April 2, 2020 — NEWARK, NJ — In the wake of COVID-19 restrictions that will likely keep New Jersey children out of their classrooms for weeks to come, NJTV, New Jersey’s public television network, in partnership with the NJEA and the New Jersey Department of Education, announced the launch of a new series of on-air instruction called NJTV Learning Live.  Weekdays starting this Monday, April 6th, kids can tune in to NJTV for on-air classes, taught by some of New Jersey’s finest public school teachers.  Hosted by Kimberly Dickstein Hughes, recipient of the 2019-2020 State Teacher of the Year Award, on-air classes will be taught daily for grades three through six from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on NJTV (click here to find your local channel).  The initiative’s goal: to enhance the remote learning New Jersey students are already doing with their local schools.

“At this most unique time in our state’s and our country’s history, public media is poised to help more than ever before,” said NJTV General Manager John Servidio. “NJTV Learning Live perfectly aligns with NJTV’s mission to serve our community, and only our unique broadcast reach, which reaches into all 21 counties of the state, makes this possible.  We can extend lessons from teachers’ homes to students across the Garden State.”

“This is a great example of how New Jerseyans are coming together, from educators to broadcasters, to help improve student learning throughout the state,” said Education Commissioner Lamont O. Repollet. “This partnership demonstrates the kind of commitment and idealism we see throughout New Jersey’s school community.”

“Nothing is better than face-to-face instruction given by a teacher in the classroom, but while we are all doing our part to flatten the curve, NJEA members are also looking for every opportunity to help students keep learning,” said NJEA President Marie Blistan. “These lessons will provide valuable enrichment and supplement what students are already getting from their own teachers. They will also showcase the amazing work that our educators continue to do every day, even in the middle of a pandemic.”

NJTV’s on-air classroom lessons will be livestreamed and archived on the network’s website, NJTVonline.org. To date, dozens of teachers from across New Jersey have been recruited to help deliver and prepare content in multiple subject areas, including math, science, English language arts, social studies and physical education.  The network is prepared to provide up to 10 weeks of remote learning programming, which will see most kids through to the end of this school year.

NJTV Learning Live is presented in partnership with the NJEA and the New Jersey Department of Education and made possible with support from RWJ Barnabas Health, NJM Insurance Group, Fuel Merchants Association of NJ and New Jersey Realtors.

NJTV Learning Live further expands WNET’s K-12 At Home Learning resources for the New York metro area, which includes Monday-Friday daytime educational broadcast lineups on WLIW21 and WLIW WORLD, companion lessons, activities, tips on making TV time learning time, and more for educators and families, including PBS LearningMedia resources, at wnet.org/education. Links to NJTV, WLIW21 and WLIW WORLD program schedules and channel lineups are available at wnet.org/watch.