(UPDATED 3/16/20)
As you are aware, the Hunterdon Preparatory School is closed. We are saddened by the fact that we are now among the many schools that have had to close due to the Coronavirus outbreak. We will do our very best to keep our children engaged by delivering meaningful school lessons. Please see the information below as it relates to our counseling support and academic plan and how the closure will affect our school.
Do the days count toward the 180 day state requirement?
Yes! An announcement from the NJ Dept of Education on March 5th allowed districts in NJ the ability to deliver instruction online that would count toward the 180 day state requirement. In other words, these COVID-19 closure days are to be considered school days. Students will have a significant amount of work to do with the goal of making continued educational progress for each student during every school day during the closure.
Will we lose spring break or change the date of graduation?
No, at this point there are no plans for any calendar changes since the closure days count toward the 180 day requirement.
How will school attendance be taken?
To be recorded as present for the day students need to log into their Google Classroom EACH DAY BEFORE NOON and click the following link https://tinyurl.com/HPSAttendanceForm to complete and submit a daily attendance form. In addition, classroom attendance will be taken daily by teachers and counselors. Teachers will take classroom attendance by tracking their students when they log into their Google classrooms. Counselors will track attendance by charting the students answering their daily check in calls.
What do I do if my child is ill or unable to attend “Home Learning”?
If your child is unable to attend their “Home Learning” on any day, please call the school phone at 908-832-7200 and leave a message. If your child is ill, in addition to leaving a message on the school phone, please contact our School Nurse, Ms. Sanchez via email at nurse@hunterdonlearning.com. The Departments of Health & Education continue to require incidence of fever and other flu-like symptoms be recorded. Please be aware that if your student has a health concern, communicating this information helps protect our entire community.
How will we provide counseling support remotely?
Your child will receive a daily check-in phone call from an HPS counselor.
If needed, counselors will also have the ability to contact your child’s out-of-school individual counselor, psychiatrist, CMO worker and/or any other mental health provider as deemed necessary.
How will you know when the counseling check-in will occur?
Our counselors have created a schedule for each student and will be in touch with you via email or phone to inform you of their scheduled check-in time.
What other information do I need to know/consider about counseling check-in?
Please encourage your child to answer the phone during their scheduled check-in time.
Please be advised our calls will show on your phone as NO CALLER ID.
Counselors will also be available to your child via email.
Please note that the counseling staff is ONLY available during normal school hours (8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.). In the event of an actual emergency during the school day or after-school hours, go to your local emergency room and contact your child’s mental health provider(s). Please follow up with your child’s HPS counselor as soon as possible.
What is the contact information for the HPS counselors?
· Alisa Kopacz akopacz@hunterdonprep.org
· John Doran jdoran@hunterdonprep.org
· Amanda Medina amedina@hunterdonprep.org
· Dan Schwahl dschwahl@hunterdonprep.org
· Jamie Capezzuto jcapezzuto@hunterdonprep.org
CRISIS INTERVENTION NUMBERS TO HAVE ON HAND FOR YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN
National Helpline DIAL 1-800-662-HELP (4357) - Treatment referral and information, 24/7.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline DIAL 1-800-273-TALK (8255) – Free and confidential support for people in distress, 24/7.
2nd Floor of New Jersey DIAL OR TEXT 1-888-222-2228 – Youth have access to confidential help.
The TREVOR Project DIAL 866-488-7386 or text START TO 678678 – Leading national organization providing crisis intervention/suicide prevention services to LGBTQ young people under 25.
How will we provide academic lessons?
Our academic component utilizes Google Classroom and e-mail for student work and questions. Teachers will post daily assignments through Google Classroom which the students can access from their devices. If your child has a question regarding an assignment or is having an issue with technology, he/ she /they can contact their teacher via the Hunterdon Preparatory School e-mail. Teachers have already reviewed this process with their students. Please note that teachers may also communicate with your child via their school email address. It is important for your children to periodically check their school email throughout the day.
We suggest that the students maintain a daily routine throughout the time of closure. Checking their assignments following their daily class schedule will help provide structure to their day. Students are expected to complete all work during the time of closure.
How much time will students spend engaged in learning activities each day?
4-5 hours. Teachers are planning activities that should take students about 30-45 minutes per class each day. Parents are encouraged to help their students establish a routine and work area to complete their learning activities. Please note that Monday, March 16th is a professional development day for teachers. Virtual learning will begin for students on Tuesday, March 17th.
Are there specific times that a student needs to be online?
Not necessarily. There are two ways that our teachers will design virtual learning. One way is through synchronous learning. In this method, the students will all be required to be virtually present in a chat room or online platform in order to interact with their teacher and students in real-time. The other method of virtual learning design is called asynchronous. In this method, teachers design experiences that can be completed anytime throughout the day without the need for real-time, live feedback. Many teachers will be using this asynchronous method or a mixture of both methods. Teachers will be reaching out to all of their students and parents with information regarding the expectations for their class by the end of the day on Monday.
What type of activities will students be doing?
Students will be engaged in a variety of learning activities both online and offline. While online, students will access online textbooks, instructional videos, teacher created content and also commercially developed digital instructional materials. Many teachers have identified content specific software and websites that your students will utilize. Students may also be assigned other offline activities such as journaling, physical activity for their physical education classes, cooking for their cooking classes, sketching for their art classes or listening to music for their music appreciation classes.
What do I do if I have technical difficulties?
Any student that is experiencing issues with technology should contact Mr. McNamara at mmcnamara@hunterdonprep.org
Who else is available for assistance from the school during the closure?
The HPS Administrative team is working in full capacity during this closure. Feel free to contact the administration for assistance with any needs during this closure.
Please know that we are committed to do the very best we can to maintain a daily routine for our students. We realize that these are very challenging times, and we appreciate all your support and patience as we navigate these unchartered waters.
