Pleasanton Schools May Reopen To Children In January

Pleasanton CA

21 October, 2020

3:58 PM

Description

PLEASANTON, CA — The Pleasanton Unified School District board is considering allowing students in transitional kindergarten through fifth grade to return to campus in the new year. The board asked PUSD administration to draft a plan to reopen some classrooms on Jan. 4 at a special board meeting on Friday. The motion passed on a 3-2 vote, with Trustees Joan Laursen and Jamie Yee voting in opposition because they wanted to see elementary school students return to campus sooner. The vote came at the close of a three-hour meeting, during which time the board heard Superintendent David Haglund present PUSD administration's plan to bring elementary school students back no sooner than Nov. 2. Prolonging school reopenings means that some students aren't getting the help they need through remote learning, Haglund said. "We've got to figure out ways to bring [struggling students] in," he said. He also said that the district preferred to go with a "slow roll" approach and welcome younger students back before the end of the year to ensure that they get additional support. If the board decides to reopen schools Jan. 4, elementary school students would return shortly before secondary school students are slated to return on Jan. 13. During the public comment portion of the meeting, teachers complained that they didn't get input in PUSD's proposal and wouldn't have enough time and resources to successfully transition from remote learning to on-campus teaching in the weeks to come. They said they worried for the wellbeing of students and staff. Board members who voted to consider reopening schools in January expressed concern that two-thirds of PUSD teachers surveyed said they were not ready to return to campus or feared it would be too soon to return. They also noted that the move could bring child care concerns to parents since students would only be on campus for one-and-a-half hours per week. Trustee Valerie Arkin said that waiting until January would have the added benefit of skipping flu season. The board will discuss PUSD's proposed plan to reopen to elementary school students at an unspecified later date. The board's next regular meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, with open session beginning at 7 p.m. after closed-door union negotiations. Watch it here and find the agenda here.