Walnut Valley Unified School District Parent Update: Reopening Of Schools

Press release from the Walnut Valley Unified School District:

July 17, 2020

Good afternoon,

As mentioned many times over the past few months, and as recently as in my announcement earlier this week, the information on the COVID-19 pandemic is ever-changing and, as we have said since the start of this unprecedented situation, we will monitor and follow the guidelines and advisement of local and state entities including the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) and the Governor’s office…and we will adjust our plans accordingly.

Based on the Governor’s announcement today, we will continue to move forward with opening our schools entirely in a Distance Learning format with no students attending in-person on any school site. Also based on the Governor’s orders today, our schools will now remain in a Distance Learning format, at a minimum, until the state deems it safe to return to an in-person model. The specific mandates are thorough (additional details will be shared in the near future), but basically states that schools will not be considered for re-opening with students in person until a minimum of 2 weeks after a “monitored” county (including Los Angeles County) has been removed from the monitoring list (based on a variety of factors such as a continual decrease in confirmed COVID-19 caseloads). Specifically, the Governor’s document states, “Using health data, schools can physically open when its county has been off the Monitoring List for 14 consecutive days.”

There have been various regulations outlined in legislation and from the Governor’s Office regarding expectations and requirements for Distance Learning. We are working collaboratively with our employee associations to outline specific expectations and requirements for our Distance Learning program. We will share the expectations in the near future as they become finalized.

I also understand that the information and ever-changing guidelines can be confusing, and somewhat frustrating for all of us. In response to some questions we have received following recent communications from our Educational Services Division, let me try to offer additional clarity ( I hope it helps J):

• All WVUSD students will begin school from home on August 10 in what we are labeling our Distance Learning Program (no students will be permitted to participate “in-person” based on the Governor’s orders and our district’s plan)
• All students will be enrolled in a class (elementary) or classes (secondary) taught by WVUSD teachers in the Distance Learning format
• At some point during the 2020-2021 school year, we might be allowed to safely return to an in-person, traditional model (based on clearance from our state, county, etc. and with the assurance that we will implement and follow safety protocols and guidelines). If and when we are able to return to an in-person model of schooling, as a parent, you will basically have 2 options:

#1 – send your child to school where they will participate in their classes in a traditional, in-person format
#2 – choose to NOT send your child to school for the traditional, in-person format (at this point, your child will continue to take his/her classes remotely, from home for example)

• The intent of the “surveys” or “registration forms” sent out recently from our Educational Services Division was to simply gather some data from our parents for planning purposes only [basically, if and when we are able to return to traditional, in-person schooling at some point later in the 2020-2021 school year, do you think you will send your child back in-person OR will you opt for a remote (not “in-person”) model?]. The information, again, is simply for future planning purposes and certainly not binding (we know many things can and will change with this situation)
• There is an elementary-based webinar and a separate secondary-based webinar offered on Monday, July 20. The intent of these webinars is to hopefully provide clarity and information for parents regarding our current and future educational opportunities
• Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with questions and/or concerns

On behalf of our Board of Education, I would like to thank everyone during this often confusing and frustrating time. Belief in the best intentions of others is appreciated and reciprocated.

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and support.

Bob

Robert Taylor, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Walnut Valley Unified School District

This press release was produced by the Walnut Valley Unified School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.