Webinar for local educational agencies (LEAs) | Fall 2020: A Discussion on Safe Re-Opening of California Schools
Live now: facebook.com/CAEducation/vi…
Live now: facebook.com/CAEducation/vi…
SSPI @TonyThurmond: I am live at @csdriverside. Honored to serve our students at @csdriverside @csdeagles and @CSBCheetahs.
SSPI @TonyThurmond: We have a lot of unanswered questions, but we are all in this together, and we will be informed by experts in health and safety, and we will hear from and work with practitioners, superintendents, and more.
SSPI @TonyThurmond: We cannot ask schools to do more with less. We understand that adding social distancing conditions comes with unavoidable additions to expenses. We will have to see how the budget plays out in CA Legislature, but we need federal support.
I am grateful for partnership we've had with @CAgovernor and cabinet team. Appreciative of executive orders and legislature to support distance learning and provide safety and protection.
Chief Deputy Cabinet Secretary for the @CAgovernor, Ben Chida: This collective work together is a complex task that has cascading consequences. Intersection of public health, labor and management, and the operational challenges of implementing practices.
SSPI @TonyThurmond: Our goal today is to share what we've learned in our groups. We've worked very closely with other state departments, and we're getting advice from experts. We'll hear from practitioners. We intend to answer questions sent from districts as well.
SSPI @TonyThurmond: We've spoke with state superintendents across the country. We've also studied what other countries are doing. And we will have more focus groups in the future.
Chief Deputy Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Gregson: We have more questions that we have not been able to answer, but we have a task force on safely reopening. Lots of discussion on blended learning models, distance learning days, professional learning.
Also have been discussing many different models from across the state and country. But mental health and wellbeing of staff and students is at the forefront of all our discussions.
Chief Deputy Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Gregson: Have been working with many partners, and want to turn to practitioners now.
Lorena Rubio, Principal of Jordan Academy in @OrangeUnifiedCA: We have a digital gap, and thank the district for helping to close it, but to meet the social and emotional needs of students, we need classrooms to be open.
Lorena Rubio, Principal of Jordan Academy: More funding should be reimagined. More funding will help our high needs students. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of this discussion.
.@CSEA_Now's Ben Valdepeña: I know what it takes to open a school, but I don't know what it takes to open a school during the era of COVID19. I don't know how much I need to sanitize a building every day. I don't know that the two custodians at the school I work for can keep up.
.@CSEA_Now's Ben Valdepeña: We need to look at teachers, students, administrators, but for the community as a whole. We need them to know that school is a safe place to be. We need all of us, unions, legislators, parents, to work together and be included in the plan.
.@CSEA_Now's Ben Valdepeña: Can't open an office without clerical staff, can't open a school without administrators, teachers, everyone in and on board with planing. We all need to work together at this time to make sure we're doing all we need to to keep everyone safe.
.@CSEA_Now's Ben Valdepeña: Good planning includes teaching children the importance of wearing masks, sanitizing, washing hands. Thinking of videos produced even before schools are open. How to act when on a bus. Same with the classroom. Where you sit. Wash hands after playground
.@CSEA_Now's Ben Valdepeña: Need major planning in place, collaborative planning to ensure everyone is safe before we open schools.
Cindy Marten (@BeKindDreamBig), Superintendent of @sdschools: From start of this crisis, schools have been getting the job done for families. In SD alone, distributed 2 million meals and 50K chromebooks. And have trained educators to take their craft online.
Cindy Marten (@BeKindDreamBig), Superintendent of @sdschools: Distance learning still disadvantages our most vulnerable. We know this and our state knows this. That's why we say that we want to get back safely to school.
Cindy Marten (@BeKindDreamBig), Superintendent of @sdschools: This is why we've asked federal gov for more, and state for more. We need funds. This is math. We cannot take cuts in funding and be expected to do more.
Teacher @Erika78Jones, from @LASchools: We haven't even restored to pre 2008 levels of funding. It's scary now to think about how we can best meet the needs of students, especially our most vulnerable. Class sizes have to lower in order to abide by social distancing.
Teacher @Erika78Jones, from @LASchools: Need more education support personnel. Our kids have been through so much in this crisis. They deserve more right now, and they're going to need more. It takes a village. All stakeholders need to be a part of that conversation.
Teacher @Erika78Jones, from @LASchools: Need stability and security knowing funds are a priority, and this is a time for more and not less.
Gil F. Chavez, @CAPublicHealth: Outlining from a CA perspective the pandemic roadmap and how that applies to the reopening of schools. First want to make sure that we're reminded that until CA is protected by having a vaccination and full stock of treatments, our actions...
Gil F. Chavez, @CAPublicHealth: are based on public health objectives. We will be dealing with COVID for another year. We need to recognize that stay at home order must be guided by health risk and a commitment to equity. Every action CA takes is predicated in science, data.
Gil F. Chavez, @CAPublicHealth: We need to be reminded this is a community event, and we take responsibility as community to protect one another. The place we just came out of, the hard stay-at-home order has an impact on us, economy, healthcare. Now reopening in thoughtful way.
Gil F. Chavez, @CAPublicHealth: We need ability of businesses, childcare to support physical distancing. We have developed a roadmap that has many stages. We are in stage 2, lower risk factor places reopening. Stage 3 and 4 coming in the future, months down the road possibly.
Gil F. Chavez, @CAPublicHealth: Talking about how statewide plans envision regional variations in health risks, reopening taking in account county variance. Important to partner with local health departments. Need a roadmap, and CDPH can help provide science and recommendations.
Gil F. Chavez, @CAPublicHealth answering Q about physical distancing guidance for small children: Yes, there will be more guidance. Understand there will be challenges, and will need to have additional safeguards, including possibly screening personnel, students.
Gil F. Chavez, @CAPublicHealth answering Q about facemaks and younger students & S's w/ sensory issues: Sensitive to the notion that you can't require 100% of students to wear mask. Need to have alternatives in those circumstances. Will address as much as we can in guidance.
Chief Deputy Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Gregson: we will continue offering guidance online and in our weekly COVID emails.
SSPI @TonyThurmond: Today was our day to share notes. Many thinking that guidance is coming today. What you can expect is a weekly update on what we're learning in realtime, information from experts, other work being done in realtime.
SSPI @TonyThurmond: Our reopening schools task force has taken a lot of work, and it's inspiring and humbling to have community come together and answer questions. Thanks to the guests, and every educational association in CA coming together to look at what's best for students.
SSPI @TonyThurmond: This requires a coming together, and that has been happening in ways that are very helpful. We want to continue the conversations. Thanks to all who are working around the clock. Stay tuned for updates, and stay well. Thank you.
