It is not PUSDS job to determine what is “safe”, that is up to the parent. Their only job is to EDUCATE in the manner the LAW states. The guidelines of masks cleaning, and distancing are easily attainable in class. This is a disgrace. Then they are then planning on discriminating on “age” as to when a student can get a proper education in a classroom that they are entitled to get by law. Their suggestion to working parents to take their student to “day care” shows what a false narrative they are putting out. PUSD this is the wrong choice for education and our students!

Indoor businesses are being closed by the governor due to the surging cases. Cases have risen in many countries overseas that re-opened the schools.

If in spite of masks and social distancing, the virus has surged since the end of May, that could indicate that perhaps the 6 foot rule does not work. Many scientists believe the microscopic virus was transmitted on cruise ships due the virus being airborne for quite a long time, and passed to passengers via the HVAC/ventilation systems. It stays alive on solid surfaces for a relatively long time.

How many times does the air circulate per hour in these classrooms that are barely over 900 sq feet? Why risk the health of the teachers, staff, and children in these circumstances?

I believe it was out of line for Betsy DeVos and Donald Trump to demand the entire country re-open the schools across the nation for political purposes given the current state of the COVID infections.

Only positives from this decision is the money saved from remote learning and If they get this right you should be able to get the same education from anywhere in the state. Same should go for college...

Sorry, they are not saving any money with the poor replacement of remote learning. In fact it seems they wasted a lot of money on a program for flex “ edgenuity” that has horrible reviews.

I consider this a dereliction of duty. From what I personally witnessed and from what my children expressed at the end of last school year, remote learning is barely minimally effective. I think the mental health risks and long term educational damage to children of not being physically in school is being undersold and the risk of catching and getting seriously ill from covid are being oversold. The balancing of risks has never been really done correctly when it comes to any covid related decision and now all decision making seems to be driven by a desire to have zero cases. I am not surprised by the school board's decision, though, because the union leadership across the country has mandated this result by threat of potentially illegal strike. A disappointing decision nonetheless. Parents, as voters, need to pay attention to how decisions are getting made. We and the school board are not in control, but the union leadership is in control.

An election is coming...…..

All of Pleasanton should be assessing the job PUSD has done to address the challenges presented by this virus and the "out of box" thinking they have demonstrated to define how they will ensure effective remote learning is provided to the children of this city.

We should all seriously look at the current board members up for re-election and the other candidates running to replace them. Is new blood needed, with new ideas to replace the old, outdated way of thinking?

We will be homeschooling our 2 kids

Given the assault on education that took place by Haglund and the School Board last night, it seems the Pleasanton Parent Community needs our own meeting to discuss “Defunding” PUSD. Haglund is admittedly more beholden to his other superintendent buddies and bureaucrats in Alameda county that he meets with weekly, per his comments last night. It’s too bad he hasn’t listened to the parents that ultimately employ him. He must be forgetting he too is dispensable, just like our PUSD student education hours, tax payer funded classrooms, and the “World Class Education” PUSD is choosing not to provide.

@nosavings please pay attention they said so many times egenuity is something they already purchased for summer so they are just using it for more things now and i had a parent send me the horrible reviews too. Those look to be horrible reviews of the teachers more than the program.

@defundPUSD please go. You and those like you will be begging to get back in later.

All of this bellyaching is ridiculous. We are in a global pandemic and you want the teachers and other staff members here to be put at risk of DEATH so you can send your kids to school? I appreciate the time and effort this board has put into thinking of multiple ways to help our kids right now. None of this is easy.

I applaud the board for making a hard choice in a time where there are no easy, fair, or right answers. Instead of offering condemnation and recrimination, I would like to say thank you PUSD for putting the health and safety of our children and their teachers first. I would rather classes open up when it’s prudent to do so, when they have the resources and support they need to do so safely, than to hear about even one tragic loss of a child, teacher, parent or friend because we were too worried about our children “falling behind” and are impatient to get back to a standardized “normal” that no longer exists.

Kudos to PUSD for prioritizing the health and safety of students and staff and STILL educating students the best they can. It is not PUSD's responsibility to "save the economy" at this time. Lord knows we need educated people more than ever. I was impressed at the thought put into ensuring remote learning is much more effective in the Fall, and the in-person schedules for the different grade levels. Hoping parents and teachers can work effectively together to support kids, because like it or not, students will rely both being on the same page, more than ever, to be successful.

Good decision PUSD. Thank you.

Schools have reopened in Europe and Asia with no problems, this has even been reported in the liberal Washington Post. So what’s the problem here...they haven’t politicized their schools and they’re not run by teacher unions.

@Olorin, what is the other difference between the US and Europe? OH, they listen to their scientists. When that starts happening we can open the schools. I appreciate our school district I moved here to give my kids an excellent education and I am also frustrated that we can't reopen. But IF ALL THE TEACHERS ARE DEAD we wont' be able to reopen either.

Wear your mask. Stay far away from one another. Ask your government to do as good a job as Europe if you want to be like Europe.

@ptown mom
Shut it down and blame Trump. Got it...

Ptownmom...I don't think all the teachers are going to die. The death rate from confirmed cases in Alameda County is 1.8%, the death rate of the entire population of Alameda County is .00009% and the infection rate of the entire population of Alameda County is .005%.

Web Link
Covid cases -last 24 hours :
Norway -10
Denmark - 31
Finland -0
Sweden - 491
UK -917
Italy - 162
Singapore -249
New Zealand -1
Switzerland - 1
United States - 63,706
This is why they feel comfortable opening their schools... Just thinkin', maybe it's not teachers unions. Coming at it from a slightly different direction, it could be that they have testing infrastructure, effective communication (which seems to have worked), and a common societal mindset that meant everyone understood the need for a collective effort to get this under control so everyone can be safe.

Ptown mom and Pleasanton parent are you teachers as well? Your verbiage is odd given you have always had the choice to do distanced learning for your children with Flex and Independent Study. Why do you want to take away the majority of other Pleasanton parents choice of in class learning? You can choose for your kids and let others choose what’s best for their students attending PUSD schools. It’s odd you want the majority’s choice taken away. Let parents decide what’s best for their own children.

@ Parents of 2, Are parents going to get paid the same as teachers for the “work” they will do as the “home” teacher? Is PUSD going to cut every parent a check at the end of the month for all our work with the student that adds up to the required hours?

You are so right. "All" of the teachers are not going to die of Covid! just some of them will. Why is PUSD making this such a big deal.

@choice no I am not a teacher. I am a reasonable citizen who does not want to needlessly endanger others so your kid can go to school. You have a choice you can leave. Your choice does not include deciding for someone else that they have to be exposed to the virus. Please leave. I don't want my kids raised around yours. I care about our school district workers. I know this will be hard but I can't justify exposing them so my kid can attend school. Even if my kid loses a year of school its better than one person losing their life. If the people can pull it together and beat the cases down then we can go back. Why don't you help with that?

Sadly the US is way behind compared to Europe in containing the virus.

Web Link

Some or our leaders are touting "look at Europe, they are going to open their schools".... but those countries are in the hundreds of new/recent case per day - not the US we are close to 65,000 per day

Web Link

@Olorin you know what else Asia and Europe have not politicized? Science. This is not on the teacher's unions.

