Nine-year-old Vladimir Zea hasn’t had a normal school day in almost a year because of COVID-19.
And even though the Freehold Township fourth-grader has been able to keep up with his studies virtually, his mother worries about his lack of time with others.
“That is the biggest concern,” said Natalia Zea, who also has to tend to her 8-month-old daughter each day and cannot give Vladimir all her attention at home. “The school is teaching, but the interaction is something he doesn’t have. I want to know when it will be normal again.”
For parents, the loss of traditional in-school classes since spring has also sparked academic concerns and prompted many schools to begin preparing for what will be a massive remedial effort statewide.