The West Contra Costa Unified School District is conducting a survey of families to gather thoughts about the eventual return to in-person instruction for students. Twitter. Teachers who say the next school year should not bring a return to the classroom participated in a caravan in Oakland on Wednesday. President Donald Trump last week urged schools to return kids to campus this fall, and criticized U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for school reopening as “impractical.”. He also has worked as an editor since 2013. Borenstein: Congress vote for Biden could be COVID superspreader event. Visit www.wdbccc.com. On average, about 5 percent of students were absent in Oakland and 6 percent of students in West Contra Costa before schools shut down in 2019-20. Oakland also plans to begin the year with online classes and phase in some in-class instruction. Others have settled on plans that either abandon in-class instruction for now or mix some online learning with some days in the classroom for fewer kids to reduce the spread of the disease. “Well, I think it’s pretty obvious that school will not look the same when it gets back into session this August,” said Marcus Walton with West Contra Costa Unified. Comments (-1) Newly Sworn-In Board Selects New Board President, Board Clerk at Its First Meeting Since Trustee Area Elections. And as the U.S. approaches a national election, public health policy has become politicized, with fierce debate over the value of economically devastating lockdowns and face masks initially called worthless but now deemed crucial to controlling the virus’s spread. Reopen Bay Area schools? First day of school: Aug. 17. He is a graduate of the UC Berkeley School of Journalism and has been a journalist since 1990, covering cities, counties, law enforcement, courts and other general news. For information about schools, check with your school district or visit County Office of Education. 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The Contra Costa County Office of Education worked alongside members of 18 school districts and county student programs to develop this Roadmap to Reopening Schoolsdocument. The State of California this week granted Contra Costa County a variance that allows more local control over when some activities restricted by the COVID-19 pandemic may resume. Online learning was a…, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Warnock makes history with Senate win as Dems near majority, Reopen Bay Area schools? 4.8K likes. April 10, 2020 - See Contra Costa Health Services Press Release: Contra Costa Reminds Residents to Observe Religious Practices at Home this Weekend. Areas of particular concern include hillside portions of El Sobrante and San Pablo, Kensington, East Richmond Heights, the El Cerrito hills and the west hills of Richmond in West Contra Costa; and Martinez west of Berrellesa Street, and Lafayette north of state Highway 24 in Central Contra Costa. Contra Costa County Office of Education. “And we need to do it in a safe way.” Parents like Parakala aren’t sold on one plan over another and want more details on how in-class instruction will work, as well as assurance that the online fallback will be better than it was in the spring. The West Contra Costa County Unified School District and its 30,000 students start school Tuesday. “Well, I think it’s pretty obvious that school will not look the same when it gets back into session this August,” said Marcus Walton with West Contra Costa Unified. Three West Contra Costa Unified School District Santa Clauses trade sleighs for school buses to deliver gifts to the kindergartners at one of its San Pablo elementary schools. Schools. In Santa Clara County, San Jose’s Alum Rock Union and East Side Union High school districts announced most students will start the fall school year in virtual classes from home. Maybe some, not all? Diablo Unified Schools will reopen. Other doctors say such a dystopian school environment is unnecessary. 931. ‘We want to see things go much faster’: California looks to speed Covid-19 vaccine distribution School administrators across America are trying to re-imagine classrooms _ and the prospect of reopening schools _ in the era of social distancing. Alameda and Contra Costa counties are likely to move into Stage 2 of California Governor Gavin Newsom's reopening plan next week, meaning every Bay Area county except one will … West Contra Costa plans to start with distance learning and return to class “when it is safe.” In Santa Clara County, San Jose’s Alum Rock Union and East Side Union High school districts … We will be releasing a framework of our plan tomorrow.” Although there is no timeline to reopen, the District is asking for feedback. The timeline for reopening schools remains unclear, as it does for reopening California society at large. West Contra Costa Schools Release Car-Based Graduation Schedule Jeff Arnold 5/20/2020 Appreciation: For John Lewis, a lifetime of making 'good trouble' left scars and a legacy City of Hercules Relevant COVID Information. A native of New Orleans, he grew up near San Jose. Take the District's reopening survey! And those that have made an announcement are all over the map. “My son did okay, but my daughter needs to be in the classroom with the teachers. The San Lorenzo Unified School district is planning to begin with online “distance” learning and phase in partial in-class instruction in October. The variance allows Contra Costa to move ahead with its roadmap for reopening at a pace that is appropriate for local conditions, which includes hair salons, indoor dining, gyms and schools in coming weeks. One plan calls for staggered