MARC APRIL 1, 2020 H 26, 2020
Governor says schools should remain closed
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that California public schools should remain closed through the end of the school year to help contain coronavirus outbreaks. He has not issued an order to extend school closures, but said his expectation was that schools would not reopen.

Newsom emphasized distance learning as an alternative to in-person classes. To help accommodate remote classes, Newsom announced a state partnership with Google, who he said will provide 100,000 internet hotspots to improve connections across the state.

State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond also said that community colleges and the California State University system have agreed not to penalize students for pass-fail class grades.
Emergency grants for students
The California Community College Chancellor's Office has announced that they will soon be offering $500 grants to community college students. The grants are being offered through a $5 million contribution from the California Futures Foundation.

To obtain a grant, students must be Pell-eligible and taking at least 12 units of courses. The application process will be simple. We'll pass on information on how students can apply as soon as it is made available.
My home office: Kim Dudzik
Today’s home office: Krista Ames-Cook, Grossmont College Administrative Assistant IV, VP Academic Affairs

1.   Describe your home office
My home office is in a second bedroom we just remodeled.The white wall behind the desk is a Murphy bed that folds down. We have a widescreen monitor from another computer and I'm able to connect my work laptop to it with a mini-display port cable. I'm also able to use the keyboard and mouse that goes with the other computer.   
 
2.   What is a typical day for you working from home?
I'm typically up and ready to start working a little before 8 a.m. on workdays. I keep in touch with coworkers via email and text messages. I'm the social media content creator for CSEA Ch. 707 and maintain its public Facebook page and a private group for active CSEA 707 members.
 I make sure to take a proper lunch break, along with other breaks to get me up out of my computer chair. I've adjusted for the most part. However, I do miss the daily interactions of seeing and talking to my coworkers.
 
3.   What tip would you pass on to other GCCCD employees?
Stay hydrated. Wash your hands. Check out how to add virtual backgrounds to your Zoom meetings. Take care of yourself. Go for walks or other forms of exercise daily. Get enough sleep. Practice kindness and grace. Quote to share: "In the rush to return to normal, use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to." - Dave Hollis
 
Share your new working conditions with your fellow employees and we'll feature many of them in the Remote Report. Take a photo of you in your home office and answer the three questions above. Send them to Anne Krueger .
In the News
In the Remote Report, you’ll see important updates, get your questions answered, and learn ways to help us all navigate this new world of mass telecommuting. Issues of the Remote Report will be archived on the District COVID-19 Employee Resource page.

If you have news to share or discovered a tip that helps you work better remotely, pass it on. Please send your items to Anne Krueger , Christianne Penunuri (Cuyamaca College) or Lorena Ruggero (Grossmont College).