PHILLIPSBURG, NJ – The Alpha School District sent out an email to parents and guardians March 15, 2024 in regard to an emergency early dismissal.
The email read that Alpha School would be having “early dismissal due to 30% of the scheduled teaching staff out with an illness”. The end time was 12:35 for grades K-5 and 12:40 for grades 6-8.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE FREE TAPINTO.NET NEWSLETTER
“In my seven years at Alpha, we have never had this issue,” Assistant Principal Seth Cohen told TAPinto.
Cohen explained that earlier in the week, almost 20% of the students were out with an illness. Throughout the course of the week, illness worked its way through the staff. With only one substitute responding to the building, Alpha was left with a lack of teaching coverage to accommodate its students.
“If this had happened earlier in the week when some of our part-time staff were scheduled or even had two more substitutes, we would have been able to hold a full day. This week, illness in the building simply made the usual efforts impossible,” shared Cohen.