Thanks teachers union for protecting our teachers!!! There were 83 deaths in California today in a state of 40 million people... that’s 15% of our normal daily deaths!!! Oh no, its getting really bad out there! Death from COVID all around us! Plus we have over 70,000 hospital beds, just 10% are utilized for COVID positive patients. Running out of beds too!

Case fatality is half of what it was in May, but let’s shut down schools and not even do a hybrid like parents voted on. Good plan teachers union and enjoy your 1 hour of work a day. Clowns.

@a sheep: would you have posted the same thing if one of those 83 deaths was a family member you loved? Ptown mom is correct in saying one death is too much.
During the board meeting a plan was clearly made that requires teachers to work their full work day- with a minimum of 3 hrs of instruction per day.
Do your research before blaming teachers unions.

Seems it would only be fair for parents with kids in the PUSD who need to stay home to supervise remote learning to get a partial property tax refund, since the full remote learning shifts the opportunity cost of time used to supervise the kids and facilities costs onto the parents.

In fact I would consider it fair for parents to deduct daycare costs from their property tax bill since they never seem to get a break from the assessor. Then let’s see how concerned the PUSD is for the health of the kids and staff.

This virus isn't killing children...or hardly anyone healthy under 65. Feel horrible for all the healthy youngsters missing out on graduations, parties, proms...and LIFE.

Spanish flu killed 3% of the world's population, Black Death killed 40% of all of Europe. This baby virus has killed .000074% of the world (580k divided by 7.8 billion).

Dear PUSD,

Please credit our property tax bills for your lack of service. The proposed curriculum on Zeam and U Toobs are free and the instruction is trending at a steady rate of 3/10 at the moment. There are other, better reviewed curriculums from actual virtual classroom providers that are much better and cheaper then the line items we were invoiced.

Not to mention every other place is doing this -- so why don't we just follow them. I mean, seriously what do we have to gain (or lose) from this anyway?

Thank you,
Residents of Pleasanton
K-12 Graduate of PTown Schools when they were Open several moons ago.

Yes - it's great safety is the first concern - teachers and kids should not have their health at risk.

Question for parents as I do not have kids in the schools: Are you happy with the distance learning plans, that PUSD has stepped up to provide effective distance learning for your kids?

I would appreciate helpful, accurate comments as I need to start thinking about who I should vote for in the upcoming election.

Thanks.

Karl,

Distance learning was a joke last quarter. I'm willing to give them another chance but if they (teachers) under perform like they did last time.... I'll want that property tax refund ppl are talking about. My understanding is more is expected on the teachers this time around in terms of teaching, grading, attendance etc.. so hopefully it improves.

I hope you all have your tin foil hats on with these clown comment.s. 1 death is too many? Right. So let's just keep everyone on house arrest so nobody can get into a car accident or skin cancer from the sun. Good idea. Average age of death from COVID is over 80 years old for white males and above 70 for latino/black/asian, but our schools need to stay shut since facts don't matter.

I watched first hand 2 students deal with their exceptionally lazy teachers getting on with their classes for LESS THAN 1 hour a day on Zoom then push them to pre-existing educational websites to do assignments and youtube. An absolute joke, thanks teachers union for this and thanks for allowing your awful teachers to never get fired.

@ptown mom. How many teen and young adult suicides will it take to let kids go back to school? Are you aware of that epidemic?

@disapointed dad - facts dont matter to Ptownmom. 1 death is too many, but only if it is the right death, the COVID death.

Last time I looked, Pleasanton has 170 cases of COVID-19 cases, total since we started keeping track and ZERO deaths..Please correct me if this data is wrong, but comes from:
Web Link
Also, this might be why we are suffering from our grouping with the Alameda county classification:
Oakland: 3259 cases
Hayward: 1292 cases
So let's stop comparing apples with oranges and looking at skewed data in our analyses of risks.
There are risks associated with NOT getting our kids back to school. Judge for yourself, but if 85% of the parents in Pleasanton want SOME form of actual on-site school attendance, the school board is wrong to deny this preference AT THIS TIME

The CA Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said yesterday most schools should re-open with distance learning given the soaring increasing levels of COVID-19 Web Link Pleasanton's has doubled within 3 weeks.

Seriously, some posters seem to really believe that all of Pleasanton's staff and teachers live JUST within the borders of Pleasanton's city limits. Dream on. Some commute from 1 1/2 hours away including Oakland, Hayward, etc.

So, I understand all the concern but now what do you do with families that have two working parents that have to go to work to provide for their families? Not all families in this town have mom/ dad who stays home. People seem to forget this part. Do we need to move now? Is that the solution? I think schools can open up responsibly if they choose to . Tell the unions to beat it, and if a teacher does not want to teach then they can be replaced. Use masks/shields, use the gymnasiums, hell this is California, teach outside when possible. Figure it out. Thats what we pay you for. Shut the AC off if necessary. Kids and teachers can deal with a warm classroom. Move classes to a hotel that has conference rooms, move to rec centers, figure it out. Come on people. Pleasanton is supposed to be an educated city.

@Karl Aitken,

Parent here, and yes I am happy with this decision.

CASES are not the determining factor, especially now that it seems that the tests picks up the particles of virus, AFTER the infection, NOT live virus infections, thereby giving more false positives and driving the number of cases falsely higher.. Cases mean litte, since most of the cases are in the under 50-60 age group, and the people almost always recover without lasting problems. Deaths, almost non-existent here in the tri-valley, are the PRIMARY concern, but that data is hard to come by since the agencies providing the data seem hesitant to release that and prefer to mention only CASES..Have to wonder WhY that is don't we.?

Thank you to the school district for putting the safety of our children and school staff first. My elementary school child had a wonderful remote learning experience. He had daily am and pm zoom calls with his teacher. In addition, was assigned work that kept him learning in the non-zoom hours. The teacher also allotted time for smaller zoom sessions to work with students on areas they were struggling. Plus, his teacher would create games and rewards to encourage active and timely attendance for Zoom sessions. She would pop by and leave trinkets at students' doors to keep them excited about school and maintain that interpersonal relationship. I actually felt my child learned many new things and was able to exhibit more creativity towards assignments. Both my husband and I have demanding jobs outside of the home. We had no choice, but to make it work and we did. Was it always easy? Nope, but you do what you have to do for your children. Lots of juggling and late work nights. I feel with the additional planning time, the remote learning will improve. If we all work together, we can get through this.

@Parent wrote “Thank you to the school district for putting the safety of our children and school staff first.”

Your school age child is at extremely low risk of falling seriously ill or dying of coronavirus. School staff below the age of 60 are at slightly higher risk but still very low. The average age of those dying due to coronavirus is 75. Total number of Pleasantonians who have died thus far of coronavirus is Zero.

Parent of Mission Park, I agree with you. But the late nights are worth it to keep our kids safe and healthy. It is not ideal given some of the technical glitches but distance learning has its advantages.

San Leandro and SFUSD are opening in remote learning mode as well.

It seems like SRVUSD is going to revise its stance and implement distance learning as well later on today.

Yesterday CA broke a new record in the number of new coronavirus cases in a single day. Very scary.

It is sad to see what Parents are afraid .
But on the mean time let their kids go out socialize with they’re friends.
A lot of them not even using mask.
Another think teacher are getting paid to do a job. Get to work.
If everyone is so afraid. Let the Sate to pay for everyone in the school to get tested.

