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Emergency Instruction Plan

West Essex Regional School District Emergency Remote Instruction 2026–27 (Board Approved July 15th, 2026)

The following Emergency Remote Instruction Plan is intended to guide students, parents, faculty, and staff in maintaining instruction, support services, and procedures in the event a school or the district is required to close for more than three consecutive school days due to a declared state of emergency, declared public health emergency, or a directive by the appropriate health agency or officer. The district's Emergency Remote Instruction Plan shall be in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:7F-9. 

Schedule

The current in-person WEHS Letter Day Calendar and WEMS Letter Day Calendar will remain in place for remote instruction. Below are the bell schedules which will also remain the same for remote instruction.

West Essex Bell & Letter Day Schedules

Instruction

  • District families are asked to consent to virtual learning via Genesis.

  • All students must use their district-issued Chromebook to participate in remote learning. Students in need of Chromebook repair or tech support for school-related applications should submit a Tech Support Ticket and include as much detail as possible so that our tech team can resolve the issues in a timely manner.
  • Students must log into their teachers’ Google Meet links at the scheduled class time.
  • Teachers will provide live interaction for their students during every class period.
  • Teachers will utilize a variety of technology applications to facilitate live instruction, monitor student progress, and provide timely feedback (GoGuardian, ScreenCastify, Google Meet). Information on these technology programs is provided on the district’s website.
  • To increase student engagement and class participation, students will be required to keep their Chromebook cameras on during class. Exceptions will be made only for approved, documented cases.
  • Teachers will also be available for extra help from 2:35 - 3:00 p.m. Students should check with their teachers for availability during any other times (ie: before school, during lunch).
  • Students are required to comply with all applicable Board policies governing the use of technology, academic integrity, and the school code of conduct.
  • Academic and behavioral expectations for online learning are aligned with those in-person (homework policies, assignment deadlines, dress code, etc.).
  • Parents and students are encouraged to communicate with teachers via phone or email with any questions or concerns. Google Meet may also be used to facilitate parent-teacher conferences.

Attendance

Student attendance will be mandatory and recorded each period. The regular pupil attendance policies will continue during Remote Instruction. Parent(s)/guardian(s) must notify the school if their child is unable to log into his/her classes and engage in instructional activities. To report your child’s absence, please follow the attendance procedures below, using the Genesis Parent Portal:

  1. Go to www.westex.org and select “parent portal” in the header or footer of the site.
  2. Click the “Notify the Attendance Office” link on the summary screen
  3. Enter the date of absence/tardy
  4. Student(s) that will be absent/tardy
  5. Type the reason for the absence/tardy

If you are unable to enter the student absence in the Genesis portal, you should call the attendance office:

  • West Essex High School: 973-228-1200, Ext. 1235
  • West Essex Middle School: 973-228-1200, Ext. 3332

If the student is unable to “attend” a virtual class due to a Chromebook or connectivity issue, they should submit a Tech Support Ticket and inform the teacher as soon as possible.

Guidance & Student Personnel Department

School counselors and guidance secretaries will be available from 7:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. each day. The high school guidance team will continue to schedule meetings and address any questions parents and students may have about the new school year. Please visit the guidance department website for more.

Guidance Department

English Language Learners (ELL) and Bilingual Needs

Certified staff will continue to provide students with instruction using a variety of district approved resources: "Reading A-Z" ELL program.

Reading A-Z

Special Services Department

Please click below for information regarding the provision of special education and related services.

Special Services Information

Home Instruction Services

Home instruction services will be scheduled on an individual basis.

Extended / Accelerated Learning Opportunities

West Essex Regional School District offers a Summer Enrichment Program for students in both MS and HS. The summer courses/camps are designed to review content, reinforce skills, and/or provide our students with enriching learning experiences in the areas of Math, ELA, Science, STEM, and the Arts. Students also have the option of taking courses at district-approved institutions in order to accelerate their learning.

Title I Extended Learning Opportunities

West Essex provides lunch time and after-school support for students performing below grade level and/or students at risk of failing. West Essex Middle School offers a Summer Improvement Program for students who failed a course or need to strengthen their content knowledge and skills in order to be successful in the next grade. These programs are paid through Title I funds.

Credit Recovery

West Essex High School allows its students the opportunity to recover credits through Educere, a virtual summer school program. In-person support and guidance is available to all students enrolled in the Educere program.

Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities, sports, and clubs may continue virtually, indoors, or outdoors as prescribed by our local health department. Coaches and advisors will conduct virtual meetings through district-approved video and audio conferencing tools.

HS Activities     MS Activities

Communication

West Essex is dedicated to continuing communication during distance learning. Phone and email will be the primary modes of communication with parents along with audio/video conferencing and the school website. Teachers may communicate with students in a variety of ways including Gmail, GoGuardian, Google Meet and Google Classroom. In-person meetings may also be scheduled in advance on a case by case basis. Staff members may be reached by phone or email. Please allow ample time for staff to respond.

Administration

District administrators may be reached by phone or email.

Our Leadership Team

Technology

The district provides each student with his/her own Chromebook and each teacher with his/her own laptop. When cleaning the devices, please do not use Clorox or any other wipes that may contain corrosive chemicals or soap.

Please submit a Tech Support Ticket with any tech-related issues and include a full description of the problem.

Technology Department

Meals and Free & Reduced Lunch

Students who are eligible for free and reduced lunch should contact Melissa Kida, Assistant Superintendent for Business.

Nursing / Health Services

Please be assured that your school nurses have been and will closely monitor the guidance from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for COVID-19.

Our High School Nurse, Karen Kinsey (kkinsey@westex.org) and Middle School Nurse, Courtney Molinaro (cmolinaro@westex.org) will monitor their emails during each remote learning day.

  • HS Nurse: (973) 228-1200, Ext. 1240
  • MS Nurse: (973) 228-1200, Ext. 3340

Nurse's Website

Additional Health Resources

Health Department Information

Child Care Services

West Essex Community Support

Families in need of social and emotional support as well as resources in order to help reduce stress and keep mentally healthy during times of crisis may access our West Essex Community Support link. Our staff members and resources are available to support your needs. This page is an informational resource only.

Facilities Plan

The campus and all buildings are open for operation during school hours. All visitors to the school must schedule an appointment. Custodial, maintenance, and grounds staff members will be scheduled through the Business Administrator and Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds. The West Essex Regional School District campus has 24 hours surveillance. The North Caldwell Police Department will also be continuously monitoring the campus and grounds.

Essential Employees

The district maintains a list of essential employees which can be provided to the County Office at the time of transition to remote learning.

Essential Employees List

Transportation

Our district has an annual contract for transportation services with an outside vendor. Bus routes are provided to families at the beginning of each school year.

Bus Routes