Today was the first day that our students returned to campus since March 13th, 2020. We welcomed the B- day students in our ABC Hybrid schedule.  It’s been a long road back! To say that we are living in unprecedented times is certainly an  understatement, but I could not be more proud of the entire BCIT school community members for their dedication to ensuring that our schools were prepared to receive students today. The Return to School Task Force spent months considering the best procedures for our students to return to campus, and it paid off. 

Students and staff were greeted in each building with thermal scanning cameras and no-touch thermometers to ensure that no one with a temperature accessed the buildings. All buildings had undergone a thorough cleaning/disinfecting process prior to students and staff arrival, during the day and again at the end of the day. Each student and staff were issued reusable and washable masks. No stone was left untouched in the planning of entrance, exit and hall passages for social distancing for students and staff. A big thanks to the administrative teams at each building who worked alongside our Buildings and Grounds and Security Departments to create traffic patterns and procedures that ensured the safety of our students and staff. Signage could be seen on doors and the floors as reminders.

I had the privilege to greet students who came off the bus for the first day and saw how they were placed in socially distanced cues and as they passed through the thermal cameras they were ready for a new day and new year.  I witnessed our staff teaching synchronously to a small classes inperson, while the rest of the class was working remotely.  I witnessed the small class sizes in our CTE programs which provided valuable hands on teaching almost in a 1:1 setting foer personalized instruction.

There were smiles, chuckles, but a sense that this new school year was going to be very different from most and learning would be forever changed.  I greeted students on the cameras on the Chromebooks and assured our students and staff that we will get through this together.  We have spent an inordinate amount of time preparing for this school year unlike any other and this first day indicated that it was all worth it based on the smiles of student and staff faces for it was heartwarming to witness. It is fitting that as I started my ride home last night, I turned on the radio on to hear the song by Sting: It is a Beautiful Day.  We are looking forward to greeting the next A and B cohorts on campus this week. 

See the article with a first day back picture with our own Dental Assisting instructor Claire Heston:

https://www.nj.com/education/2020/09/schools-across-nj-reopened-today-heres-what-it-looked-like.html?fbclid=IwAR1TXT6F7M4Ilms_m3CHV-DUbttC7MBn8n4i1udWMe-EtUeiIv_f28BNJaE

Welcome back message from staff to students:

WesTech:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7OHZfQTJec

Medford:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knRnnC0v0Qk&fbclid=IwAR1TXT6F7M4Ilms_m3CHV-DUbttC7MBn8n4i1udWMe-EtUeiIv_f28BNJaE

Based on feedback provided by the Burlington County Office of the Department of Education, our plans were revised and updated to address suggested revisions. The revised document may be found on our District website and will be the playbook for the upcoming school year under Covid-19.  Covid-19 policies are also being approved by the Board as guidance is provided by the NJDOE. Please see BCIT Restart and Recovery Plan.