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NCS to return to in-person classes week of Sept. 28

When Newark City Schools made the decision to start the 2020-21 school year virtually, the top priority was to keep students and staff safe while providing a quality education. We have been encouraged by the continued decline in COVID-19 cases within our district boundaries during the past month.


As a result, NCS currently plans to transition back to in-person learning for all students the week of September 28. We will continue to work with the health department to evaluate data and information during the weeks following Labor Day. The district will notify families of any changes by Mon., Sept. 21.


Students will return to school in phases:

  • Mon., Sept. 28: Pre-K, Kindergarten, grades 1, 2

  • Tues., Sept. 29: Pre-K, Kindergarten, grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9

  • Wed., Sept. 30:  All students in-school, grades Pre-K through 12

This phase-in helps students and staff adjust, allows 6th and 9th graders to get used to their new schools, and addresses the need for families who rely on older children to watch younger siblings. Students who are home on Monday and Tuesday will continue with their current virtual learning classes.


Although Newark Digital Academy is not accepting new students, NCS will continue to offer virtual learning options for families who wish to stay home. If you are interested in your student continuing to learn virtually, please fill out this Google form by the end of the day Friday, Sept. 18. Please fill the form out separately for each student. Students who choose this option will continue learning virtually through at least the first semester and will have no in-person instructional services. Online classes after Sept. 28 will look a little different for students depending on their grade levels:

  • Pre-K-5: Classes will continue to be delivered online using the current Seesaw and Google Classroom platforms. Students will likely have a new teacher.

  • Grades 6-12: Students will transition to an online learning environment called PLATO. 

We know this remains a difficult time for many of our families and there are still many questions. We will send out more information shortly about procedures upon returning to school in-person. We appreciate your continued patience and flexibility, and we are excited to start having students back in our buildings at the end of the month.