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By Joanne Degnan, Managing Editor
After a week of cancelled classes due to weather and power outages, the Robbinsville, Plumsted and Upper Freehold Regional school districts will reopen on Monday, Nov. 5, but Millstone schools will remain closed.
Millstone Schools Superintendent Scott Feder said Sunday evening that all three schools in the K-8 district are still without power. JCP&L has informed the district that there is little chance that full power will be restored to the middle school by Monday and it has provided conflicting information about the status of the elementary and primary schools, he said.
“We are going to take this day by day for now in hopes of hearing better news tomorrow so we can open on Tuesday,” Mr. Feder said.
The Upper Freehold Regional School District said all of school buildings have had heat and electricity restored and classes are ready to resume Monday for all children in pre-K through 12th grade. Millstone will provide bus transportation for its high school students in grades 9-12 who attend Allentown High School in UFRSD.
“Both the UFRSD and Millstone districts will do their very best to pick up all students,” Schools Superintendent Richard Fitzpatrick said Sunday night on the district’s website.
“At this time, if your road is closed or downed wires make passing impossible in the morning, it is possible that our buses will be unable to pick up your child,” Dr. Fitzpatrick said. “I can assure you we will do our very best to get all students to school.”
The Robbinsville and Plumsted school districts intend to make up two of the five lost days of school on Thursday, Nov. 8 and Friday, Nov. 9, when schools were originally supposed to be closed so teachers could attend the New Jersey Education Association convention in Atlantic City. The NJEA convention is now cancelled.
Mr. Feder said that “weather and power permitting,” Millstone schools would also be open on Thursday and Friday. An emergency Millstone Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Monday evening to discuss the school calendar and any further changes that will be needed.
“We are now at six days that need to be put back into the calendar,” Mr. Feder said. “Three are already built in, but the other three are not and the winter months have yet to begin.”
UFRSD is asking parents to complete an online survey regarding making up the lost days on Thursday and Friday. The link to the survey can be found on the district’s website ufrsd.net.
In Upper Freehold, residents without power can continue to avail themselves of the hot showers and warm library at Stone Bridge Middle School from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5, through Saturday, Nov. 10. The hot showers and relaxation schedule will be extended into the following week if necessary.
In Robbinsville, the township has opened a warming station/reception area at the Senior Center for residents without power who need to charge cell phones or laptops or who simply need shelter. The township has also established a “generator exchange.” Residents who have had power restored and are willing to lend generators to other needy residents are asked to call the township at 918-0002 extension 120.
The Allentown First Aid Squad Building is providing overnight shelter for residents without power and also accepting evacuees from eastern Monmouth County shore communities. The Upper Freehold Office of Emergency Management is asking for volunteers to help staff the First Aid Squad shelter and for donations of pillows, blankets, towels and toiletries.
Contact the OEM at 548-7191 if you can help.