Let me get this straight... the survey they sent to parents was just for show and the corrupt Teachers Union has all the power. 85% of the people want some on-site learning, but just go 100% online was the decision.

If you (Pleasanton residents) have the means, send your kids to private school or find a group you can "home school" with.

Also funny seeing all the teachers posting here pretending like they are some parent applauding the decision. Be less conspicuous next time.

@taxrefund, I TOTALLY agree. I have lived here for 5 years, commuting across CA84 and down I680. This route has been under construction and delayed this entire time, adding ~30minutes per day each way to my commute. I am going to send the State Highway Department a bill for my lost time. I am sure they will get right back to me. I will use the money to live on a private island until all of this blows over. Thanks for your great idea. Keep them coming.

Gavin Newsom is holding a press conference tomorrow at noon according to some media outlets to address school reopening. I doubt he will not disagree with Tony Thurmond's assessment that now it is too dangerous to re-open in-person learning in most parts of California. The CSUs have all decided on distance learning as well.

Yesterday, the number of new cases of coronavirus broke a record in California exceeding 11,000 cases. It makes no sense to open schools for in-person learning given the surges in infections and the fact that many business re-openings have been walked back due to community spread.

@Reno,

Parent here. Not a teacher. I agree with the decision to start in the fall at home and see how the numbers go.

@BobB - you’re part of the 15%. Ok got it.

Airborne wrote “Yesterday, the number of new cases of coronavirus broke a record in California exceeding 11,000 cases.“

The number of coronavirus cases in itself means little. About half of all coronavirus cases are asymptomatic, meaning that the person doesn’t even show any noticeable symptoms of infection. You may have coronavirus right now and not even know it. Odds are that a few of the people railing on this forum about their fear of coronavirus have already been infected with the virus and have it right now, or have already recovered from it without ever even knowing that they were infected. Sort of puts matters in a bit more perspective, doesn’t it?

Instead of looking at infection cases, look at the number of deaths. That’s where the rubber hits the road:
The total number of coronavirus deaths thus far in Alameda county (population 1.6 million) is 154.
The total number of coronavirus deaths thus far in all of California (population 40 million) is 7400.

Compare those numbers to the number of people who die each year of the flu, or because of car accidents, or suicides, or prostate cancer, etc.. Danger and threats to life are all around us. We deal with these threats with measures proportionate to the threat level - except for coronavirus, in which case we seem to have gone crazy with exaggerated fear.

@Reno,

Conditions in California, and nationwide have worsened.

Also option one includes in person learning when conditions warrant.

@Wombat - You're right 100%. Death rate since May has significantly gone down and the average death age still slowly climbs. Also testing is way way way more accessible (more tests conducted) than before. However, facts like this don't matter anymore... only shutting down for a political power play in an election year, not sound public health policy.

If you're part of the 15% of Pleasanton parents who are scared then stay home, but NOBODY IS ENTITLED TO DESTROY THE LIVES AND LIKELIHOODS OF OTHERS TO SOOTHE THEIR OWN FEARS

Maybe for now it's time to move the focus from masks/no masks, Covid-19 dangerous / not dangerous, spacing / no spacing, etc. / etc., to how to make sure the kids of Pleasanton get the best possible "distance learning" experience as possible.

There are obviously many very intelligent people commenting on this site that could put away the politics and use that brain power to influence PUSD on what is really needed.

I haven't had a kid in the schools since I went to Amador in the 70's. But I have been paying taxes and paying for bond measures for 40 years and want to make sure I get the best value possible.

The fact that the state / politicians / teachers / teachers unions are not going to allow in person schooling for some time - probably through the end of the year - should not be a real surprise to anyone.

We live in the Silicon Valley, with all the highly educated / tech savy people who work there now living in Pleasanton.

It's truly appalling that PUSD did not put a full court press, starting in March, to develop an exceptional distance learning plan, aquiring the teacher training and technology needed to support it.

Pleasanton residents need to demand more from PUSD and our teachers. Student deserve to get the education they all deserve and need. Techers deserve the training and technogy they need to be effective in there jobs.

My 25 cents......

I opted for the hybrid option because not all classes were available remotely, at least for high school.

Oops - looks you missed a step in your math there: CV has resulted in a death rate 0.0074% (580k / 7.8b) x 100.

@Reno,

They didn't go with the all remote option. My kids are enrolled in the hybrid option. It is starting out as all remote but subject to change according to conditions. They did not go against the wishes of 85%. I hope that straightens it out for you.

PUSD now stands for Pleasanton Useless School District.

Dr. Haglund (who, btw, makes $300k a year) and the teachers believe it's "unsafe" to be in the classroom with students, at any level (elementary, middle, or high school).

Hmmm, let's compare/contrast, shall we?

Association of Pleasanton Teachers president Michelle VerKuilen said though teachers are "saddened" by not teaching in person, the recommendation for remote learning has been well-received.

"Well-received" by whom, exactly? Teachers and administrators? Um, yeah. Parents and students, no way.

"The most important criteria we must use in moving forward into a new school year is the health and safety of all. We cannot educate if we are all not safe," VerKuilen said.

Thus, the teachers' solution? We're staying home and offering your kids a 'virtual' education, because our health and safety, and the ability to ensure we can still collect our paychecks, plus automatic step & column annual pay raises, and our big, fat future guaranteed pensions is way more important than educating your kids.

So, using that 'logic', if you'll indulge me, let's apply that to the following other so-called "essential" activities (although apparently teaching our kids isn't really "essential"):

Grocery stores and their workers:

"The most important criteria we must use in moving forward into a new grocery shopping environment is the health and safety of all. We cannot provide you with groceries if we are all not safe." Solution: close all of the grocery stores/supermarkets.

Truck drivers:

"The most important criteria we must use in moving goods here and there is the health and safety of all. We cannot unload goods into stores if we are all not safe," truck drivers said.
Solution: Shipping of all items stops TFN.

Police officers, firefighters, paramedics, ambulance drivers:

"The most important criteria we must use in keeping people safe, putting out fires, and saving lives is the health and safety of all. We cannot do any of that if we are all not safe," police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and ambulance drivers said.
Solution:

Doctors, nurses, and other health care providers:

"The most important criteria we must use in saving lives is the health and safety of all. We cannot do any of that if we are all not safe," doctors, nurses, and other health care providers said.
Solution: We're staying home--you're on your own 'til a vaccine is found. Good luck.

Quoting Dr. Haglund (from his advisory email to all parents on 7/15), "As your Superintendent, this recommendation did not come easy for me. I had hoped to welcome your students back to our schools, as I have had the pleasure to do for the past several years. "

Got news for you, Doc, Walmart still has greeters welcoming shoppers back to its store in Pleasanton, and they sure as heck aren't getting paid $300k a year to greet folks "virtually."

As InClass stated in the very first comment to this story, this is, indeed, a disgrace.

Pleasanton Useless School District only cares about taking care of themselves and securing their own futures, period.

Self-serving and disgusting.

Inadvertently omitted the proposed Solution to....

Police officers, firefighters, paramedics, ambulance drivers:

"The most important criteria we must use in keeping people safe, putting out fires, and saving lives is the health and safety of all. We cannot do any of that if we are all not safe," police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and ambulance drivers said.

Solution: Buy a gun and/or get a guard dog, use your garden hose, and learn first aid, if you can find someone to teach it to you, that is.

