• Today our TK-2 students started the AM/PM schedule, which has students attending class in-person four days a week, either in the morning or the afternoon. I was at two of our schools and witnessed many smiles - behind-the-mask smiles - as our students and families arrived for either the morning or afternoon session. I am proud that, out of over 80 school districts in LA County, we are one of seven that have brought back TK-2 students.

• We continue our high need hybrid, and in the last two weeks we have brought in additional students with IEPs and the employees to support them.

• We have almost 1,300 student-athletes attending athletic conditioning sessions at Mira Costa.

• Our preschool through fifth grade child care program continues.

• The cohort guidance from the County now allows us to have up to 14 students in a cohort. That will allow us to effectively bring back grades 3, 4, and 5. Here is what is happening:
• Principals will be making changes to schedules this week, and they will be reaching out to parents either late this week or the week after mid-winter break. 
• Elementary principals are in agreement that the return to in-person learning date should be March 1, 2021. It provides students and families who have not yet committed to hybrid or distance learning to do so, and it provides teachers time to properly transition their current students onward and to welcome their incoming students. 
• By March 1, we will have our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students in-person. If the County allows it, we will offer in-person school for grades 3, 4, and 5 in the same four-days-a-week AM/PM schedule that our TK-2 students started today, with slightly staggered start and end times. 
• If the County does not allow that level of opening (because the case rate has not yet dropped below 25/100,000), then we will have each grade in school one day a week, so as not to exceed the 25% cap on daily student attendance.

• We learned last week that the County is now allowing five CIF sports - swimming, tennis, golf, track and field, and cross country - to begin competing in two-team meets/matches. Mira Costa leaders are already working with other schools in our league to schedule these events.

• We are working to bring back some of our secondary students who are not being successful in distance learning. We will be reaching out to 36 to 42 students in middle school, and 48 to 56 students in high school to participate in the first phase of this program, which will start during the week of February 22.

• Unfortunately, the amount of vaccine available to those in the highest tiers, including those who work in schools, is still insufficient. I remain hopeful, but to date, very few of our employees have been vaccinated. Board members and I continue to advocate for vaccines for school employees with our elected officials and DPH.