Plan on Jersey’s Schools Re-Opening This Fall, Governor Murphy Says

Governor Murphy says that schools across the Garden State are likely to re-open this fall for in-person classes. However, he stopped short of making an official announcement.

The governor made the comments during a round of television appearances on Thursday.

"We're planning on going back, that's going to be our base case, but we've got to do in a responsible way," Murphy told MSNBC's Morning Joe when asked about re-opening schools this fall.

"We've got a small if not a large army looking at this right now," Murphy says.

He did acknowledge some of the "new normal" which will likely be the case in classrooms across the state (and country).

"The basic social distancing realities, face coverings," Murphy said when speaking about the steps which are likely to be implemented in the re-opening of the state's schools.

"We've got to do it with respect to teachers and administrators in this whole notion of cross-generational spread of the virus," the governor said.

Earlier this week the CDC unveiled some suggested guidelines for educators across the country. Those guidelines include:

- Facial coverings - They say they should be worn in all-day settings such as school by staff and students (particularly older students) especially when physical distancing is difficult.

- Classrooms and shared spaces should be frequently disinfected. In fact, they call for an increased, routine cleaning, and disinfection process.

-The use of shared classroom objects should be limited when possible or cleaned between each use. Child's belongings should be kept separate from one another.

- Seating should be spaced out to be all east 6 feet apart when feasible. This includes in the classroom, busses, etc.

- Cafeteria dining is not advised. Students should bring their own meals or be served individually plated meals in the classrooms instead of a communal cafeteria (while ensuring the safety of students with food allergies).

- Physical barriers (sneeze guards and partitions) should be built in areas where it is difficult for provide distancing.

You can view more of the CDC's guidelines by clicking here. 

Murphy announced on Wednesday that his administration hopes to provide the state's guidance for the upcoming school year to parents and educators by early to mid-June.