BobB -

High school students are the most critical group in need of effective distance learning.

With excellent, nationally acclaimed universities now offering advanced engineering degrees 100% online would have been to perfect examples to use for PUSD. Purdue, Georgia Tech, Stanford, MIT......

I earned most of my MS Degree at Stanford using a television network for many of the classes and it was an excellent program. Documents were posted in both PC and Mac formats with easy access remotely. Well structured and managed. And that was in the late 1980's / early 1990's. Technology is so much more advanced now - absolutely not excuse to not offer all high school level courses on line.

Sad. Let's not close schools - because only up to 2% will die.

Sad. Supporters of online learning are union shills - because no right-minded parent would care about a teacher's life when weighed against their child's education.

Sad. Let's defund schools - because I pay for a service and any delays to receiving a 'full service' (in school) cannot be tolerated.


I don't believe my kids need to get educated in the equivalent of a 'healthcare' war-zone, where the next IED (COVID) could kill someone unexpectedly. So until the school board and superintendents office thinks it is safe for my kids and our teachers to reopen in-person, this PTOWN family supports remote learning.

Sad I feel compelled to state the following. Full disclosure. I have 2 kids in PUSD. We are not teachers, and we don't have personal relationships with any beyond normal parent-teacher conferences.

@Bob - This is what you said... "They didn't go with the all remote option". 1 sentence later, "It is starting out all remote..." so where is the Hybrid part or is that the carrot being dangled in front of us that it "MIGHT" happen one day?

The Pleasanton Teachers president Michelle VerKuilen said they won't go back until EVERYONE is safe. What disease has been cured to give me and others hope? Please tell me since the closest are likely Polio and Measles, but those still occur.

No student or teacher or staff member should be put in the situation where they are placed in danger of getting COVID. A flimsy homemade mask is not going to protect you from getting COVID. Perhaps an N95 mask will, but are schools planning to distribute these everyday to teachers, staff and students? No

To the parent from PTOWN who say they value their child's education over a teacher's life "because no right-minded parent would care about a teacher's life when weighed against their child's education"--- wow! Ugh! Just how many teachers like that unfortunate AZ teacher who taught summer school and died do you not care about?

In other words, you want a teacher to go into the classroom and die if that furthers your child's education.

Too bad you don't care about a teacher's life. That is just terribly sad that people lack compassion and empathy in this community.

@Reno - I wouldn't interpret the PUSD survey as 85% of parents wanting their kids to go to school no matter what. I am a parent. I would like my kids to be able to go to school if and when conditions permit. Doesn't look like now with case rates growing.

@BobB, Karl Aitken - agree.

As a teacher in the district, I look forward to teaching students in class as soon as it is deemed safe to do so. I am not a fan of "remote teaching", but I'm willing to do the best I can to produce meaningful content and teach my students to the best of my ability. While studies seem to indicate most students will be at minimal risk, a number of teachers and support staff are far more at risk. Unlike health care workers who will have PPE or businesses that may have plexiglass barriers, we would be restricted to "hoping" students would wear masks and maintain social distance - not only during class, but between classes, at lunch or while traveling to and from school. While children do not typically have life-threatening reactions to Covid-19, they will carry it to the classroom (or from the classroom back to their homes) where others may be far more at risk.

Our schools were never designed for social distancing - quite the opposite. We encourage students to collaborate and share ideas, to learn to exchange and develop concepts. In my classroom, there are no individual desks - rather tables where four students are asked to work collaboratively.

One of the premises of common core was the necessity of students learning to share ideas and collaborate to prepare them for the jobs their liable to do in the future. Remote learning will make that more of a challenge - both for us and our students. When remote learning began in March, it came with little warning and little or no "preparation". Furthermore, recognizing the difficulties that would be encountered, the district made the decision that students grades could "not be harmed." In other words, students that liked their grade were essentially free to quit working. I wasn't particularly happy with that decision - but I understand why it was made. Students clearly weren't on a level "playground" while learning at home. Some struggled with technical issues, others may have been helping to care for younger siblings - there was nothing perfect about our response to the pandemic, but we were doing the best we could with what we were given.

I know I learned lessons I hope to implement in my "virtual classroom" this next month. I struggled this past spring with not seeing my students - I learn so much about what they understand and where they are confused by watching and listening, observing body language and even the tone of their voice. Remote teaching offered me little of the feedback I typically use to improve my instruction. I've spent the last six weeks preparing for the possibility of remote teaching - not knowing if it would occur. I am preparing videos for my students as well as their parents to help them succeed in this upcoming year. I anticipate having 200 kids to teach again this year - most of whom I have never met. Will it be perfect the second time around? Not a chance - but I hope it will be better for students, their parents and for me.

I think I am one of the vast majority of teachers in Pleasanton who are anxious to get back into their classrooms and teach in person - but only when it is safe to do so. Lets see if we as a community can do our best to maintain physical distance, wear a mask to protect others and support our kids collectively to the best of our ability until we as teachers can return to do what we do best. I know I'm not alone in saying I love working with your kids and I'm committed to doing my best as we work through a very different educational environment.

@HS - Never said going to school no matter what. Said the 85% which was SOME in person learning (hybrid). Cases growing has nothing to do with testing being more accessible or more people being tested huh?

@the teachers comment above (Airborne transmission...). Be less conspicuous when you post. You can probably retire early, we tax payers still have to pay your salary for the rest of your life regardless. Just don't work.

Disclosure: I’m a teacher in Pleasanton.

Sadly, a lot of my peers took the spring as time off more than anything else, especially those with 15+ years of teaching under their belt. Knew of quite a few doing 1 hour of Video chatting with their classes broken up in 15 minute increments during that hour and that’s it. Now they are having to scramble since there is going to be more pressure to be more involved (which is good for our kids).

I’ve spoken with quite a few peers who would rather be back part time, but when we’ve spoken up our hands get slapped. Most of us are under 35 years old who want to get back in. Those older just fall in line with what the greater teachers union wants. Interesting huh?

Unless there is major pressure or a shift in union decision making don’t expect us in the classroom anytime soon.

Karl Aitken,

I agree, I was surprised that AP computer science was not offered it remotely.

Meant to say that AP computer science was not offered through FLEX, but it is offered through remote learning with the hybrid plan.

I do feel bad for the teachers who have always taught classes in person and wish to continue to do so.

During my 40 year career in manaufacturing, and now supply chain, I have been forced to change how I do my job to meet new business requirements and a new reality. I used to work in an US factory and dealt with people face to face to be effective in my job. As I moved to a global manufacturing job and eventually a global supply chain job, I could not effectively do my job face to face any longer. I had to learn to work with a global team and develop new skills to be effective in my job working from a distance. Not changing meant no job.

I had to change my paradigm and develop a new attitude and skill set that match my NEW REALITY.

Was it difficult - it could be challenging at times (communicating to a team in Sri Lanka via fax! (No email then) - but with the fast changing technology and ever improving tools for collaboration, it is now much easier.

I enjoy working with my global team. I enjoy leading my global team. I am able to do it effectively with my great technology (webex / webex teams). I have developed the skills and attitude needed to continue to be a valued contributor to my organaization and company. Collaborating remotely with a global team.

The added advantage to the work model I use - I have been able to work from home everyday and perform my job easily and effectively.

