Hello everyone,
I started my day today on one of MBUSD’s elementary school campuses, where I welcomed many of our 3rd through 5th grade students back on campus and said hello to our TK-2 students and teachers, who are at this point old hands at coming to campus and getting to their classrooms. After students had been checked in, I was able to look in on a few lessons. In one of them, students were doing calendar and math work, and I learned that Monday, March 1 is the 109th day of school. There are all kinds of math problems that can be done with the number 109, but I mention it mostly because the 109th day was a great day in our elementary schools, as every student who wants to be back in person was on one of our campuses today.
It was also wonderful to see teachers marveling at how much our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students have grown, to see students saying that they didn't think their teacher was so tall, and even to see students standing at their desks for the Pledge of Allegiance. A lot goes into making a day like today work - our principals worked through the last several weekends making a new schedule work, our M&O department prepared every classroom, our tech department provided outstanding support, and our teachers prepared for this new way of teaching. Our classrooms feel safe, our teachers are thrilled to be with their students, and 109 is my new favorite number.
This afternoon, as one of a small group of superintendents in LA County who are in districts that are far ahead of most districts in LA County in terms of bringing students in-person, I am meeting with County officials to discuss students returning to secondary schools. The big question that the County has not answered is whether students will be allowed to switch classes (for example, go from 1st to 3rd to 5th period in our current block schedule) when secondary schools are allowed to return. I will be pushing to make sure that students are able to switch classes. South Bay superintendents have been advocating for this, as there are plenty of examples from surrounding counties and from middle schools and high schools around the nation where students switch classes and the schools are operating safely. I believe that the County will be issuing these guidelines soon. I am still targeting March 8 as the date when we bring our 6th graders back for Humanities only (because at this point, they cannot switch classes), and April 12, the Monday after spring break, for the return of all of our secondary students.
Once we know the County guidelines, we will be asking our parents of middle school and high school students to let us know if their student will be in-person or if they wish to remain in distance learning. One question I frequently get asked is if there will still be options for distance learning. The answer is, yes, we will have distance learning options for all students for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year. But I cannot promise that for next year. I do believe we will be in full school mode in the 2021-22 school year, and I do not know that there will be the same kind of distance learning options next year.
Day 109 is a great day for another reason - today is the day that all school employees are officially eligible to get the vaccine. Many places in the County opened their doors to educators this weekend. Thanks to the County and BCHD, nearly 100 of our employees will be vaccinated here in Manhattan Beach on Wednesday, and we expect an even greater number to get vaccinated next Wednesday. Many employees are accessing vaccination opportunities through the state’s MyTurn system as well as through various vaccination centers at local pharmacies and other county locations, and I believe that by the end of this week, over 25% of MBUSD employees will have received the first dose of the vaccine! That’s great news.
One final note - high school sports are starting up. I was happy to see and hear the sounds of real football and to see our football teams practicing in pads last Friday, and we even hosted water polo games at Mira Costa on Saturday. You can get more sports information in Dr. Dale’s Friday email to the Costa Community, and this is one more example of things moving in the right direction.
I hope your Day 109 is as good as mine. And I’m hoping for an even better Day 110.
Please continue to act safely and responsibly, so we can continue these wonderful trends.