scheduling with only half the … Pinterest. But, if it’s not safe…”. Health officials suggest schools that reopen adopt measures like those for businesses — face masks, regular testing, temperature checks, disinfecting and hand-washing, desks spaced apart, fewer kids on buses, no eating or playing together. Newsom is sticking with his mantra of local control, and that means local districts are trying to figure this all out right now. San Mateo County has received around 15 applications, mostly from private schools. Mister Phillips (Trustee Area 3) was selected Board President by a 5-0 vote and Jamela … The timeline for reopening schools remains unclear, as it does for reopening California society at large. The union has agreed to give the district 72 hours notice before they strike. The San Jose Unified School District where Parakala’s kids attend was initially planning for “as many students as possible returning to campus for in-person instruction.” But the district is now reassessing after its teachers union said teachers don’t feel they would be safe if they returned to class. “When I think about me being in a classroom with sometimes 40 students, it does not seem like that would be safe,” said Maimona Afzal Berta, a special education teacher at San Jose’s Fischer Middle School who supports her district’s distance learning plan for the fall, even though “it’s not going to be perfect.”Related Articles Special thanks to everyone who played a part in the development of this resource. We will be releasing a framework of our plan tomorrow.”, Walton says one central element of the district’s planning is being ready to ditch “Plan A.”, “The health experts are telling us that there will be a second wave,” Walton explained. American schools may look radically different as they reopen “We need to get our kids back to school,” California Gov. Whatever it looks like, the implications for families are huge and the stakes are very high. And then, how should these decisions be made? “A big part of our problem is we keep on handing the buck to each school district, to each city,” said Airgood. In West Contra Costa Unified, activists have been calling on the district to dismantle its school resource officer program for years; the teachers union, the United Teachers of Richmond, issued a statement Tuesday urging the district to use the $1.5 million it had budgeted in 2020-2021 for school resource officer contracts to instead be used on to fund programs specifically for African American … The Board of Education has the final responsibility to decide how Mt. California School Reopening Guidance. Find your Contra Costa County School’s calendar for 2020-2021 here: Walnut Creek, WCCUSD, SRVUSD, Pittsburg Unified, LAFSD, OUESD, Antioch and more. But Newsom said Tuesday that when the state’s 6 … But schools aren’t built to run that way, a factor that motivated some to return to online schooling. West Contra Costa plans to start with distance learning and return to class “when it is safe.”. Spokesman Scott Roark said the department agrees “the best place for children to learn is in the classroom,” but also that “schools can only reopen for in-person instruction when it can be assured that students, teachers, and staff have the resources and measures in place to protect their health and safety.”. Her district’s plans to combine in-class and online instruction in the fall are lacking in detail, and were thrown into further question Friday evening when news broke that teachers were refusing to return to the classroom. But Newsom said Tuesday that when the state’s 6 … West Contra Costa Unified. Online learning was a fail, coronavirus is surging, time’s running out, San Jose State football: Members of bowl game travel group still quarantining in Tucson, Amid slow federal rollout, some Bay Area counties taking on COVID-19 vaccination of senior care homes, ‘We want to see things go much faster’: California looks to speed Covid-19 vaccine distribution, Former Cal soccer star Alex Morgan contracted coronavirus during holidays in California, Borenstein: Congress vote for Biden could be COVID superspreader event. “What that looks like, we’re still working out details and we’re getting input from our community. West Contra Costa Unified Superintendent Matthew Duffy announced Thursday that he will not seek re-appointment when his contract ends at the conclusion of the school year next June. (Photo credit: WCCUSD) All West Contra Costa Unified District (WCCUSD) schools that closed today due to the planned PG&E power shutoff will reopen Friday, as the power was restored earlier than … Byron Union School District Superintendent Reyes Gauna said a team of staff and volunteers is working on the reopening. multiple school reopening scenarios. With coronavirus cases surging anew, the specter of school outbreaks is increasing, and a new round of shutdowns could happen at any time. A growing number of studies indicate that children face the lowest risk among age groups for COVID-19 — no Californians younger than 18 have died from it — and are less likely to transmit the disease. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Will students go to class? The rally, followed by a march on Brentwood Boulevard… All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! “There are quite a lot of challenges and no perfect solutions, and time is getting short for coming up with a game plan,” said Michelle Smith McDonald, spokeswoman for the Alameda County Office of Education, where 14 of the county’s 18 school districts had yet to announce a fall plan as of Friday. For health-related questions, Contra Costa Health Services Call Center Call Center: 1-844-729-8410 - Line available 8am-5pm in English/Spanish For questions about childcare and childcare referrals, please visit: www.cocokids.org “We do not want teachers and students returning to school,” said Oakland teacher Mark Airgood.” We should turn our attention to doing the best we can with distance learning for the next period.”