Sacramento Schools in September
The question on the minds of parents of children who attend school in Sacramento is: what is going to happen next school year? Well, finally we have a little bit of insight as the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) has released an explanation of its guiding principles. SCOE worked in collaboration with the 13 local school districts to develop planning considerations for districts and schools when looking toward opening for the 2020-2021 school year. Each district will be responsible for developing its own plan for reopening.
The School Year Planning Guide
As David W. Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools, advises, there is not a one-size-fits-all to school re-opening. That said, districts are expected to follow the guidelines laid out in a document entitled “School Year Planning: A Guide to Address the Challenges of COVID-19,” which was created by a committee made up of local school district representatives. The Guide is available for review on the SCOE website: here. It discusses options and considerations for the district in these areas:
- Schools will continue to maintain options that include remote as well as in-person learning.
- Not all students will be on campus at the same time given the need to continue social distancing.
- In order to make social distancing possible, activities that result in a large congregation of students will not be allowed or will be limited.
- Health protocols are to be implemented and followed with the goal of keeping educational staff, students, and families healthy and safe.
- The emotional and social well-being of students is identified as a top priority upon their return to school.
Some of the specific takeaways from the Guide include:
- Disinfection guidelines issued by Sacramento County Public Health will be followed in areas such as classrooms, workspaces, and playgrounds.
- When social distancing is not feasible, physical barriers may be installed.
- Staff and students will be encouraged to wash hands frequently throughout the day.
- There will be more handwashing stations and hand sanitizer available.
- The sharing of school supplies between students will be limited and if unavoidable, the shared items will be sanitized between uses.
Additionally, the need to keep six feet apart will result in changes such as:
- Modified school schedules.
- Visitors on campus will be limited.
- Students will be kept in smaller groups, which may mean staggered lunch breaks and recesses.
- Desks will be spaced further apart.
- No activities with large attendance, such as field trips, dances, and rallies.
This also means that school sports will be greatly affected, especially those that put kids in close physical contact, such as basketball, football, soccer, water polo, baseball, volleyball, and wrestling. It is possible that sports where the distance between students can be maintained such as swimming, tennis, golf, and track and field can continue.
The Guidelines Will Evolve
Additional guidance is expected from Sacramento County Public Health as well as state agencies as the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve over the summer, and the districts will adjust as necessary.
Sacramento Unified School District already had an issue with inadequate funding prior to the pandemic, and now more than ever it will need additional monies to implement the compliance requirements.
Below is a video from CBS This Morning discussing what COVID-19 safe classrooms look like around the world.
Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a personal injury lawyer in Sacramento. Health and safety is our number one concern for our clients, and we follow a holistic health approach when it comes to healing and recovery. If you or a loved one has been injured due to the recklessness or negligence of another, please do not hesitate to call me at (916) 921-6400 in the local area or (800) 404-5400 toll-free. I can offer you free and friendly advice. You can also get in touch with us via our online form.
Photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/classroom-school-education-learning-2093744/
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