We are receiving daily updates from state and federal officials. Much of the guidance we have received is subject to interpretation from our County Office of Education and the California Department of Education. As such, we are working to provide you with the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, during this uncertain time.

 

As many of you are aware, Governor Newsom conducted a press conference this afternoon. Much of the information that was shared is still being distilled by our state officials, county office and local advisers. We have been informed that State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond, will be providing guidance on COVID-19 school closures tomorrow.

 

We know that you may have a myriad of questions following the Governor's press conference this afternoon. Below are the answers we know of, at this time:

At this point in time, we will be closed from March 16 to April 3. Our spring break is the week of April 6. The District is monitoring information and coordinating with the Santa Clara County Office of Education and all other school districts in the County of Santa Clara. We are following the orders of local and state health authorities. Currently, all schools are scheduled to open April 13, 2020.

Yes. We will follow the guidelines of the Santa Clara County Public Health Department in conjunction with the Santa Clara County Office of Education and all 31 school districts in Santa Clara County.

 

No. The Governor’s Executive Order N-26-20 allows school districts to continue to receive uninterrupted funding from the state and the closures will not impact the requirement of the instructional calendar if the District’s Superintendent certifies that the closure occurred to address COVID-19. Our school year will end on June 4, 2020.

 

While we were preparing for the potential shutdown, and possible at-home learning opportunities, there was conflicting information from the California Department of Education and US Department of Education which caused us to pause our plan. Specifically, a legal analysis of the guidance provided that: "...given the potential equity issues, and potential for related liability claims, LEAs (school districts) should consider delaying implementation at least until Tuesday March 17, when CDE (California Department of Education) and HHSA (Health and Human Services Agency) are expected to issue their guidance." This guidance was important for us to follow as we believe all students should have access to learning and we anticipate that potential legal issues are now being addressed by the Governor. As of the end of the business day today, March 17, we are awaiting guidance.

 

We want to ensure all of our students have access to a device. If you need a device, or your student left their district issued device at their school, please complete this FORM http://bit.ly/usd-chromebook Our site techs will be in contact to arrange for device pickup. Please note that you will be asked to sign a loan agreement when picking up the Chromebook and will be asked to return the device when we return to school.

Please contact your site principal to request assistance with Internet access. Alternatively, you may contact Comcast directly about their free Internet Essentials broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days for households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Comcast broadband subscription. To enroll call 1-855-846-8376 or visit https://www.internetessentials.com/.

We have been diligently working on our plan to support learning at-home for the duration of the school closures. We are fortunate to have access to a level of technology resources and support that many districts simply do not, and our plan is built around using the tools our students and teachers are familiar with, including Google Classroom, Seesaw and Google Docs and Slides. However, that does not mean everyone has the same access or support at home. While providing equitable access for all students represents a significant challenge, we are committed to supporting all of our families in continuing to access learning opportunities during the school closures.

Our technology department is in the process of assessing family needs for devices and wifi and setting up the logistics for providing access for all students. We have developed resources and an online learning framework for our teachers to move forward with in supporting student learning at home. This week, we are focusing on developing training and providing professional development for teachers to help them transition to supporting students learning at-home. We will be training all teachers on Thursday and Friday in preparation for launching our at-home learning program starting on Monday, March 23rd. Information about how to access the online learning resources will be communicated by the end of this week.

As we roll out our at-home learning plan, we would like to recognize that no online learning environment can possibly replicate the face-to-face classroom experience we’re used to in our schools. Our goal with providing at-home learning is to promote opportunities for students to engage in learning essential knowledge and skills that they will need to be successful when face-to-face classroom learning resumes. We also recognize that this transition will be new for students and families. For the first two weeks, our plans will focus on shifting students to an online learning environment through the use of consistent tools and routines.

 

Students with IEP’s have unique learning goals and needs. Our Director of Special Education is in contact with our County Office of Education and will be providing updates on what learning and services will look like for your child as soon as that guidance is provided. We will do everything we possibly can to minimize the negative impacts of school closures on our students and families.

 

At this time, we have not been provided a definitive answer to this question from the California Department of Education. They have informed us that they are focusing on the social and emotional well-being of students and are examining all options for suspending state assessments.

 

Anyone in our community may receive a bag meal for the duration of our school closure. Meals will be provided from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. at Dartmouth Middle School on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We are looking to extend this opportunity to families from Monday through Friday.