So perhaps this Covid-19 disaster (to our economy and schools) had identified the need for the school board, teachers and students to shift to a new paradigm. Try new methods, develop new skills - JOIN THE 21ST CENTURY. Or go find a new job that fits your personal desires and out of date skills / attitudes.

Parents and communities will only put up with ineffective education for a very short time. Eventually they will get tired of all the bad attitudes and unwillingness to change. Eventually they will take action to get the type of schools and teachers they need to ensure their kids get the education they deserve and need to function in the REAL (not government / school district) WORLD.

Eventually teaches and schools boards that do not adapt to new job requirements will have to adapt to NO JOB.

@BobB: Classes that aren't available are due to the applicable teachers saying they don't want to teach it remotely or the program being suspended (unlikely for computer science). You will need another teacher to step up and volunteer, PUSD will not seek a replacement.

JC,

AP comp sci was available through hybrid, not FLEX.

Karl,
To respond to your comments. First, having recently entered, or re-entered, the classroom, I can assure you that teachers, and teaching, has evolved tremendously over the last 15-20 years. It's a far more creative, engaged, motivating experience (because that's how to reach this generation) and utilizes more technology than we EVER accessed -text books are great but many of the teachers I've encountered have an innate ability to engage on many levels, incorporate technology, and provide a far richer learning experience. Second, your comments offer, frankly, sweeping generalizations about your job as applied to education. I understand supply chain, I've worked in supply chain, and there is no direct comparison. I will also add is that back in March, teachers were given 96 hours to migrate from the classroom to distance learning. Were there successes? Yes. Were there failures? Yes. But what I do know, and this is where your experience does dovetail into education, is there has been an evaluation, based on this very possibility, of best practices, 'What worked?, What didn't work?', 'How do we improve in terms of engagement, communication of material/key concepts, and ultimately, better manage, drive the process and, critically, success?' Continuous, and on-going, improvement. Six sigma stuff...and I know there has been continual evaluation, exploration, and effort to improve the process over the last few months.

What I'll also add to the conversation is the word accountability. Accountability on the part of the students (and parents) to consistently apply themselves, adapt, and be a part of the process and solution because, as most of us have seen in our careers, nothing stays the same and we all have to keep adapting and evolving -as will do they in the future. Put cell phones away (they are a massive, massive distraction), focus, create an environment that allows them to learn, emphasize how important this is, and that they will get out of this what they put into it. Approach, for a change, with the idea that technology isn't about entertainment (which seems to be the problem with technology), but about learning.

Lastly, to teachers, administrators, clerical, janitorial-(I hope you aren't reading some of these comments) you have no idea how much your efforts are appreciated by the vast majority of the community. Mask up and stay safe...Thanks PUSD for putting student, staff, and community well-being above all.

We recently moved to Pleasanton, and have 3 kids in the PUSD school district, and I am absolutely heartbroken after reading some of these comments. Please take a moment to consider the following questions (as seen on my friend's FB post) … many don’t realize the multitude of issues that schools face in non-pandemic times, much less our current environment – this is an UNKNOWN virus that we are dealing with, and we need to better understand the long-term effects of infection on ALL age groups. Our children, our educators, our school support staff should NOT be guinea pigs. Believe me, I want my kids back in school as much as anyone else – but until we have more information on the virus and/or REALISTIC measures to protect students, teachers and staff, we should NOT require ANYONE to return to an academic in-person situation. If PUSD has the answers to all of these questions, I would love to see them.

