School Reopening For “Distance Learning Plus” Several Weeks Off
Written by 991KBU on January 28, 2021
Malibu has just had its 300th positive Covid 19 case diagnosed.
41 of those were in the past two weeks.
And while the trends are getting better … the rate of disease is still way too high to consider reopening schools …
It will be months before Malibu schools reopen for in person teaching.
That is the inevitable conclusion from a letter to parents written by school superintendent Ben Drati.
He points out three hoops that the district must pass through before in person general instruction can resume … even on a limited basis lliek the “distance learning plus” plan offered by the local school district.
First … LA County has to see a dramatic reduction in Covid cases.
But to reopen the schools … L A County must move from the purple tier into the red tier … and stay there for two weeks.
To move from our current purple status ….with 77 cases per 100 thousand … the rate has to drop to below 28 cases per 100 thousand.
Drati says the district is soon to submit its safety plan for reopening … along with a plan for distance learning plus for the remainder of this school year.
The application and acceptance of the safety plan by the county is just one step … Drati notes.
Teachers and other employee unions must be in agreement.
In the meantime .. kids who are learning English … or have special needs … are being allowed back to campus for limited time with teachers … on campus.
But … general students will not be classrooms anytime soon.
Even the smallest kids.
The district’s request to open prekindergarten through second grade classes is basically in the garbage can.
That request was made under LA County regulations.
But the state’s new regulations override those.
And now … the president says there will soon be nationwide standards on reopening schools …. to be issued soon.
Even when that regulatory mess is straightened out … Drati reminds that union bargaining units need to sign off on any plan … and then approved by the school board.
He’s planning school meetings in four weeks to seek agreement with principals, staff, and parents.
Drati says having the staff vaccinated by spring will definitely help with the level of in-person instruction we may implement.= =
