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Big Ten targets late October for football

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It’s time to restart Greg Schiano’s second era as head coach of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. 

By unanimous vote, the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors has decided to resume its football season Oct. 23-24, based on information presented by the Big Ten Return to Competition Task Force.

“Our focus with the task force over the last six weeks was to ensure the health and safety of our student-athletes,” said Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren.…

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Parents, teachers prioritize health of students, staff in reopening schools, polls show

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Recent polls of parents and teachers by Hart Research Associates show that protecting the health of students and staff is the biggest factor in deciding whether, how and when schools should reopen.

The nationwide surveys were conducted in August and September for AFT and other organizations.

“Parents and teachers are on the same page when it comes to school reopening — and they are united in the belief that we must protect our students, educators and communities’ safety and health and reject President Trump and Betsy DeVos’ agenda to strip schools of funding if they don’t fully reopen,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten.…

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Rutgers, Montclair State and Rowan are among the best colleges in the country, says U.S. News

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All three Rutgers University campuses, Montclair State University and Rowan University have made U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 list of best colleges.

“The 2021 edition provides data on more than 1,800 colleges and universities, with rankings for more than 1,400 institutions,” writes Josh Moody. “Schools reported most of the data used to compile these rankings to U.S.…

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State school nurse consultant bill becomes law

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New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Sept. 14 signed a variety of bills into law, among them one that establishes the position of State School Nurse Consultant in the Department of Education.

“I am grateful the governor saw the value in this legislation,” said state Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz, a co-sponsor of the bill and the chair of the Senate Education Committee. …

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Apply now for an AFT Innovation Fund COVID-19 response grant

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Local and state K-12 and PSRP affiliates may submit applications for an AFT Innovation Fund COVID-19 response grant.

The purpose of these grants is to support efforts to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on teaching and learning. Proposals can include projects focused on addressing students’ social and emotional needs, securing necessary equipment for teaching and implementing strategies to strengthen the union.…

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Persichilli: Contact tracing pilot coming soon to college campuses

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During New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s coronavirus briefing Sept. 14, Department of Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli shared some details about a contact tracing pilot program coming to college campuses.

“We hope to kick that off next week,” Persichilli said. “We’ll be testing it on three or four college campuses. New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware are also bringing up the same digital notification app, so we’ve been doing most of our planning with them.…

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Holloway’s new ‘ambition’ is to open Rutgers campuses at 50% capacity for spring

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Noting that a lot needs to go right “to get to that place,” Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway told NJ Advance Media he would like Rutgers campuses to open at 50% capacity for the spring semester, which begins Jan. 19.

“My ambition three months ago was to get to 75%,” he said. “That seems silly now.…

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Local 6323’s Nowlan, Wolfson make NJBIZ Education Power 50

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Rutgers AAUP-AFT (Local 6323) Executive Director Patrick Nowlan and President Todd Wolfson have made this year’s NJBIZ Education Power 50 list.

“Handling a public health emergency requires strong responses from a variety of institutions,” writes NJBIZ’s Jeffrey Kanige. “The role played by educators and researchers — especially those at Rutgers University — is reflected in this iteration of the NJBIZ Education Power 50.…

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AFT webinars cover civics, the election and more

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AFT’s Share My Lesson series will present three webinars on Sept. 17, focusing on civics, the election and distance learning.

“Police in Schools: What the Data and Research Say and What You Need to Know” (5 p.m. EDT on Sept. 17) will share the latest information about the growth in the number of school resource officers in schools; the impact of SROs in schools on arrest rates/offenses; the racial disparities in school arrests/referrals and more.…

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Murphy responds to Ruiz’s comment about the education budget being ‘shameful’

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New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Sept. 11 was asked his thoughts on state Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz characterizing the $150 million in CARES funding set aside for the Department of Education as “shameful.” Ruiz, chair of the Senate Education Committee, made her comments Sept. 10 during a state Senate budget committee session.

“I didn’t see Sen. Ruiz’s comments, although she has been an outstanding partner and a great leader in education,” Murphy said during his coronavirus briefing.…

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Rowan tops 100 COVID-19 cases since late August

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As of 7:15 p.m. on Sept. 10, Rowan University has 123 confirmed coronavirus cases within its community since Aug. 25, per a chart posted on its website.

The chart separates student and employee cases, and it also makes clear how many individuals spent a significant amount of time on campus during the infectious period. Of the 123 confirmed cases, only two are Rowan employees.…

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Local 3977 teacher recaps first day back at school

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It’s going to be “a school year like no other,” says Jennifer Robbin, a member of the Garfield Federation of Teachers (Local 3977). And with that in mind, Robbin reflected on what’s transpired in recent months and has documented her first day back at Garfield High School. Here is her story:

My alarm went off for the first time in six months.…

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Free coffee at Wawa for teachers during September

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All Wawa stores are offering free coffee (one per visit, any size) to all teachers, faculty members, school administrators and support personnel through Sept. 30.

The aforementioned individuals should let the cashier know they work for a school in order to receive their free coffee, per a Wawa press release.

“As students make their way back to school in-person and virtually across our communities, we wanted to show our tremendous appreciation for the teachers and faculty who are working tirelessly to educate children in our area despite the many unique challenges our schools face this year,” said Mike Sherlock, Wawa’s chief food and beverage officer.…

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