HIGH-RISK STAFF/STUDENTS AND ACCOMMODATIONS
1. How will immune-compromised staff or students be accommodated? If people have conditions on the CDC's list of higher risk factors are districts required to provide further accommodations?
2. Will accommodations be standardized from district to district?
3. Will non-continuing contract teachers qualify for health accommodations?
4. How will non-continuing contract teachers feel comfortable advocating for themselves without fear of removal?
5. How will schools get substitutes during this time when there is already a shortage? Many subs are also in the high-risk category due to age.
6. The CDC now considers pregnancy a high-risk health concern. What options will staff who are pregnant have? Will they need to meet specific criteria?
7. Will there be requirements for staff to qualify as "high risk" and therefore be allowed to use remote options?
8. The state has indicated that staff and students with specific illnesses should be given the option to remote teach/ teleschool. What about someone who is a caregiver for a medically complex young child or someone with an at-risk spouse?
9. What options are there for people like myself who care for someone who falls into the vulnerable population?
10. Is any consideration made for staff who cannot limit exposure due to living with essential personnel, like law enforcement, medical, or grocery employees? What about students who live with essential personnel?
11. When deciding which teachers qualify to teach remotely due to elevated risk, who determines the parameters of what counts as higher risk? A doctor? The insurance company? A building administrator? Other?
12. Will staff/students be required to disclose specific medical issues in order to qualify as high-risk or will a doctor’s note deeming them high risk be sufficient?
13. To whom will staff members have to disclose medical conditions that qualify them as high-risk? Will their information be kept confidential? What about disclosing the health concerns of family members who are high risk?
14. If a staff member is immune compromised and not comfortable returning in September and chooses to take FMLA, is the 12 month waiting period still in effect if that staff member later becomes ill/pregnant/has a sick family member within that 12 month period?
15. If a para with longevity is immune compromised and chooses not to return, is their job still secure?
16. What accommodations will be made for educators/their families? For example, many staff members have children in other counties that may choose different models of school with split sessions or hybrid learning how will that be handled?
17. If students are allowed the option to stay home, can staff who are compromised, or live with someone compromised, also opt to teach from home?
18. If we aren't comfortable going to school to teach once plans are laid out in our district, can we opt to do so remotely? Will we be guaranteed our jobs?
19. Will educators receive priority treatment, similar to that offered to other front-line workers, for childcare?
20. A recent survey found that at least 1 in 5 teachers are unlikely to return in the fall due to Covid-19. How will this shortage and the loss of up to 20% of our current teachers affect teaching responsibilities?
21. Will districts offer more money for substitutes since the risk of infection is high? Will districts cover health insurance costs if a substitute gets sick as a result of working?
22. What are the options for staff who may live with immunocompromised individuals that are not immediate family members?
23. Will small children and babies be viewed as high risk and their parents considered for remote learning or accommodations?
24. How will parents that have taken FLMA this year for pregnancy be compensated for time off due to Covid self-quarantine?
25. Will consideration be given to allowing staff to enroll their own children in the district where they work in order to allow their children to follow the same schedule as the employed parent?
26. If an older teacher is worried about returning to school and is thinking about retiring will there be packages offered?
27. If we contract the virus at work, will we be able to claim workman’s compensation since it occurred in the workplace? This seems especially important since it could take months to fully recover from the illness.
28. If a teacher or their family members gets Covid after returning to work but had requested to work remotely and was denied can the district be sued for liability?
STUDENT/STAFF HEALTH AND SAFETY
29. If a teacher dies from COVID contracted while at school, does the state still pay their surviving spouse the MBOS Life Insurance payout?
30. Who will be held accountable if a second wave of COVID is caused by reopening schools?
31. Since masks protect others from the mask-wearer, is the state’s position that teachers and staff do not need to be protected, but students need to be protected from us?
32. How will educators be supported financially if they become permanently disabled by the virus contracted, possibly, at schools?
33. Will the state attendance laws be changed so students/families aren't compelled to come to school sick?
34. Are teachers going to be required to tested on a regular basis as a requirement for working? Do we have access to that type of testing force?
35. Will there be a limit to how many students one (elementary specials) teacher should be exposed to (teach in person in the same room) each day, each week, and in total? There are clear limits on how many students should be in a room with each other, so what about the number of students per educator?
36. Will staff need to sign a waiver to work?
37. Will students sign a waiver protecting staff in the event a student gets sick while in their class?
38. Will families need to sign waivers of disclosure if they’ve been exposed or tested? Do we violate privacy laws by asking?
39. Will teachers be required to sign waivers promising not to hold the district/school responsible if they get sick? If so and they refuse to sign it, will they lose their jobs?
40. What about staff bathrooms? Will someone be sanitizing them in between uses or will the staff members be required to do so?
41. What safety measures will be put in place for non-teaching staff?
42. What proof will any of us have that the students returning to school are not currently living with someone who is positive for the virus, an asymptomatic carrier, or currently sick with it and concealing it from the school?
43. Many districts are already requiring 12-month employees to be in the building working without appropriate PPE. How can staff and students trust districts to implement the guidelines correctly when 12-month employees are already being put at risk?
44. Will there be consequences if administrators do not wear masks or follow social distancing guidelines? What recourse will staff have in these situations?
45. Will after school staff meetings with large groups still be required in person or will they be held virtually in some way?
46. If staff are not permitted to congregate outside of their cohort and students are eating lunch in the classrooms, when do staff get a duty-free break? Similarly, what about specials? Is the classroom teacher expected to remain in the room to avoid congregating outside the cohort? Will this be considered a duty? And if so, will we be compensated?
47. What safeguards will be put in place for the mental health and well being of the staff?
48. Will disciplinary actions based on attendance (many districts require meetings, letters in flies, etc after x number of sick days taken) be suspended during this time?
49. Most Board of Education meetings have been held via Zoom since the quarantine. In September, will the BOE meetings return back to school districts in person?
50. How will buses be held accountable for cleaning/sanitizing procedures?
51. Were professional organizations consulted for each content areas risks and procedures?
52. Who is ensuring students have access to a clean mask each day?
53. If a child is exposed to COVID at school due to the child taking their mask on and off during the day, is the teacher responsible for this? Would families be allowed to sue?
54. What is the policy for contact tracing?
55. Will districts provide us with N95 masks as they seem to provide the safest protection?
56. In the future, will Covid-related long-term effects of the illness be covered by our district insurance?
57. Will the Covid blood tests, nasal test, or mouth swab tests be offered in each building/district for students and staff needing quick and timely results? Currently, you need to make an appointment and it may take days. It can also be a transportation issue for many of our families/students.
58. How will PLCs and other in-person staff meetings be organized?
59. Will bus drivers be able to take students' temperatures at their bus stops prior to getting on the bus to avoid them even coming to school if they have a fever?
60. Many parents give their children Tylenol before sending them to school with a fever.
Has consideration been given to doing temperature checks mid-day?
61. Will students or staff who exhibit symptoms be required to show a negative COVID-19 test to return to school or work?
62. Will there be an aide on every bus to monitor distancing and mask use, since the bus driver will be focused on driving?
63. Will there be mandatory caps on class size?
64. Will there be mandatory measurements for social distancing?
65. A May 2020 study out of Germany found “The viral loads [of Covid-19] observed in the present study, combined with earlier findings of similar attack rate between children and adults, suggest that transmission potential in schools and kindergartens should be evaluated using the same assumptions of infectivity as for adults”. This combined with studies of healthcare workers have found that viral load plays a role in whether or not frontline workers become infected with Covid-19. Has any consideration been given to the viral load teachers may be exposed to? Specials teachers and content area specialist (secondary) are often exposed to hundreds of students.
66. If non-staff individuals enter the building (parents, coaches, substitutes, etc) will they be required to participate in contact tracing in the event of exposure? Will they have temperature checks?
67. Parents routinely send sick children to school by dosing them with medication to mask symptoms. Parents also do not report illnesses and do not keep their children home for an adequate amount of time (24 hours fever free WITHOUT medication). Strict guidelines have to be adhered to for the safety and well-being of staff and students. How will districts ensure that parents do not violate these rules (which have been in place for years and are routinely ignored)?
68. Many districts send sick children (fever, vomiting, etc) back to the classroom to wait for parent pick up and this can take hours. How can we ensure this will no longer happen?
69. For teachers returning from maternity leave or nursing mothers in general, how will they be provided with adequate (and legally required) time and space for pumping/a lactation room? How will this work specifically at the secondary level with scheduling, class coverage, and a lactation space while still following guidelines and the plan for return? If adequate pumping time and space cannot safely be provided, will nursing mothers be allowed to teach remotely with no punishment?
