HOWELL – To help slow the spread of coronavirus, schools in the Howell K-8 School District were closed as of March 16 and students will be educated through a remote learning plan.
In a post on the school district’s website, administrators said “the intention of this plan is to preserve the continuity of instruction during a time when assembling in person is not possible due to emergent health and safety risks, causing a forced closure of our school facilities.
“It is important, bordering on essential, to keep in mind that the remote learning plan is in no way an optimal substitute for the in-person, teacher-student relationship that fosters the best learning opportunities.
“Because of the nature of such circumstances, this is an optimized ‘band-aid’ to meet potential learning needs during an emergent set of social distancing needs. … As the needs and circumstances shift, the administration and teacher leaders will adapt this plan to best meet those needs and address the emergent circumstances.”
Beginning March 17, the school district will officially enact its remote learning plan. Students will not report to school and they will instead access learning materials and home learning assignments via internet access and/or paper-based assignments sent home, according to district administrators.
Information will continue to be posted on the school district website, via email, or through verified social media accounts.
In municipal action related to the coronavirus, the Howell municipal building, 4567 Route 9 North, was closed to the public beginning March 16. Municipal employees were reporting to work as normal.
The Township Council will update the public if the municipal building closure will extend past March 22.
As of March 14, the council said there were no confirmed cases of coronavirus affecting Howell residents reported to municipal officials.
Municipal Court has been ordered closed for two weeks, beginning March 16. All scheduled cases will automatically be adjourned during this time.
Howell Senior Center programs have been cancelled, however, Meals on Wheels will still be
delivered.
Updates will be posted on the township website, http://www.twp.howell.nj.us/covid19