Last week, the California Superintendent of Schools, Tony Thurmond, shared that school districts will be making independent decisions about opening schools in the fall.
“There will not be a common opening,” saidThurmond in a press conference. “Instead, school districts will make their own decisions about when, and how, to reopen.”
We are hopeful at the prospect that the California Department of Education will release guidelines in the coming days. These guidelines are critical for us to make determinations about the start of school in August and what it will look like.
When the state guidelines are published we will work together with our district and community stakeholders to sort through the many obstacles and challenges that exist. I have seen many versions of “school reopening requirements” floating around social media over the past week and find them to be daunting in terms of running effective schools. We will persevere and develop the best possible plan so we can fulfill our mission of educating students.
The San Luis Obispo County superintendents continue to meet regularly to discuss issues that impact all of our communities. We have weekly conferences with the SLO County Health Department and will take their guidance seriously as we determine our reopening strategies. Any decision about when and how school will reopen will be made by the San Luis Coastal Board of Education with student and staff safety at the forefront, based on guidance from public health professionals.
As we enter the final week of virtual school for the 2019-2020 school year, I will commit to ongoing communication with our parent community throughout the summer. With information continuing to evolve on a weekly basis, I believe it’s important to keep our communication channels open. Starting the week after school ends, we will post a family communication each Wednesday from my office.
I anticipate positive news on the COVID-19 front over the summer and safely bringing our kids back to school in August. I will stay in touch!
Stay safe and healthy. Dr. Eric Prater, Superintendent