70. We have more cases in the state of Virginia than we did before our initial switch to remote learning. There have been no major innovations in treatment/ prevention. Is the state of VA reopening their schools for the right reasons?
71. Will substitute teachers receive training on all new protocols?
QUARANTINE/SELF-ISOLATION
72. If a student I am in contact with tests positive will I need to quarantine? If so, do I lose 14 sick days? What if a staff member has to quarantine multiple times in a school year?
73. If a staff member’s child needs to quarantine will the educator parent be required to use their sick days?
74. If one student tests positive for COVID-19 does that mean the teacher and the rest of the class have to quarantine for 14 days?
75. We often have students who are sent home sick and are out for days without ever visiting a doctor. If a student is out for several days after being sent home with symptoms consistent with COVID will parents be compelled to provide proof that the child has been tested before we allow them back in the building? If a parent refuses to provide medical documentation, will we presume the entire group has been exposed and then all (students and staff) be required to quarantine?
76. What will the professional expectations be for staff while they are on a 14 day quarantine period? If a teacher has to quarantine for 14 days because a family member is sick, will they be allowed to work from home for a period of time, by way of Zoom meetings, report writing, etc?
77. Will there be options available if someone lives with a compromised family member and is forced to quarantine similar to the accommodations that were made available to hospital workers?
78. If a staff member who has secondary employment that does not interfere contractually with employment in school had to quarantine due to coming into contact with a student would the district reimburse that employee for loss of wages from secondary job? If that employee had to quarantine due to contact from secondary employer, would they have to use PTO or will there be some kind of allotted time separate from PTO days for instances such as this?
79. If an educator IS an “essential worker” on the side and/ or summer (EMT, cashier, etc), how will that be looked upon by a district?
80. If a teacher is required to quarantine and use sick time, who will create the lesson plans and how will long-term subs work?
81. What if staff members have to self-isolate more than once due to exposure from a COVID positive student?
82. Can all staff members choose to work remotely if they are forced to self-isolate due to exposure? Who will decide if a staff member can work?
83. If a staff member does not have enough accumulated sick leave to cover a mandatory quarantine will their pay be docked?
84. How will it be handled when there are not enough subs to cover classes when teachers are out? In the past when not enough subs were available (a common occurrence), classes would be combined. Teachers were often pulled from other duties to act as subs, too.
85. The document from the state lists symptoms which would cause students or staff to stay home. What about students and teachers with chronic conditions that also have those same symptoms? Would staff be required to use sick days for things like allergies, migraines, muscle aches... all of which can be from non- COVID health issues, but which are also symptoms of COVID?
86. Will there be specialized, paid training for staff to prepare before the first day of school for all these changes?
87. Many staff travel between schools. How will this be handled?
88. Many substitutes work for multiple districts. How will districts know if substitutes have been in a “hot spot”?
89. If a child in one school gets Covid, and they are in contact with a specials teacher who goes to multiple buildings each week and teaches every child in that building, will all schools that teacher has been in have to quarantine?
SCHOOL NURSES AND HEALTH STAFF
90. Will schools be hiring more school nurses, custodial staff, and counselors?
91. Will there be a nurse in the building every day?
92. How can one nurse be responsible for screening 500-1000 students/staff daily and still be available to perform every other function required?
93. In buildings with a single nurse will the district ensure that a nurse is always available to see sick students?
94. Will there be dual offices for nurses, one to handle Covid symptoms and another to handle first aid and other health issues?
95. Will parents be required to pick up sick students in a timely manner? Many parents are not available during the day and sick students can spend hours waiting in the nurse’s office.
96. Will school nurses (and anyone that works in that office) be held to a different standard regarding the definition of what is considered being exposed?
97. Does every student who complains of a Covid symptom get sent home? If a classroom teacher thinks the student is “faking” will they still be REQUIRED to err on the side of protecting the other students in the building?
98. The use of nebulizers for administration of asthma medications could aerosolize COVID-19. Will the use of nebulizers be prohibited in the health office? If so, how will asthmatic students receive their 504 accommodations?
99. Some students must visit the health office regularly for medication and some of these students must be escorted due to health concerns (low sugar and the possibility of passing out, for example). Normally a trusted peer/friend is entrusted with this. What will happen when students must social distance in these cases?
100. Who will be responsible for contact tracing? Will school nurses be required to take the contact tracing course?
101. What will be done if a family refuses to share information for contact tracing?
102. How will districts obtain funds to have sufficient nurse staff to implement the actions needed to maintain health and safety of students and staff in school- specifically: creating an isolation room; administering medication (especially nebulizer treatments), giving first aid, checking blood sugars and performing other non-illness related medical services like vision and hearing screenings while maintaining social distance in a 1 room health office?
103. Will the State of VA and/or the VDOE guarantee School Nurses will have access to N95 masks and other needed PPE to ensure health and safety as their job requires them to have an increased risk due to direct physical contact with student/staff & body fluids? Who will be responsible to provide “Fit testing” for N95 mask as required for their use to be effective?
DAILY CLASSROOM ROUTINES
104. Will teachers be required to livestream all classes for students who choose virtual instruction? What supports will be put in place for this? Better cameras and audio? How will the teacher manage both groups?
105. Will we be able to do any group work/peer interaction in the classroom or will it be strictly teacher led instruction with no grouping or pairs?
106. High schools have been linked to significant transmission of COVID, likely due to the large number of students interacting daily. How can we protect students and staff while providing engaging lessons?
107. In normal circumstances a teacher needs to get someone from the office or someone on prep to cover their classroom if they need to use the restroom. What happens if we are in cohorts and are not supposed to mix? Will teachers only be able to use the rest room during lunch?
108. One possible model describes keeping students in cohorts and having teachers switch between rooms. Who will watch the students when staff members need to rotate? How will those teachers switching be kept safe?
109. What will the protocol be for a classroom with no sink and the requirement to monitor bathroom numbers in situations where many students share a single bathroom?
110. Who is building the barriers between the students if there is not enough room to space them 6 feet apart?
111. How will grading work (especially if some students remain at home)? Online assessments vs in-person assessments are entirely different.
112. Will bathrooms have monitors to ensure only X amount of children enter at a time?
113. Since many of the conditions that were present during remote learning which caused students to withdraw, not engage in learning, become depressed, etc. will still be present (lack of socialization, isolation, etc), how will those students who refuse to come to school, or log in for a virtual lesson, be evaluated for grades?
114. Guided reading groups are composed of small groups in the early grades. Will we still be expected to form guided reading groups if small group instruction is discouraged/not permitted?
115. “Social distancing must be practiced in classrooms and on buses. If students can't be seated six feet apart, barriers should be installed between desks or desks should all face one direction” (from “The Road Back”). What does this mean? Who determines if a classroom is safe?
116. What happens to fire drills? Active shooter drills? Evacuation drills? These are done multiple times per month and require close proximity. The guidelines recommend keeping doors locked. Will Covid precautions overrule active shooter precautions?
117. Will we be required to teach remotely if we are sick?
118. What if a teacher or assistant needs to use crisis prevention intervention (CPI) with a student? If a child is in crisis, and needs CPI, but is spitting and biting, how do we protect ourselves?
119. Why are students given an option to not wear a mask? If students are required to wear a mask in retail stores (regardless of social distancing), why are schools different? According to the CDC, if you are well enough to be outside without requiring supplemental oxygen you are medically able to wear a mask.
120. How will my health be protected if students do not have a mask? If a student is not wearing a mask then will the teacher help that student from a 6-foot distance, as otherwise the teacher will be put at risk?
121. When students eat lunch, they need to take off their masks, how do we make this safe?
122. What is the procedure if a student sneezes?
123. How will staff ensure that students do not share food/utensils?
124. How will staff in the younger elementary/special education classes teach reading/sounds to kids when students cannot see the teacher’s mouth or hear correctly with a mask on? Wouldn’t remote instruction be of preference in this scenario?
125. With the state recommending open windows, what about temps outside? And what about those classrooms in proximity to very distracting outdoor environments, like next to recess areas, or after school pickup areas where parents line up 30 minutes before dismissal?
126. If staff have to travel room to room who will sanitize teacher desks and materials in each room between classes? Will time between periods be longer so that staff can gather materials, use the restroom, and get to another room?
127. How do you keep a physical distance from students who need your help throughout the class period?
128. How will we ensure that people are adequately warned that they’ve been exposed?
129. Do one-to-one paraprofessionals have to stay 6 feet from the child they work with?
130. Is there a ratio of adults to children that are allowed to be in the classroom?
