TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Given the downward local trend of the pandemic, Westwood Regional School District superintendent Jill Mortimer says she’ll no longer require unvaccinated, asymptomatic students/staff to quarantine or Test to Stay if they become close contacts, effective Monday, Feb. 14.
“In the meantime, since home testing is now acceptable, it is no longer necessary to run the morning TTS program at WRMS. Instead, coordinate the home testing with your school nurse if needed,” Mortimer told parents and staff in an email on Feb. 11.
Days earlier she had clarified TTS was optional and that she looked forward to announcing a related update. We based part of a front page story on that — out this weekend — that was the best information we had at press time. The bulk of that story remains timely: area superintendents’ plans in light of the apparent end of school masks mandates, effective March 7.
Mortimer said on Feb. 11, “I put the Covid Test to Stay (TTS) program in place to provide equal access to education for our unvaccinated students and to assist our working parents. It was intended to be a short-term resolution. Now that Gov. Murphy has announced the end of the mask protocol (with the exception of school buses per the federal mandate) starting March 7, my attention has turned to assessing our remaining practices and protocols.”
She said that as part of her research she “gathered the following data points”:
- Bergen County is now back in yellow or moderate Covid activity.
- We had 600 entries on our quarantine list for the month of January.
- During the last week of January, the district’s nurses calculated the percentage of unvaccinated close contacts who have turned positive during January: 18%.
- District Covid cases have trended significantly downward since the New Year: Jan. 1–7: 282; Jan. 8–14: 149; Jan. 15–21: 100; Jan. 22–28: 48; Jan. 29–Feb. 4: 30; and Feb. 5–10: 11.
- The number of individuals taking part in Thursday afternoon Covid testing (which ends this week) at the high school has dropped as well: Jan. 10: 131; Jan. 13: 99; Jan. 20: 57; Jan. 24: 25; Jan. 27: 37; Feb. 3: 14; and Feb. 10: 6.
She said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s forecasting tool predicts (above) a continued sharp decrease in Covid cases in Bergen County. “I am not convinced that the aforesaid will continue to support disrupting continuity of in-person instruction and possibly impacting the important social and emotional experiences that school brings. Therefore, beginning Monday, Feb. 14, I am no longer requiring unvaccinated, asymptomatic students/staff to quarantine or Test to Stay if they become close contacts.”
She added, “Please know I will continue to monitor local data. If our case count begins to trend in an upward direction, I will modify our practices.”
Referring to the school board meeting of Jan. 27, she said, “As noted on the evening that I was appointed to the position of superintendent, I am a situational leader, and I have reflected on what makes the most sense for our students/staff in the situation that is currently unfolding before me. I have done my due diligence, and I am comfortable with the direction I am planning. That being said, symptomatic students, whether vaccinated or not, should always stay home and get tested for COVID-19. You are still asked to notify the school nurse if your child tests positive for Covid.”
Mortimer said, “I look forward to turning my attention to the educational and social emotional goals I am developing now that I am starting my official superintendency. You will hear about those soon.”