California says schools shouldn’t reopen this year — but SLO County is holding out hope
California education officials on Wednesday said it’s unlikely students will be able to return to classrooms before summer break due to the coronavirus — but San Luis Obispo County schools have stopped short of closing for the year.
Tony Thurmond, state superintendent of instruction, on Tuesday sent a letter to California’s 58 county superintendents saying students probably won’t be able to resume in-person classes by June.
“Due to the current safety concerns and needs for ongoing social distancing, it appears that our students will not be able to return to school campuses before the end of the school year,” Thurmond wrote.
Gov. Gavin Newsom reiterated Thurmond’s statements at a Wednesday news conference, saying schools should shift their focus to distance learning efforts, according to the Sacramento Bee.
“The right thing to do for our children, the right thing to do for the parents, for households, for the community which they reside, is to make sure that we are preparing today to set our school system up where we are increasing class time, but increasing it at home,” Newsom said.
Some districts responded to Thurmond’s guidance by announcing classrooms would remain closed through the end of the school year, including all schools overseen by the Monterey County Office of Education.
No hard closure for SLO County schools
All of San Luis Obispo County’s K-12 public school districts have been closed for classroom instruction since March 13. Some district officials have opted to shift spring breaks forward, giving leaders time to figure out distance learning logistics.
Most schools initially announced closures into April, but the county’s three largest districts — Lucia Mar Unified, Paso Robles Joint Unified and San Luis Coastal Unified — on Friday extended their closures into May.
Dr. James Brescia, county superintendent of schools, told The Tribune on Wednesday that local education officials are not yet announcing that in-person classes have been canceled for the remainder of the school year.
Brescia’s office remains in close contact with state and local education and public health officials, and classrooms won’t reopen until it’s safe for students to return, he said.
“I think it’s safe to say they’ll remain closed until further notice,” Brescia said.
The changing guidance from state education leaders has contributed to confusion, he said: “I would be lying if I didn’t say it was a bit frustrating.”
Districts throughout the county have issued differing messages regarding the coronavirus classroom closures. Here’s how the four biggest school districts in the county are reacting to guidance from state education leaders.
North County districts
Paso Robles Joint Unified School District officials are still hoping students can return in May, especially seniors looking forward to end-of-the-year celebrations, Superintendent Curt Dubost said in an email.
“We believe it would be premature to announce school won’t be reopening this school year and remain cautiously optimistic we can restart in May,” he wrote. “We think it’s very important to remain hopeful and to keep staff, students and parents focused on continued instruction and learning.”
The district’s distance learning program “is in full swing,” and materials have been distributed electronically and in packets available for student pickup, Dubost said. The Board of Trustees also recently approved a rush order of $400,000 worth of Chromebook laptops to help students learn at home.
Atascadero Unified School District classrooms have been closed since March 24 “until further notice,” Superintendent Tom Butler said.
“This further notice is contingent upon the status of public health and safety,” Butler wrote in an email. “This puts AUSD in a positive position to reopen school campuses once public health and safety have been restored.”
The district wrapped up its spring break on March 31 and started distance learning at all schools on Wednesday, Butler said.
Templeton Unifed School District started distance learning on March 23, and students will be off for spring break next week.
Original plans called for students to return to campus on April 13, but that is “subject to change based on status of COVID-19’s presence in the community,” according to the latest update on the district’s website.
San Luis Coastal
Eric Prater, superintendent of San Luis Coastal Unified School District, said in an email that district leaders have stayed in close contact with one another and with Brescia and have continued to take action together.
“In terms of Gov. Newsom’s latest press conference and State Superintendent Tony Thurmond’s suggestions to anticipate ongoing school closures, we continue to monitor the facts and the evolving status of COVID-19,” Prater wrote. “I imagine we will take the necessary steps in the near future to ensure our students and staff are safe.”
San Luis Coastal has been working on distance learning capabilities for several years, and students started learning remotely two days after the classroom closure announcement, Prater said.
“Just this week, we began work on a more detailed Virtual Learning Plan that incorporates guidelines, learning expectations, and protocols for staff, students and families,” he wrote.
Lucia Mar
Andy Stenson, Lucia Mar Unified School District superintendent, acknowledged the possibility of a longer closure in a statement to families.
“While the board of education and district leadership in Lucia Mar clearly acknowledge that a return to school this year is looking less and less likely, we maintain hope, and therefore, are not making a decision to extend our closure to the end of the school year just yet,” Stenson wrote.
“We will continue to monitor this fluid situation, and if/when it becomes clear that a safe return to school is not possible, we will meet to make that decision. Obviously, if the state of California makes that decision for us, we would comply.”
Lucia Mar students have been distance learning since March 23, when teachers started using online Google Classrooms, said Hillery Dixon, assistant superintendent of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Packets of materials are also available for students who don’t have internet access.
The district is also starting to plan alternatives to in-person graduation ceremonies, in case schools aren’t able to hold them in June.
“This year’s unprecedented challenge is probably felt most deeply by our graduating seniors,” Stenson wrote. “We promise to do what we can to give them a proper send-off, whatever that may look like.”
This story was originally published April 2, 2020 at 1:58 PM.
