The BRICK Times
Vol. 19 - No. 49
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Town Shares Recreation Ideas Families Can Do At Home
In This Week’s Edition
BREAKING NEWS @
School Plans Contingent On COVID-19
─Photo courtesy Brick Recreation Children are encouraged to play at home with a number of creative programs. By Judy Smestad-Nunn BR ICK - With township parks, playgrounds and beaches closed in an effort to “f lat ten the cu r ve” of coronavirus infections, parents who are looking for at-home activities need to look no further since the Township Recreation has come up with a plan. “Play at Home with Brick Recreation” is
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the brainchild of the t ow n s h i p’s R e c r e ation staff who had to “think outside the box,” since all activities, including early childhood programs, yout h spor t s pro grams, adult spor ts programs and challenger programs have been cancelled, said D i re ct or of Re c re ation Dan Santaniello. While it is not yet clear what effect the
coronavirus quarantine would have on summer and fall programs Santaniello is t r ying to help residents keep busy and to have some fun. “Until life goes back to normal, we had to change what we do daily,” he said in a recent phone call. “We still have to provide services, but we never did anything like this before.”
Santaniello brainstor med with his staff, who came up with great ideas for fun activities to keep eve r yone bu sy a nd creative while fighting against the coronavirus, he said. All the activities are on l i ne a nd i nclude social media, with a big emphasis on Facebook. The first activity was (Town - See Page 4)
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Are COVID-19 Totals Accurate?
By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER – It’s easy to get focused on the numbers of positive COVID-19 cases around the world - and right outside your door - but it’s worth looking at what those numbers really mean. Health officials are saying that the number of positive cases and even
the number of deaths are more a reflection of how many people are being tested. It is not necessarily an accurate number. Weeks ago, the number of cases in Ocean County was still less than a hundred. However, that figure was understood to be lower than reality. There was no way to count how many people
had the virus but weren’t sick enough to get tested. In the beginning, residents reported not being allowed to get tested without underlying health issues. The cases posted are just confirmed cases, said Brian Lippai, spokesman for the Ocean County Health Department. “Keep in mind most cases of COVID-19 are
mild to moderate, like the common cold. Others are just carriers while some will get sick and never know it. That’s why it’s so important we follow the social distancing and the other hygiene recommendations and guidelines because most health care experts believe that even these moderately effective interventions to reduce
April 18, 2020
transmission can have a significant impact on the scale of the epidemic,” he said. Now that the county has opened its own testing site at Ocean County College in Toms River, the numbers are naturally going up. The simple reason: More people are getting tested. (Total - See Page 12)
By Judy Smestad-Nunn BRICK - The April 9 Board of Education meeting was virtual for the second time, due to the ongoing stay at home mandate due to the coronavirus. “All of us are being challenged in a different way during this crisis,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Thomas G. Farrell. “I really believe it’s how we respond to this adversity that will help determine a positive outcome.” The school district is making decisions on a daily basis to best protect the health and safety of the entire learning community while collaborating with proactive plans that would result in a better, stronger, more resilient district once some normalcy returns, Farrell said. The superintendent thanked the teaching staff for their efforts during this time of home instruction. Dr. Farrell said he was able to virtually “pop in” on some classes, and he said it makes his day when he sees some of the students collaborating online and communicating with their teachers. “That was kind of fun, and that’s something we’re all trying to do - even central office administrators - stay connected with our students,” he said. Since it was a virtual Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Farrell said that the agenda was very condensed. Going forward, he said he wants to go back to “standard business,” starting this week when there would be some virtual committee meetings and reports. “We’re slowly building up these meetings so that when we do have some more virtual meetings we’ll be able to do more presentations and things…” he said. Students, parents and staff are much in need of the upcoming spring break, Farrell said, because remote learning is stressful. “Mental health is so important right now, so we could all use the time to disconnect, take a breath, reflect and recharge,” Farrell said. “I hope everyone takes the time over break to kind of reenergize, so when we come back we’re up for this challenge.” During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Tony Zurica said the family had filled out a preschool application for his (School - See Page 7)
Free Transportation • In-Home & Outpatient PT Physical Therapy Center
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BRICK/SILVERTON LOCATION 74 Brick Blvd. • Prof. Pavilion • Brick, NJ NEW BRICK/RAMTOWN LOCATION 34 Lanes Mill Rd.