CHERRY HILL, NJ — Tuesday is the first day of school for students in the Cherry Hill Public School District. For students everywhere, school will be different this year, as learning will be mostly remote amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In Cherry Hill, learning will be all-remote after the district made a decision last week to go full-remote through at least Nov. 4. Read more here: Cherry Hill Schools Switch To All-Remote Plan To Start Year
All students are eligible for free lunch through the end of the year, the district recently announced. On the first day of school, distribution will take place at both high schools from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Beginning Sept. 14, it will be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. Families can apply to receive free and reduced-priced meals on the school district’s website.
The district made the change to an all-remote plan after the district received letters from Cherry Hill Education Association groups at each of the district’s 19 schools over the weekend.
The district has also received a growing list of leave-of-absence requests from certified staff ahead of the start of the school year, which is set for Sept. 8. There is also a lack of certified substitute teachers available for key areas.
The district also won’t be able to offer its School Aged Child Care (SACC) program at this time due to a lack of staffing.