 18 on school grounds, but a contingency date and time of July 23 at 7 p.m. is in place, with plans to adhere to social distancing measures mandated by the state. Instead, on June 18, plans are for the HMHS front yard to be covered with pictures of each graduating student; a car parade is planned, with police input, through town to end at HMHS; and senior gifts, scholarships, diploma, yearbook and awards are to be received in gift boxes at the end of the parade.
In addition, there is a contingency plan for proms to be held in some fashion on July 24, beginning at 7 p.m., and there are also plans to hold a dance in the fall — pending restrictions and guidelines — if the spring dances are canceled.
Promotion for Haddonfield Middle School eighth graders had been slated for June 18. Per the school’s website, plans are in the works to celebrate graduates and recognize rising sixth graders. HMS families can expect an outline of events, as well as specific procedures relating to them, after May 15.
According to Principal Valerie Cline, Tatem Elementary’s fifth grade Recognition Night was to be held on June 10. She is discussing with PTA representatives on the Grade Committee how the event might be held online. Tatem’s rising sixth graders have already received celebratory lawn signs from the school’s PTA.
Gerry Bissinger, principal of Elizabeth Haddon Elementary, revealed that its fifth grade promotion ceremony will be held on June 16 at 6:30 p.m., via the district’s YouTube channel. The ceremony is expected to feature many facets of the in-school proceedings, such as recognition of departing Haddon families, presentation of the 2020 class gift and a video presentation of memories from the Lizzy Haddon experience.
“While it’s difficult to not be together, one nice thing about doing it online is that anyone will be able to tune in to watch,: the principal said. “Previously, due to space (concerns) we had to limit each family to just two guests.”
Central Elementary will hold similar proceedings on June 11 at 5 p.m., on the district’s YouTube channel, per to Principal Shannon Simkus.
