Current Announcements
Reopening Information from Dr. Mercora
January 12, 2021
Dear Parents/Guardians:
The District Restart and ReOpening Committee met last night to review the current Department of Health COVID-19 Activity Report, Contact Tracing Protocols and the impact on our ability to open the schools.
Presently, the State of New Jersey remains in High Risk (orange) status. The District has recorded an additional 5 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 since last week (21 students and 9 staff members).
Our goal is to have the students in school with teachers as soon as possible. However, based on the Department of Health’s COVID-19 guidelines, while in orange/high risk, we are unable to open the buildings on January 19th as previously planned. This is due to the complications caused by contact tracing and quarantine requirements. It is our hope that we will see a decrease in COVID activity and return to a Hybrid Model on February 1, 2021.
The Health Guidelines while in High Risk/Orange are:
- Close contact is still defined as a person who has been within 6 feet of an infected person, for 15 cumulative minutes, in a 24 hour period. The exposure must occur two days prior to symptom onset or specimen collection (if the person is asymptomatic).
- The Department of Health still recommends a 14 day quarantine period when an individual is considered a close
- Close contacts, of someone experiencing COVID symptoms, need to quarantine until the ill individual receives their COVID test results. If the ill individual is COVID negative, close contacts will be “released” from quarantine. If the ill individual is COVID positive, close contacts will need to complete the 14 day quarantine
- If your child has any of the following symptoms he/she will need a negative COVID test result, improving symptoms, and be fever free for 24 hours (without the use of fever reducing medicine) before returning to school. If your sick child does not get a COVID test, he/she cannot return to school for 10 days. A doctor’s alternate diagnosis is no longer accepted as clearance to return to
| Column A | Column B |
| Exhibits Two from Column A | Exhibits One From Column B |
| Fever (100.4 or greater w/out fever reducing meds) | Cough |
| Chills | Shortness of Breath |
| Muscle or body Aches | Difficulty Breathing |
| Headache | New loss of Smell |
| Sore Throat | New loss of Taste |
| Nausea or vomiting | Diarrhea |
| Fatigue | |
| Congestion or runny nose |
Covid-19 has been a source of hardship for many and a source of heartache for our students. We miss them! Absence has made our hearts grow even fonder of our students. We want them back in the building and will remain optimistic that we will be (better than) normal in the near future!
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at mercorad@lopatcongschool.org
Sincerely,
Dr. Debra Mercora
Debra Mercora, EdD
Superintendent
Student Support Services Website
Lopatcong School District’s Student Support Services members include school counselors, school psychologists, nurses and social workers. Together, we work to create the best academic, social and emotional learning enviornment for ALL our students in grades PreK through 8.
Check out our new “Student Support Services” website!
PHS Bus Routes 20-21
PickUp Patrol
PickUp Patrol is used for Weekly Health Screenings at both schools and for dismissal at the Elementary School.
Please remember to complete the weekly health screening on Sunday evenings.
Parents can log in here:
https://app.pickuppatrol.net/parents/
For information on accessing it on your mobile device see below.
How to add PickUp Patrol App to your phone
ReStart and Recovery Plan
Attached is the ReStart and Recovery Plan for the 2020 Lopatcong School District. This is a dynamic plan, as the CDC, DOH and DOE update information the plan may need to be updated. Any changes will be shared in a timely fashion.
If you have any questions do not hesitate to email me at mercorad@lopatcongschool.org
