Mayor Janice Mironov and Members of Council -- Denise Daniels, Anthony Katawick, Marc Lippman, David Russell, Johnnie Whittington and John Zoller -- Present

 
East Windsor Township
E-News Alert!
 

May 29, 2020

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE

Introducing East Windsor To Go!

Your Favorite East Windsor Restaurants for Pickup and Delivery

East Windsor To Go! - Social Media Week #1 CONTEST for Week Ending May 31, 2020

By supporting the East Windsor To Go program of ordering great food from our community restaurants, residents can win valuable gift cards from Barnes and Noble by sending us photos of what you ordered for pickup or delivery. To participate, fill out the form below and upload a picture of where you've shared your East Windsor To Go food order on social media with the hashtags #EWToGOisGreat and #EastWindsorEats. Selections will be made for the best social media posts for East Windsor To Go and the winners will be notified by e-mail on how to receive the Barnes and Noble gift card. All East Windsor residents can participate!

Click here to upload your East Windsor To Go! picture submission.

Remember the "EAST WINDSOR TO GO" program list on the Township website shows all of the food establishments that are open for food delivery or contactless pickup at their locations. The list also identifies those that sell gift cards for purchase either online or as part of a pickup order. They make great gifts and help better ensure these businesses will continue to thrive in our community and still be here for us in the future.

To find your favorite East Windsor restaurant for a great meal (pickup or delivery), please click here.

RISE FOOD PANTRY is conducting an Emergency Drive-Thru Food Distribution with "no contact" pick-up on Sunday, May 31 from 2 P.M. (gate opens at 1:30 P.M.) at Victoria Classics, located at 480 Mercer Street in Hightstown.  To volunteer or donate call (609) 443-4464 or visit Rise online at https://www.njrise.org/.

STATE OF NEW JERSEY UPDATES

The New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) on May 28, 2020 released guidance (CLICK HERE) regarding Commencement Ceremonies to Honor 2020 Graduates during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The guidance outlines three options for K-12 school commencement ceremonies: 1) virtual; 2) drive-through/drive-in; or 3) modified in-person, outdoor ceremonies. Decisions about the most appropriate type of ceremony for each school community will be made locally, in consultation with municipal officials. At this time, only virtual ceremonies are permitted. Beginning July 6, 2020, drive-through/drive-in and modified in-person outdoor ceremonies will be permitted subject to the requirements set forth in the guidance. These ceremonies must comply with the social distancing protocols and the limitations on in-person gatherings that are in place when the ceremonies are held. 

Some critical factors for districts to consider if they are holding either a drive-in/drive-through or a modified in-person ceremony include: 

  • Staff limits: Schools should limit the number of staff members to only those required to facilitate the commencement ceremony; 
  • Sick individuals: Sick individuals should not attend. NJDOH and CDC guidelines can provide direction for those experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Districts should discourage attendance if a visitor or someone in their household is experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness or if they have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days. Schools should consider screening visitors upon arrival with non-contact thermometers and excluding any person with a temperature exceeding 100.4 °F;
  • Equity: Districts are encouraged to ensure that graduation ceremonies are inclusive and accessible for all students and families. Accommodations should be made for families that may not be able to attend in-person;
  • Certification to the DOE: School districts that plan to hold a drive-in/drive-through or modified in-person ceremony must certify to the Department of Education, via an online submission form that will be made available on June 5, 2020, that their planned ceremony will comply with applicable requirements for gatherings, including those addressing social distancing.   The form must be submitted no later than seven days prior to the scheduled date of the ceremony. 

Modified In-Person Graduation Ceremonies 

In addition to the above considerations, the DOE guidance addresses a number of factors for districts to consider in the planning of modified in-person graduation ceremonies, including:  

