by Brynn Gibson and Georgia Kaufman

Staff Writers

Superintendent Michael Grove announced in a July 17 email that all students in the LGSUHSD school district will begin the 2020-21 school year from their own homes. 

The superintendent’s plan includes a four-phase approach to transition to in-person instruction gradually. If all goes accordingly, this four-phased approach will conclude with students going back to school full-time. In order to achieve a safe transition, the district has not decided on a set time frame. According to Grove, any predetermined timeline would prove useless amidst this unpredictable and rapidly-changing health crisis. Instead, as stated in his email, “public health conditions and local and state guidelines” will dictate any phase changes, whether that means moving towards in-person instruction, or reverting to a previous phase. 

School will reopen August 13 under Phase One: “robust” distance learning for all students. This phase keeps the student body and staff safe. According to the board, online learning is the safest option for all students to receive education during this time of uncertainty.

Once conditions permit, the school will enter Phase Two, allowing targeted students back on campus for support and/or SEL activities. SEL stands for Social-Emotional Learning, and this would allow certain class activities to be in-person. Phase Two would only target specific students, rather than focusing on the student body as a whole.

Phase Three involves a blended part-time schedule. The school would be bringing students back for a hybrid model and modified schedule. This stage would include a mix of distance learning, as well as in-person education.

Eventually, students will return full-time for a modified or regular schedule in Phase Four. The district hopes this stage will bring the LGSUHSD students and staff back to campus by the end of the 2020-21 school year. It is important to note that under new requirements issued by Governor Newsom, public schools in counties on the state watchlist may not begin any form of in-person instruction until said county has been off the state watchlist for 14 consecutive days. 

More information regarding school-day specifics will be sent to students’ families by the end of July.

Source: Email from Superintendent Mike Grove