. Former Cal soccer star Alex Morgan contracted coronavirus during holidays in California “We’re providing the flexibility, based on local conditions,” Governor Gavin Newsom said again Wednesday when asked about school reopening plans. The Alameda and Berkeley unified school districts are planning a combination of online and limited in-class instruction, assuming it is cleared by local health authorities. This time it’s our hope that we will be more prepared for that.”, By viewing our video content, you are accepting the terms of our. Enrollment: 3,555. Even so, the California Department of Education is leaving it to local districts and health officials to develop their own models for resuming learning in the fall. Parents, students and others plan a rally at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at City Park in support of the reopening of schools. OAKLAND (KPIX 5) — Over the next few days, several Bay Area districts are going to be rolling out their plans for what the next school year might look like. Finding and comparing Contra Costa County school district calendars has been difficult — until now. “There are more questions,” Parakala said, “than answers.”, Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. April 7, 2020 - Contra Costa Joins Bay Area Counties in Extending Distance Learning Through End of the 2019-2020 School Year. What’s clear is school kids will again become lab rats in an educational experiment as grownups grope for a sensible balance to the various risks to learning, health, and the economic needs of working parents. Facebook. Plan: Distance learning. Outdoor dining and swimming pools in the county have been open since June 5. So many questions for parents, teachers, and students. Contra Costa County Resource List. West Contra Costa Unified School District COVID-19 Updates and Resources © All 18 public school districts in Contra Costa County (as well as Contra Costa County Office of Education programs) will be closed on Friday, November 16 … Children must be immunized against 10 serious communicable diseases, including polio, chickenpox and Hepatitis B. … But the politics of school reopening don’t cut neatly across the political divide, with state officials in heavily Democratic California also urging reopening. The West Contra Costa Unified School District plans to keep thousands of students at home when the school year starts on Aug. 17, NBC Bay … Gavin Newsom said. Both K-12 schools and institutes of higher education are currently set to reopen in the months of July and August, though start dates will vary by district. The Task Force will include the perspectives of staff and parents from multiple schools and classifications. Like many parents, Radhika Parakala is eyeing the calendar with mounting unease over what’s in store for her daughters when their San Jose schools are back in session next month. 6. Located in the East Bay, WCCUSD serves nearly 30,000 K-12 students in the cities of Hercules, Pinole, San Pablo, Richmond, and El Cerrito. It’s not clear how any of that will work. Property Tax information and deadlines, visit www.cctax.us. Guiding Principles STAY SAFE & WELL QUALITY INSTRUCTION COMMITMENT TO EQUITY ADOPT WHOLE SCHOOL … WCCUSD schools to reopen Friday after power restored. Many districts around the state have yet to announce fall plans as they await further guidance from local and state health officials, but will have to make a decision in the next couple of weeks to prepare for a new school year. Amid slow federal rollout, some Bay Area counties taking on COVID-19 vaccination of senior care homes John Woolfolk is a reporter for the Bay Area News Group, based at The Mercury News. In Contra Costa County, the Liberty Union High School District is also pursuing the hybrid approach combining in-class and online learning, while the Brentwood and Oakley union school districts will stick to online distance learning at home. Contra Costa County health officials announced Wednesday they are pulling back on some reopening activities within the county in response to a “substantial” increase in the average daily number of new COVID-19 cases in the county. And 22 private schools in Contra Costa County have applied to reopen… “The experience I had with my daughter, she didn’t do good with distant learning,” said Oakland parent Harifa Winston. So who makes the call? San Jose State football: Members of bowl game travel group still quarantining in Tucson West Contra Costa Schools, Richmond, CA. Hold your phone's camera up to this code to access the survey! “There’s a huge amount of concern and anxiety among parents,” said Parakala, a parent-teacher association member whose daughters attend Williams Elementary and Leland High School. … The West Contra Costa Unified School District schools and buildings are closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Gavin Newsom’s suggestion on Tuesday that schools could reopen for the next academic year as soon as late July or early August drew mixed reaction from parents, teachers and education officials — raising questions about safety, what classrooms will look like and whether schools have the money to pull it off. “There’s no data to support masks or spacing among children when they have no significant risk from this disease whatsoever,” said Dr. Scott W. 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