Bay Area classrooms officially close for the school year
On Tuesday, April 7, public health officers and county superintendents in six Bay Area counties announced that schools will remain closed for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year.
Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties will continue to transition from in-person classroom instruction to at-home and distance-learning formats. School campus workers will distribute meals and provide childcare or supervision as determined by local needs.
After recently announcing campuses would remain closed for in-person learning until May 3, Bay Area counties’ staffs took action to review their timelines following statements by Governor Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, suggesting that California’s students would not return to campus for in-person learning for the remainder of this school year.
Clayton Valley Charter High School
Executive Director of CVCHS Jim Scheible said, “We know that today’s announcement will obviously cause some distress for all our families and especially for members of the senior class. Please know that we are working diligently to find creative and inclusive solutions for senior events, including the graduation ceremony.”
Scheible continued, “Given that we will be facilitating online learning for the rest of the year, CVCHS will be making some adjustments to increase support for students starting the week of April 20.” The Conco4d charter high school is on spring break this week.
Mount Diablo Unified School District
Superintendent of MDUSD Robert Martinez said, “We have been working to ensure that our Governing Board is aware of our efforts to enhance our extended distance learning design, ensure clarity on grading processes for students and educators, and to provide as much information as we can to our public. We fully expect to provide clarity on these issues during the virtual Governing Board Meeting [on] April 13.”
School not over for the year
The announcement “does not suggest that school is over for the year, as teachers, classified staff and administrators in our programs and throughout Contra Costa County continue to provide meals and learning devices to students who need them, and are working hard to transition to high-quality distance learning, and support the needs of all students,” said Lynn Mackey, Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools.
As the number of confirmed cases continues to rise, all residents, including students, are urged to continue adhering to the guidelines provided by public health officials.