Township schools will be closed as of March 16, at least until March 20 and possibly beyond, due to the expanding novel coronavirus pandemic.

Schools Superintendent John Ravally made the announcement in a letter that went home to parents on March 13.

The move comes among growing fears of the coronavirus spreading in New Jersey.

School buildings will be closed to all except maintenance staff from March 16 to 18, and will be closed to students only for at least March 19 and 20, said Mary Clark, the district’s spokeswoman.

“We will announce about the following week, depending upon the information from the health department and DOE, in a phone blast next Friday,” Clark said.

March 16 to 18 will be used to thoroughly clean the school buildings, Ravally said in his letter.

All extracurricular activity was canceled as of March 13, according to Ravally’s letter.

Students who qualify for free and reduced-rate breakfast can pick up “grab-and-go” breakfasts starting March 19 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. from four schools: Elizabeth Avenue School, 363 Elizabeth Ave.; Hillcrest School, 500 Franklin Blvd.; Pine Grove Manor School, 130 Highland Ave. and the Hamilton Street Campus of Franklin Middle School, 415 Francis St., according to Ravally’s letter.

In his letter, Ravally said that three emergency days – also known as “snow days” – would be used from March 16-18. The district built in five emergency closing days into the current school year calendar, Ravally has said.

March 19 and 20 will be considered “Remote Learning Days,” during which time students will be expected to complete pre-arranged assignments, called Remote Learning Modules, according to Ravally’s letter. These days will count toward the district’s obligation to provide 180 days of instruction during the school year.

Students received paper copies of the Remote Learning Modules, and they are also available online, Ravally wrote in his letter. Students must complete the modules to be given credit for the school day, he wrote.

“Teachers will be available to help your student at particular hours during each of the Remote Learning Days,” Ravally wrote. “You can view those specific hours as well as the Remote Learning Plan and Remote Learning Modules on our website.”

“You can also call your child’s school with questions about the modules or learning plan beginning on Thursday, March 19th anytime between the hours of 9:00am and 3:00pm,” Ravally wrote.

“We anticipate utilizing Remote Learning Days through at least March 20 and will provide an update via a phone blast on the afternoon of March 20, 2020 on our school district status as we receive regular updates from local public health officials,” Ravally wrote.

Ravally’s letter can be read here.