A day after Gov. Ralph Northam visited a Gloucester elementary school to see how it had successfully handled the return of students amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gloucester School Board voted 5-2 on Tuesday to increase the number of days students attend school from two to four days per week.

Since last fall, Gloucester students have had the option of attending in-person school two days per week while having three days of virtual instruction.

KIM ROBINS / GAZETTE-JOURNALNortham spoke with Walter Clemons, Superintendent of Gloucester County Public Schools, at right, before embarking on his tour.

Approximately two-thirds of students chose this hybrid model, with half of them attending Monday and Tuesday and the other half Thursday and Friday. Schools are deep cleaned on Wednesdays while students learn virtually.

The other one-third of students elected to continue virtual learning which was initially implemented after a statewide closure of schools in March 2020. The virtual...