Novato Unified School District Superintendent Update - October 9, 2020

Press release from the Novato Unified School District:

October 9, 2020

En español

Dear NUSD Family,

This week the NUSD Board of Trustees approved a timeline for students to return to Flexible In Person learning. Much of this communication will be on this topic. Topics included will be:

• Return to campus for families who selected Flexible In Person learning
• School-Site Specific Protection Plans (SSSPP)
• Examples of additional safety steps taken
• Requesting transfers to or from the Virtual Learning Academy

Return to campus for families selecting Flexible In Person learning

On Tuesday, October 6, 2020, the NUSD Board of Trustees approved a timeline to return students enrolled in the Flexible In Person Learning program to campus. I will provide a brief summary of the plan in this letter. You can access the full Board Report here, the slide show that accompanied the recommendation here, and finally, a recording of the meeting here. This specific topic starts at the 51 minute and 30 seconds mark.

In brief summary, the Board approved the following timeline:

Phase Date Students Returning

1 October 26 Elementary Special Day Classes, Social Cognition Classes, Early Intervention, Transitional Kindergarten, and Kindergarten (TK-K)

2 November 9 First grade, second grade (1-2)

3 November 30 Third, fourth, fifth and sixth grades (3-6)

4 January 4 Seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth grades (7-10)

5 January 11 Eleventh and twelfth grades (11-12)

The full report here contains information on:

What are the criteria allowing us to consider returning children to campus?

What would pause this return plan?

What would send a cohort or classroom back to distance learning?

What would send a school back to distance learning?

What would send the district back to distance learning?

What are the recommended dates for students to return to campus?

What is the rationale for deciding which students will return when?

Beyond this timeline, the plan provides the thought process behind the recommendations. The primary driver of the timeline is our ability to bring students and staff back to campuses safely and our decision to bring those students back who are most likely to struggle with distance learning. Please click on the links provided for greater detail.

School-Site Specific Protection Plans (SSSPP)

By the time you receive this communication, each school’s SSSPP will have been submitted to the Marin County Office of Education and Marin County Health and Human Services for review and approval. By the end of next week, these will be posted to NUSD’s COVID webpage https://nusd.org/covid/.

Each SSSPP outlines the safety procedures and processes required in advance of a return of students and staff to our campuses. Plans include how we will meet the guidelines of the Marin County Office of Education and Marin Health and Human Services 30-Point Plan. These plans were developed through collaboration with public health officials, principals, each school’s School Site Safety Task Force, and others.

Examples of additional safety steps taken

NUSD has taken many additional safety steps. A few of those are:

• Delivery of personal protective equipment bins for each classroom to be restocked weekly and as needed

These bins include gloves, masks (adult and child size), spray bottle for disinfectant, hand sanitizers, face shield, and a roll of paper towels. Delivery of these bins has begun with priority given to those classrooms returning in Phase 1 of the return to Flexible In Person plan.

• Air filtration and purification equipment will be installed or delivered in every classroom

MERV 13 filters have been installed in all heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that can use these filters. HEPA air purifiers have been purchased for all classrooms whose HVAC systems cannot use MERV 13 filters. These will be delivered as they arrive and in advance of any classroom opening to students.

• Three-sided student screens being provided for every student returning to Flexible In Person learning

Three-sided student safety screens are being delivered to all classrooms in Phase 1 reopening. These portable screens will be placed on each student’s desk or table. All classrooms will have these portable screens prior to opening.

• Training has been provided and equipment has been purchased to improve cleaning and disinfection of our campuses and classrooms

Our hard-working custodial staff has received, and will continue to receive, training on revised cleaning procedures and the use of newly acquired equipment for cleaning our schools.

You can see images of some of our preparations here.

Requesting transfers to or from the Virtual Learning Academy

Any family requesting a transfer into or out of the Virtual Learning Academy should send an email to Jennifer Casper at jcasper@nusd.org. While we cannot guarantee a transfer at this time, we will do all we can to honor your request.

Thank you for all you are doing for our students and our community.

Sincerely,

Kris Cosca

www.nusd.org/COVID

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