Frequently Asked Questions

2021-2022 School Year

Will Lawrence Township use the Daily Screening Form this year? 

No. – Students and staff will be asked to complete a one-time health screener.  Families will be reminded about the daily screening they should do before entering the building. 

The one-time health screening commitment for students will be filled out by a parent/guardian through the Genesis Parent Portal. Staff will need to fill out the Google Form distributed through email to submit their one-time health screener. 

If your child is sick or someone in your home is sick, please stay home.

Will masks be worn at school?

Yes, masks will be worn by all students and staff under the Governor’s Executive Order 251 and should fully cover the nose and mouth. District-supplied masks will be available on an as-needed basis.

Will there be mask breaks during the school day?

Absolutely. Each school will share specifics with parents and students.

Will masks be required outdoors?

In alignment with state guidelines, masks are not required; however, social distancing is recommended. 

Bus and Lunchroom Protocols 

What are the procedures for the bus?

Students will wear a mask when boarding the bus and stay distanced as much as possible unless they are siblings or members of the same family. Bus windows will be open for fresh air and ventilation. 

Will there be social distancing during lunch?

Yes. LTPS schools are adjusting lunch schedules and utilizing spaces such as gyms, libraries, and some classrooms to allow for social distancing during lunch periods.

Vaccinations  

Will the district mandate vaccinations?

All New Jersey teachers and staff must be vaccinated before October 18 or undergo weekly testing by the executive order of New Jersey’sgovernor. We encourage eligible students to be vaccinated, but LTPS is not mandating vaccinations at this time. We are monitoring potential mandates and recommendations from the State of New Jersey. 

Has any information been shared with the schools on when a vaccine will be available for children under 12 years old? What about booster shots?

Not at this time, but our medical experts will keep us updated and we will share what we learn with you. 

Quarantine Protocols  

What will happen if a student needs to quarantine or isolate because of COVID-19? 

Students who are quarantined because they have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or identified as a close contact with someone who has been diagnosed will be provided with remote learning within 24 hours of the start of their isolation or quarantine period. Students with proof of vaccination will not need to quarantine following an exposure to COVID-19.

Please see the 2021-2022 Plan for Student Instruction document for more information. 

What are the current travel rules that may require quarantine?

LTPS will continue to abide by the travel guidelines adopted by the CDC.

International Travel:  Fully vaccinated individuals who engage in international travel do not need to quarantine after their trip but must be tested within three to five days after returning to the United States. It's important to self-monitor and watch for symptoms. 

If individuals are not vaccinated, they must be tested within three to five days after returning to the United States and self-quarantine for a full 7 days following a negative test. If the test is positive, the individual must isolate for 10 days and seek medical advice.  

The CDC requires all air passengers arriving in the United States from a foreign country to get tested for COVID-19 no more than 3 days before their flight departs and to present the negative result or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 to the airline before boarding the flight. See the New Jersey COVID-19 Information Hub.

Domestic Travel:  For individuals who are fully vaccinated and travel outside of New Jersey, there is no need to quarantine or test before or after travel.  Individuals should monitor for symptoms and get tested if any develop. 

Unvaccinated travelers (including all children under the age of 12)  must be tested three to five days after being in states that do not share a border with New Jersey for more than 24 hours and quarantine for a full seven days even if the test is negative. Individuals who are not tested after travel must stay home and quarantine for ten days. 

According to the CDC, unvaccinated individuals who do travel should get tested, 3-5 days after travel, and stay home and self-quarantine for 7 days after domestic travel.

For those traveling to New Jersey, domestic travel is defined as lasting 24 hours or longer to states or US territories other than those connected to New Jersey, such as Pennsylvania, New York, and Delaware.

Routine precautionary quarantine or isolation following travel will not qualify a student for remote learning. They will be marked as absent. 

For more information, refer to the CDC's guidance for domestic travel.

When might my child be required to quarantine?  

• When they have received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis 
• When they are unvaccinated and have been in close contact with a person who has been diagnosed with Covid-19. 
• In certain instances after travel
• When they exhibit COVID-like symptoms as follows:
• At least two of the following symptoms: fever (measure or subjective), chills, rigors (shivers), myalgia (muscle aches), headache, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, congestion, or runny nose;  
• At least one of the following symptoms: cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, new olfactory disorder, or new taste disorder. 

What is contact tracing?

Contact tracing, in combination with isolation and quarantine, is used by health departments to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. It involves identifying people who have a confirmed case of COVID-19 and the people with who they came in contact (close contacts) and working with them to interrupt disease spread. This includes asking people with COVID-19 to isolate and their contacts to quarantine at home.

Please note that LTPS, per CDC guidelines, will not quarantine vaccinated individuals exposed to a person who has tested positive. Unvaccinated individuals may still be required to quarantine if exposed to a positive case. 

In the K–12 indoor classroom setting, the close contact definition excludes students who were within 3 to 6 feet of an infected student (laboratory-confirmed or a clinically compatible illness) where both the infected student and the exposed student(s) correctly and consistently wore well-fitting masks the entire time.  This exception does not apply to teachers, staff, or other adults in the indoor classroom setting.

Remote Learning 

Is remote learning an option this year?

All schools will be full-time and in-person. Remote learning is an option only when a student must quarantine or isolate because of COVID-19 (see Quarantine Protocols section, above.)

If your child needs to quarantine the following travel, remote learning is not available to them and their days out of the classroom will be marked as absences. 

Please see the 2021-2022 Plan for Student Instruction document for more information. 

Miscellaneous  

Will students have access to lockers at Lawrence Middle and at Lawrence High School?

Yes.  We are planning ways to minimize the need and amount of time that students would need to access; however, they will be able to store belongings.  Students will not change clothes for physical education classes, so gym lockers will not be available.

How will art and music and other special classes be accommodated?

Art and music rooms will be used as long as the rooms have sufficient space so that students can maintain social distance requirements during their activities. Outside spaces can also be used when students need to remove their masks for instrumental lessons. 

Will Back to School Night be held in person?

All Back to School Nights will be virtual. The classrooms lack the required space for social distancing.  

What happens if a student refuses to wear a mask?

Students who come to school without a mask, lose their mask, or damage their mask will be provided with a replacement mask. Students who refuse to wear a mask may be subject to disciplinary action. 

Students who do not comply with the mask requirement will be reminded of the mandate and provided with a face covering if needed.  The following steps will be implemented when students violate the mandate:

INITIAL VIOLATION

• Discuss the rationale for non-compliance with the student.

• Re-direct the student to wear a face-covering and/or wear it appropriately.

• Review face covering protocol with the student.

REPEATED OR PERSISTENT VIOLATION

• Re-direct the student to wear a face covering and/or wear it appropriately.

• Review face covering protocol with the student.

• Contact parent/guardian. Discuss concerns regarding face covering mandate.

• The student may be removed from the classroom and sent home.

DELIBERATE NON-COMPLIANCE

• The student will be removed from the classroom and sent home.

• The parent/guardian will be required to pick up the student.

• The student will be issued a short-term suspension for refusing to cooperate with school rules and knowingly threatening the health of others.

• Students who continue to be non-compliant after a short-term suspension will be issued a long-term out-of-school suspension.

Please note that more information will be added and provided as the start of the school year approaches.