Novato Unified School District Superintendent's Update – Reentry Update - February 12, 2021

Novato CA

14 February, 2021

1:06 AM

Description

Press release from the Novato Unified School District: February 12, 2021 Dear NUSD Family, I hope that each of you has a wonderful, much deserved, mid-winter break. I know this year has been challenging beyond measure and I hope you will all find a way to, safely, rest and recharge for the weeks to come. Topics included in today's update are: Reentry Update from Tuesday's Board Meeting The Reentry Pause Since January 4 Mid-Winter Break Virtual Learning Academy Reentry Update from Tuesday's Board Meeting At Tuesday night's Board meeting, the Board revised the NUSD reentry plan for our flexible in-person students to align with current State guidance. The changes are as follows: Grades 7-8 will move to hybrid learning on February 22, 2021 Grades 9-10 will move to hybrid learning five days after Marin County moves into the red tier and no earlier than March 1, 2021 Grades 11-12 will move to hybrid learning one week after the return of grades 9-10 Additionally, in closed session, the Board directed staff to negotiate with our Labor Partners to explore what is working well for staff and students, what opportunities exist to expand and improve hybrid learning TK-12, and to explore what a full return to on campus learning could look like this spring. I'm excited that we're bringing our seventh and eighth grade students to campus on February 22 as it's been nearly a year since we went to remote learning. I look forward to Marin County moving to the red tier soon and we can start bringing back our high school students. If Marin County moves to the red tier next week, we will confirm the starting dates for flexible in-person students in grades 9-12. We appreciate the importance of reentry planning and will provide weekly updates moving forward. The Reentry Pause Since January 4 We are incredibly proud and appreciative of the hard work our teachers have put into teaching and learning during incredibly difficult times this year. I want to be crystal clear that the Novato Federation of Teachers (NFT) played no role in delaying the NUSD reentry plans from January 4 until now. Those delays were 100% the result of Marin County's return to the purple tier, the contents of the October 6 NUSD reentry plan, and our most important goal of ensuring we are keeping our kids and community safe. We look forward to positive and constructive conversations with NFT moving forward with the goal of improving our teacher and student experiences until we're able to fully return. Mid-Winter Break Covid numbers are trending downwards in Marin County. In order to reopen our high schools, we need those numbers to continue to decline. Our Marin County community has proven that, when they put their minds to reducing Covid numbers in the County, they can make the necessary sacrifices to make it happen. Our community has also shown that, when our traditional times for community gatherings arise, they will participate in those opportunities and the numbers will begin heading in the wrong direction. This has happened every time. Whether it was Halloween, Thanksgiving, or the winter holidays, we have seen significant spikes following each opportunity. If we want to have our high schoolers on campuses soon, I strongly encourage each of you to make the right decisions over mid-winter break to keep the Covid data heading in the right direction. Every Marin County community member plays a large role in making this happen. If you and your family decide to engage in Covid risky behavior, please follow the quarantine guidance. We can do this, together. Virtual Learning Academy I know these weekly updates are mainly focused on our flexible in-person learning students and that we have teachers and students in VLA continuing their remote learning until the end of the year. As we move forward in our negotiations and reentry planning for this year and next year, we look forward to welcoming back our VLA teachers and students to campus when the time is right. Here are links to this week's VLA newsletters in case you missed them. Elementary – February 11, 2021 Middle School – February 11, 2021 Have a great mid-winter break. Sincerely, Kris Cosca www.nusd.org/COVID This press release was produced by the Novato Unified School District. The views expressed here are the author's own.