Physical Education

• • Complete an inventory of outdoor spaces (e.g., athletic fields, track, green spaces, open space, and local parks) and designate zones, use stations, mark off areas, floor markers, floor tape, poly spots, etc., to ensure separation among students, six feet apart for social distancing.

  • Locker rooms may be closed to mitigate risk and prohibit students and staff from confined spaces with limited ventilation and/or areas with large amounts of high contact surfaces.

  • The school district will mitigate risk, limit and/or eliminate direct contact with equipment (lessons with no equipment), and will not allow sharing of equipment. If equipment must be shared, the equipment will be cleaned and disinfected between each use. Focus will be on physical and mental health, mindfulness and social emotional activities in line with HPE New Jersey Student Learning Standards www.state.nj.us/education/cccs/2020/2020%20NJSLS-CHPE.pdf

Athletics

• Several Fall Sports began voluntary summer workout sessions on July 13, 2020 under the NJSIAA Summer Session Guidelines.

• Guidelines were broken into 3 PHASES each lasting approximately 2 weeks. Beginning July 13 and ending on August 28th, 2020

• these guidelines were set up by a Medical Advisory and Sport Advisory Task Force

• Each Phase is required to run for 2 weeks

In these phases our nurse and athletic trainer pre-screened our athletes for any pre-existing conditions, took daily temperature checks and collected daily screening questionnaires all according to the NJSIAA Return to Play Protocols. These protocols and links to the NJSIAA website have been uploaded to our www.mlschools.org athletic page. The direct url is www.njsiaa.org/covid-19-resources

In these phases..

• Coaches broke players into pods of 10 in Phase 1, 25-30 PHASE 2 and 3 to ensure social distancing

• Conducted conditioning and sport specific drills.

• Equipment was allowed to be used but not shared until PHASE 2.

• Athletes wore masks to and from the workouts, but were not required to be masked when they worked out.

• Athletes were encouraged to bring own water bottles with their names clearly marked.

• All workouts have been conducted outside

Fall Schedules

Schedules are being finalized. We will compete in pods (ex: 5-6 schools in a pod; we will play each school 2x). Board of Governors will approve these schedules and pods.

The NJSIAA set the following dates for the start of the fall seasons:

• Virtual Contact for coaches and teams may begin 8/29-9/13. Ex: zoom or G suite meetings

• Official in-person practices begin on 9/14

• Opening Dates:

  • • • Tennis 9/28

      • B/G Soccer, Field Hockey, Volleyball, Cross Country 10/1

      • Football, Cheer 10/2

      • All schedules will run until mid November

Common Questions:

• Will locker rooms be used?

  • We will follow guidelines of the district and health officials.

• Will sub varsity levels have full schedules?

  • Hopefully, however we cannot go outside of our pods to schedule games.

• What will the state tournament look like?

  • Still TBD by the NJSIAA

• Will there be an MCT this year?

  • No, unfortunately our schedule does not allow it.

• Will fans be allowed at games?

  • This is a conference rule that has not been passed yet.

• Will indoor sports occur?

  • Following the guidance of the NJSIAA.

• If school goes full virtual will sports continue?

  • Yes Governor Murphy said schools that choose all virtual can still play interscholastic sports. It is a district decision.

• Can students who choose the "full time" virtual learning remote option play sports?

  • Yes

• How will we handle transportation?

  • Face masks will be required at all times. Refer to operational slides under transportation

• Has their been any mention of winter or spring sports seasons?

  • No