O.C. Schools Remain Open With Adjustments

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The school district posts the latest statistics of COVID-19 cases each week. (Image OCSD)

By MADDY VITALE Ocean City Schools Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Taylor is keeping the district up to date on the fluid situation involving the COVID-19 pandemic and how it relates to teaching the students. On Friday, Dr. Taylor posted a letter on the website oceancityschools.org and on the district's Facebook page, detailing the changes that are being made and how the results of a pre-Thanksgiving survey given to families are being taken into account to make some adjustments at the high school, primary school and intermediate school. She noted that other changes “stemmed from weekly meetings with the Cape May County Health Department, which we attend alongside district leaders from throughout the county.” Dr. Taylor said that by working together, this district has come up with ways to improve the experiences of the students, families and educators, without having to sacrifice in-person teaching. “I’d like to thank our Ocean City community for providing us with valuable feedback in our Pre-Thanksgiving survey. Each piece of important information allows us to continue our efforts in giving our kids the best education possible -- what Ocean City Schools have always been able to do year after year,” Dr. Taylor said in a press release. “We must remain vigilant in our efforts at home, as well as in school, so that way we can keep students in the building. That’s our main goal.” The Ocean City district closed on March 16 at the beginning of the pandemic. It was a day before Gov. Phil Murphy’s executive order to shut down schools statewide. The following day, Ocean City schools offered the hybrid learning model, which combines virtual and in-person instruction for students.

The school district posts the latest statistics of COVID-19 cases each week. (Image OCSD) Since the reopening in September, the district has remained open, while other schools throughout the region have closed temporarily and reopened. Recently, schools in Atlantic County have closed with tentative openings in mid-January, due to a higher surge of COVID-19 cases in the county. During recent meetings of the Ocean City Board of Education and City Council parents have spoken out about their desire to keep the schools open as long as possible. Dr. Taylor and school officials have said throughout the pandemic that they will work closely with county and state officials and strictly adhere to all safety and protocol guidelines to keep the doors open. On Dec. 1, Dr. Taylor announced that the district would move into a modified hybrid schedule with adjustments that began Dec. 3, when the county moved into a high-risk category for COVID transmission. And on Friday, she detailed some of the changes that were in response to the parent/student surveys and the county health officials. Some are as follows: At Ocean City High School:

A change in student schedules: With the region moving to high-risk status, the Cape May County Health Department warned schools about unstructured, large-group gatherings, such as lunch, when students remove their masks. As a result, the school district has changed the schedule to heed this warning.
Increased time for teachers and students to connect daily: Student/teacher contact time has increased, but most significant, the quality of the contact time has improved.
The alignment of times when in-person and virtual students are learning directly from teachers (concurrent teaching and learning): Students and parents indicated in the survey that there is a need for math and science support. Therefore, the math and science departments are implementing a concurrent teaching learning model. Based on the success of this new format, OCHS will look to add this model in other departments.

The Intermediate School is located at 1801 Bay Ave. At Ocean City Intermediate School:

The introduction of a remote tutoring service: This service is offered from 6-7 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays via Zoom.
Direct contact with teachers: To enable teachers to connect with students on days the students are home in the hybrid schedule, OCIS has initiated office hours.
The continuation of weekly principal letters and the sharing of assignments online by individual teachers: To prioritize communication with parents and guardians, teacher-posted assignments act as a checklist so that parents/guardians can easily track their student’s progress.

At Ocean City Primary School:

The launch of the EASE Program: During the EASE programs, students receive an additional dose of instruction and support in areas of English and language arts, specific to a student’s learning needs.
The expansion of pre-recorded content: This is accomplished with daily morning messages and videos organized by daily agendas.
A focused attempt to meet the varying needs of families: A weekly Raider Recap strives to keep OCPS families informed of all virtual events, as well as student progress.

Wellness is also an important focus, Dr. Taylor emphasized in her letter. “We continue to build upon efforts to boost mental health and promote wellness throughout our schools and in the community,” she said. Specifically, on designated “Wellness Wednesdays,” the school Wellness Teams, led by district health professionals, initiate check-ins with various groups – and individuals – to offer assistance or simply provide time for socialization. The high school can soon expect a bi-weekly update provided through PowerSchool on issues related to COVID and mental health. The intermediate and primary schools are incorporating “feel good moments and opportunities to have fun, which is often part of these schools’ approach to wellness, along with individual support and counseling,” Dr. Taylor noted in the letter. The letter also discusses the new “ad-hoc” COVID Committee created by the Board of Education. The committee joins members of the school community, medical experts and city leaders to look at pandemic-related issues from multiple perspectives. To view Dr. Taylor’s letter in its entirety and for additional information, visit the district’s website at www.oceancityschools.org.