Dear Nutley Staff, Students, and Parents,

At the end of three weeks of Virtual Learning, I continue to be amazed by the effort and dedication of our students, parents, teachers, support staff, and administrators. I know everyone is working more and harder than before, and you have proven the quote, “Always remember, you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." I am proud of you and of our learning community!  I am inspired by the positive messages you are sending to each other, the work of the community to volunteer in so many ways, and the Nutley Family Service Bureau for feeding all of our students, and our neighbors, who may be struggling. I also share your concerns for the uncertainty of what lies ahead.

After much thought, research and collective conversations, we have made the decision to amend our Spring Break, originally scheduled for Monday, April 13 until Friday, April 17 to try to relieve some of the pressures that will be our current reality for an extended time. In our last correspondence, we indicated that the district would be closed until, at least, April 10th. At this point, the district is abiding by the Stay-At-Home order until at least April 30th, along with most of the country. Based on Governor Murphy’s state regulations, the New Jersey Department of Health and Education, and the Office of Emergency Management, we recognize that we do not have the ability to know when the district will open again, but based on current conditions we have made modifications to our schedule in an effort to provide on-going breaks, and a longer term benefit for all. 

The five days of Spring Break will be broken up, giving students and staff one-day off, per week, for five weeks, in addition to the Good Friday holiday. We hope that by shortening the instructional weeks to four days, students and staff, as well as parents, will be able to have some time to breathe. We’ve also considered that after three weeks of Virtual Learning, we have fallen into a routine of work and home that may be hard for some to re-engage after a full week away.

The revised schedule will include six, four-day instructional weeks as follows:

Friday, April 10: (Good Friday): The district is closed.

Monday, April 13: Spring Break Day 1 (The district is closed for students and staff.)

Monday, April 20: Spring Break Day 2 (The district is closed for students and staff.)

Monday: April 27: Spring Break Day 3 (The district is closed for students and staff).

Monday: May 4: Spring Break Day 4 (The district is closed for students and staff.)

Monday: May 11: Spring Break Day 5 (The district is closed for students and staff.)

There will be no instruction, no assignments, and no homework over the four-day holiday weekend, or any of the subsequent long weekends. We encourage staff, students, and families to take advantage of these six, four-day weeks. We hope that you will find these times as opportunities to rest, recharge and re-energize, despite having to stay home to stay healthy. 

While we know everyone is working hard, we do ask that you are mindful of giving yourself time for breaks each day. Step away from your computers and devices. Set a time when you will stop checking emails each night. Do something for yourself. Read a novel. Watch a show. Work on a puzzle or play a game. Get some fresh air. Go for a walk or a run. Write in a journal. Your mental and physical health are paramount during this time. Please check out these resources provided by our School Counseling Department, here. We will also share opportunities for virtual field trips, arts and entertainment events, and projects that you can do that might fuel your interests or invite new passions. 

The meal distribution schedule will also change to accommodate these revisions. Beginning Tuesday, April 14, pick-up will be Tuesdays and Fridays. Details will be shared in a separate correspondence. We will continue to monitor and re-evaluate this evolving situation and provide updates to the community via email, our district website, and social media including when there is a better sense of when we can reopen and return to school.

Thank you for your on-going efforts and support. We are truly Nutley stronger together!

Sincerely,

Dr. Julie Glazer, Superintendent of Schools