State Superintendent Releases Guidelines to Reopen Schools

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond released new guidelines on Monday for reopening schools, and one thing became immediately clear.

Schools will be radically different when the school year begins due to social distancing, face masks, rigorous hand washing, temperature checks, and possibly some continued distance learning.

“We know that guidance is only as good as its implementation, so think of this as the beginning of the conversation—not the end,” Thurmond said. “We know that for many of us, this is the toughest challenge that we’ll ever face, perhaps in our lifetime. But when it comes to ensuring that California students continue receiving a high-quality education — and doing so safely — we must rise to meet the challenge.”

The guidelines come as Coronavirus numbers are on the rise.

California reported its highest one-day increase in cases this past Friday, with 3,593 new cases confirmed.

According to the guidelines, schools should keep students six feet apart at all times.

Vigorous hygiene standards will be established, with schools called upon to install “portable hand-washing stations” and constant disinfecting of school buses and school sites.

Students will also be called upon to frequently wash their hands throughout the day.

The guidelines also state that schools should suggest staggering arrival times to minimize contact between students, staff and families and serving meals in classrooms or outdoors rather than in cafeterias.

Many parents have expressed an interest in continuing distance learning for safety reasons and he is encouraging districts to maintain at-home instruction to the extent they can to ensure smaller class sizes.

The state will supply every school and child care center with no-touch thermometers, hand sanitizer, face shields for every teacher, cloth face coverings for staff and students, and tight-fitting N95 masks for health care professionals in schools.

“The new school year begins on August 17,” said district spokesperson Hilda Ramirez. “PUSD is preparing a plan to present to the Board of Education this month. PUSD plans to offer in-person, virtual learning, and a blend of the two.”