As the year of discontinuity continues, more changes have been implemented into the hybrid learning system — including the addition of a snack time which students have endlessly expressed their desire for.

Tentatively, beginning March 9, a 20-minute snack break will be implemented into the daily schedule — changing school-run times to 9:45-2:30 pm. As school ran continuously for four hours, the needed time of actual curriculum to count as a school day, students expressed their longing for a break or lunch period in the middle of the school day so that they can get off their computers and get something to eat. With the tentative new 4-Day-Per-Week-In-School Hybrid plan, Cherry Hill Public Schools has taken student’s voices into consideration, making headway for a short but needed mental and physical health break.

As officially released, snacks will be allowed at all grade levels in the school buildings, but lunch will not be served.

Additionally, with the addition of the 4-Day-Per-Week-In-School Hybrid plan, students and families can choose to commit to in-person or virtual Tuesday – Friday, with Monday staying as an all-remote learning day.

Per the Postcard sent out on February 19, beginning Monday, February 22, 2021, it will be required for parents to complete a survey for each of their children, indicating whether the parents will commit to sending their child to school four days per week beginning March 9th, 2021, or commit to having them on full virtual instruction. The survey, which can be accessed through the Genesis grading portal will be open from Monday, February 22, 2021, through Saturday, February 27th, 2021.

This means students who opt into the in-person learning model will now go into school four days during the week (Tuesday-Friday) and stay home on Mondays for the full remote day with the rest of the district’s students and staff. All things considered, Cherry Hill Public Schools will steer away from the cohort archetype that has been implemented for the previous few months that assigned students who wanted to go to school in-person a cohort — Cohort A was assigned to Tuesday and Thursday and Cohort B went into East Wednesday and Thursday. Now, students who choose to commit to in-person learning will be able to go four days a week, combining the small percentage of students in the two cohorts. With the combination of the cohorts and bringing all hybrid learners into the building four days a week, there could be a possibility that some classrooms can not accommodate to keep all desks six feet apart at all times.

As more students may choose to opt into learning in-person, Cherry Hill Public Schools, as well as the East Administration, will reconvene to assess the learning procedures to ensure safety, transparency, and streamline a positive atmosphere for all student learning.

Additional details and new communication for the tentative plan will be sent out and updated.