  • Local review: School districts should plan ceremonies in consultation with municipal officials (local law enforcement, local health officials, etc.);   
  • Location: Modified in-person commencement ceremonies must take place outdoors. Indoor ceremonies are not permitted. Open-air rain tarps, tents, and other outdoor structures may be used only to protect against foul weather or for shade;
  • Attendance: Schools may consider limiting the number of guests or holding student-only commencements. Ceremonies must meet the relevant capacity limitation on in-person gatherings in place at the time of the ceremony;
  • Social distancing: Attendees must remain six feet apart at all times, excluding immediate family members, caretakers, household members, or romantic partners. Schools should consider using tape or other materials to demarcate six feet of distance between students and attendees while standing and walking, and ensure that all seating for students, guests and staff allows for six feet of distance between persons;
  • Multiple ceremonies: Districts should consider class size and available space to determine the number of ceremonies needed. Districts should follow CDC and NJDOH protocols for cleaning in between ceremonies and consider holding ceremonies over the span of several days;
  • Duration: Districts should consider limiting the length of ceremonies to shorten the time students and attendees are exposed to each other. Districts should also limit speakers and live performances and avoid the sharing of microphones or other equipment that may pose a health risk;
  • Entrances/exits: Districts should assign staff to monitor entrances and exits to prevent congregation and consider staggering arrival times to ease crowds at access points. If possible, districts should utilize multiple entrance and exit points;
  • Face coverings: In accordance with CDC recommendations, attendees should wear face coverings (except for children under 2 or in cases that would inhibit a person’s health); and 

In addition, to limit person-to-person contact, districts should provide diplomas and caps/gowns to students in advance of graduation ceremonies. Programs, maps, and other documents can be emailed or mailed to families before the ceremony. Sharing or exchanging materials of any kind poses an increased risk of transmission/spread of COVID-19 and should be avoided. Chairs and other equipment should not be shared and should be sanitized before and after use. 

Drive-Through and Drive-In Commencement Ceremonies 

Drive-through and drive-in commencement ceremonies can be held in school parking lots, drive-in movie theaters, stadium parking lots, or other large parking lot venues that provide sufficient space to accommodate event attendees arriving in their cars. Projection screens or sound equipment may be used to allow school staff to call student names, display photos or videos, and provide other audio-visual support. 
 
Some of the major factors involving drive-through and drive-in ceremonies include: 

  • Drive-through and drive-in commencement ceremonies must comply with all requirements of Executive Order No. 142 (CLICK HERE), or the rules or requirements for vehicular gatherings that are in place at the time of the ceremony;
  • Accommodations should be made to allow families without vehicles to participate while adhering to social distancing protocols;
  • If allowing access to restrooms, take appropriate measures to prevent congregation and consult with health officials on disinfection protocols;
  • Multiple ceremonies may be needed depending on class size; 
  • Consider potential broadcasting of the ceremony or otherwise making a livestream available for family members unable to attend; and
  • Organizers or others assisting with the event, and who are not in closed vehicles, must follow all applicable Executive Orders and Administrative Orders and must wear face coverings, except where doing so would inhibit that individual’s health. 

Virtual Ceremonies

The DOE has previously provided guidance regarding virtual ceremonies, which may be held at any time. The DOE notes that virtual ceremonies are the safest alternative graduation ceremony at this time.  The DOE’s full guidance on virtual ceremonies is available online (CLICK HERE).

Mercer County has reported, as of May 29, 2020, there have been 105 new cases for a total of 6,775 Confirmed COVID-19 Cases to date, and 4 additional deaths for a total, sadly, of 466 deaths in Mercer County. All active cases are either at home self-isolating or admitted to the hospital. The State of New Jersey today reported 1,029 additional Confirmed COVID-19 Cases for a current total of 158,844 cases, and 130 additional deaths for a total of 11,531 COVID-19 related deaths statewide. For all further information and data related to COVID-19 cases, go to the New Jersey official COVID-19 dashboard (CLICK HERE).

It is important that everyone continue practicing social distancing, following the advice and directives of health care professionals and government officials, and using good sense, so we can all get through this difficult period together. We need to remember that the most effective and most caring responsible thing we can continue to do for ourselves, our loved ones and our entire community is to continue to do what we are doing.

If you are concerned about your mental health or the mental health of a loved one during the current crisis, NJMentalHealthCares is available 7 days a week from 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. at (866) 202-HELP (4357).

For general questions and concerns about COVID-19:

PRIOR UPDATES

For prior updates and resources visit the EAST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP COVID-19 information webpage:
www.east-windsor.nj.us/COVID

Residents are advised to check the Township website at www.east-windsor.nj.us, read E-News Alerts, tune into Community Access TV Comcast Channel 27 and Verizon Channel 38, or call the municipal information hotline at (609) 443-4000, ext. 400, for schedule updates.

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