Jersey City teachers excited, nervous as they return to classrooms for first time in over a year Updated Apr 15, 2021; 18 Facebook Share For the first time in more than a year, Jersey City school teachers returned to their schools Thursday to set up classrooms for students to make their long-awaited return on April 26. The school district, which serves roughly 30,000 students, has begun the final countdown for reopening schools by calling in every single teacher for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic back in March 2020. Teachers returned to make sure all technology works, all supplies like personal protective equipment are available, and to get a handle on the new format for how schools will operate when they open. Meanwhile, students spent Thursday working on scheduled assignments left by their teachers.