WEST ORANGE, NJ — West Orange's public schools will shift spring break and close next week due to concerns over the new coronavirus known as COVID-19.

There's the possibility that the closure will last beyond that, in which case the district's e-learning or tele-schooling plans will begin on Monday, March 23, according to Superintendent Scott Cascone. School administrators recently posted the following advisory on the district's website:

"All after school and evening extracurricular, athletic, and community events scheduled through Monday, March 16 will be cancelled or postponed without exception. Field trips which have not been cancelled to date will proceed as scheduled. After care programs will occur as regularly scheduled. All students and staff will be asked to vacate the premises directly after dismissal and the facilities will be closed to staff other than administration, custodial, and building and grounds staff. It is uncertain as to whether measures such as these will be necessary moving forward in the long term. However, in the short term, this hiatus will allow time to monitor the evolving situation, ensure the most thorough cleaning possible, and reduce social interaction between students and staff. As of now, the school closure for professional development remains scheduled for Monday, March 16." Cascone offered the following statement about the district's plans on Friday. "As superintendent of schools, I am here not only to ensure that all students are provided a thorough and effective education, but also to listen and respond to the collective will the people. As you know, numerous school districts including all those schools in Bergen County have moved forward with a long term closure.

"This morning, I met with various agencies including the department of health and, as of the time that I write this correspondence, we have still yet to receive a written directive to close our schools. The New Jersey statue which permits schools to use tele-schooling in lieu of instructional days explicitly states that a school district must receive this directive in writing from the state or local departments of health. "That being said, it has become clear to me that many of our community members would be uncomfortable with me allowing the opening of schools on Monday, March 16. However, I am also responsible for ensuring, as pursuant to the Department of Education memo and based on my own philosophy and beliefs, that all students have a goodwill access to the services.

"Our team has worked day and night to prepare for transferring our school district to a virtual model. We have answered many of the questions relative to how this would get done. In a short period of time we have built a comprehensive e-learning platform for all schools and all teachers. All of our staff has been trained on how to use it and have begun to build out their content for those sites.

"However, I would be disingenuous and doing a disservice to the children and parents of the school district if I were to move forward next week with this plan with so many questions still left to be answered. There are several key pieces which, while we have good preliminary plans, logistics still need to be ironed out. Furthermore, we need to ensure that all of our stakeholders have received adequate communication and understanding about how to access the services.

"Namely, I speak of our Food Services and ensuring that our students eligible for free and reduced lunch understand how and where to obtain this food. Secondly, while we have an extensive amount of data relative to the students in our schools that do not have Internet or computer access, the fact remains that we have yet to zero in on all of those households specifically. Further, while we have hardcopy packets developed to go home to those households, the massive job of reproducing hundreds of multi-page packets and either distributing them to those households or placing them in central locations still needs to be done. Finally, and from a social emotional standpoint at this time of uncertainty and even anxiety, to thrust our students, teachers, and families into the situation next week whereby, not only with the many seeking alternative childcare or asking others to care for their children, now we are asking them to embark upon an entirely new endeavor and enterprise with the learning. "In short, we need more time. Therefore, please be advised, that after discussing this situation with the Board of Education members, I have recommended that we shift our spring break vacation to next week. In this way, regardless of whether the governor or state department of health directs to close our schools, we will be in compliance. Not only will this break enable us to quarantine our facilities for 11 days, but it will also give our administration and our teachers the same amount of time to ensure that if and when we must convert to a virtual schooling model, we, the professionals and our community members, are as prepared as possible and more comfortable to do so.