131. If there are two teachers in a classroom will that be allowed or would they have to be split into two sessions?
132. What if students are browsing the shelves in the library and we don’t know what they’re touching? How do we disinfect computers in the media centers and computer labs?
133. Are staff personally responsible for enforcing masks/social distancing? How are we legally protected if students -expectedly- have trouble following the new rules in our classroom and become sick?
134. What social/emotional/psychological support and training can be offered to ensure that staff do not allow their own fears of the virus to interfere with being able to offer calm, compassionate discipline in regards to enforcing new procedures?
135. In classrooms where social distancing is impossible, students will sit in single desk rows, wear masks, and have barriers between rows. How do staff get to individual students?
136. What will the protocol be for students who soil their mask (allergy sneezes, vomit, etc). Are they required to bring a backup or will the school provide it?
137. Since students are not allowed to share supplies, who must supply the pencils, glue, etc? If they don’t have the supplies or lose them, is it the teacher’s responsibility to supply them? Do I then become responsible for disinfecting all supplies and surfaces? If I need to disinfect between students, who is supervising them while I do?
138. What about students who cough and sneeze frequently due to allergies or the common cold?
Will teachers be responsible for monitoring masks? Students may need multiple masks per day due to contamination, so who will hand them out?
139. Will staff be required to teach both in-person and remotely at the same time? If yes, will we be given extra prep time for this?
140. What procedures will be put in place to ensure that materials which go back-and-forth between school and home, such as backpacks, coats, notebooks and lunch boxes, have not been exposed?
141. If a student in our class tests positive, will we be told?
142. If students pretend to cough or sneeze on each other or a staff member, how will this be handled at a disciplinary level?
143. Will individual staff be allowed to require that students wear masks in their classroom?
144. If a student tests positive, what does that mean for the rest of the students in the class?
145. If a staff member or student comes down with a fever will they be required to get tested for COVID-19 and provide the school with documentation of the results?
146. Will students be allowed to participate in any type of group work? How will peer or teacher conferences for writing work?
147. Elementary children do not connect with staff well unless they are in close proximity to them. What accommodations will be provided for students, such as larger screen projections of staff for close up work?
148. Will fans and/or AC units be installed in all classrooms to ensure the air is circulating and the room stays at a decent temperature for those who are wearing masks?
149. If students are required to stay in their classroom cohort the entire day and not move from class to class, and all rugs and other furniture are removed to try to accommodate the 6 feet - are we saying that elementary school students will remain seated at desks for 5 hours a day? Despite all that we know about learning and movement?
150. With approximately 400-600 or more students on at a time in some schools, and with a limited number of bathrooms, how are we monitoring usage so that they aren’t overcrowded?
151. How will teachers be expected to conduct reading assessments that are usually 1-on-1 in close proximity to observe reading behaviors? Reading conferences?
NEW STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES
152. Are we cleaning and disinfecting classrooms ourselves?
153. Does taking temperatures become a duty? How do you protect that teacher from exposure to every kid?
154. Can teachers refuse these duties for health reasons?
155. If teachers have extra duties such as temperature checks and regular cleaning, will there be compensation?
156. What protections will be offered for teachers during their duties, such as hall duty (have to touch each bathroom door and smell for vapes/ cigarettes) and lunch duty (where students have no masks on)?
157. What protections will be put into place to ensure that specialists are teaching their discipline, and not being pulled to teach other disciplines that lack appropriate staffing due to limited staff (i.e. gifted teacher subbing for an art teacher or vice versa)? Many schools are sure to be understaffed and with subs already low in numbers.
158. If staff are in class instructing students all day, who is responsible for online instruction for the students whose parents choose to keep them home?
159. Will districts be provided the funds to hire more staff so that there will be enough "manpower" to teach both in-person and remote classes?
160. Remote learning requires immense amounts of preparation and behind-the-scenes work, including rewriting curriculum. Will teachers be compensated for this work - especially if they are doing it simultaneously to providing in person?
161. Will schools be permitted to have content area teachers teach outside their content/certificate area? If so, will teachers have any say in this?
162. Elementary school teachers create lesson plans for all subjects. Elementary specialists create plans for 7 developmental levels and different curricula based on that level. Secondary teachers create lessons plans for multiple preps in their subject area (English I, English II, Algebra 1, Geometry, Precalculus, etc). How do teachers prepare lessons and teach BOTH virtual and in person instruction? Will they be expected to do double the work for the same pay?
163. Districts in Georgia have announced that teachers will do temperature checks when students enter their classroom. Will VA consider this? If so, will teachers be protected from malpractice lawsuits if a student gets sick?
164. Will teachers be compensated for the extra duties required to make school safe or for having to teach both virtually and in
SECONDARY/CONTENT AREA CLASSES
165. How will work study or structured learning experience be handled?
166. What about secondary students who switch classes each day, or elementary specialists who teach 6+ groups per day? If they are asking us to clean every desk, how will we do so in the 3-4 min passing time and properly prepare for our next class?
167. Secondary students cannot stay in cohorts as they have individualized schedules- different levels of math, different foreign languages, different electives. How can we protect students and teachers when they will be exposed to hundreds of students on a daily basis?
168. If group work is being discouraged, will AP labs be eligible for some exemptions from College Board? Will the state approach the College Board about this?
169. How should science labs be handled? I know that I’m not planning on doing them because it would be impossible to social distance and sanitize materials.
170. Specific to hs/ms science classes with labs: for curricula that include labs, are those still required or will districts allow for virtual labs and simulations to replace in-person labs. It's not possible to have lab partners socially distance or face the same direction at all times, and equipment and materials are limited.
171. If we can't conduct science labs while social distancing, and districts eliminate the lab periods from the schedule, will the state require that they be reinstated after the pandemic is under control?
If we need to pivot to virtual labs will the district be providing those resources? There are fewer and fewer free services and most commonly used ones (such as pHet) often still run off Java, which can't run on many devices.
172. How will districts recognize the necessity of lip-reading and interpersonal communication in world language classes, early reading, and music? Wouldn’t these be better lent to remote instruction?
173. Many schools have struggled to deal with students vaping. How will this be handled in addition to mask requirements? Will students vape behind masks?
PRE-K AND K
174. In classrooms where children nap, how often must their cots be sanitized? Who will be responsible for cleaning their cots before and/or after nap time? How will toys in Pre-K classes be cleaned? Who is responsible for cleaning?
175. What will be the protocol for Pre-K and special educators? We provide playtime, reading time, and more. What will be the transition for these types of classes?
176. How can kindergarten teachers help/console incoming kinders who are scared and crying, sometimes clinging to mommy, while maintaining social distancing?
177. When it comes to younger students, our curriculum is play-based and hands-on. How will play-based learning work? (Blocks, games, manipulatives, puzzles, kitchen, puppets, play-doh, cars, etc) Also, who will be required to clean all these? And how often?
178. How will this affect young students when one of the main purposes of early childhood education into learn to share and learn social skills?
EVALUATION AND STANDARDIZED TESTS
179. How will teacher evaluations be handled?
180. How will our curriculum change and who will make the changes? When will the changes be made?
181. How will staff be evaluated on the many standards that require collaboration (professionally and in the classroom)?
182. Will the state modify the professional development hours required in light of travel restrictions and social distancing concerns?
183. Will state tests be suspended or modified to account for the fact that all curriculum was not covered last year, thus requiring teachers to take time this year to "fill in the gaps" before continuing with the regular curriculum for the grade level?
184. Given that the DOE has said schools must be prepared to pivot to remote learning at any time, how will goals be addressed?
185. In many districts there are district level personnel who travel between buildings to conduct observations and training. Will these employees be limited to a single building?
186. Is it possible that for the duration of the pandemic state testing is suspended and the monies school districts allot for testing be diverted to funding district readiness?
187. What symptoms will prevent students or staff from attending school/boarding buses? Will this be uniform across districts?
SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES
188.How will special education classrooms be run? Many of these students will not be able to wear masks or any PPE and their teachers often provide help with bodily functions. Will these situations be considered even more high-risk? Are these teachers given hazard pay?
189. If a staff member’s responsibility is to provide a direct service to a student (i.e. counseling) and a student is not wearing a mask (because it is voluntary for them to do that) can the provider refuse to meet with the student due to concerns of their own safety and well-being? What if the related service is indicated in their IEP? Is the provider then being non-compliant with the IEP?
190. If there is a rotating schedule for students (go in abc ; stay home def)- how do related services provide? Do we continue Teletherapy? What parent would want their child pulled out of the only classroom time they have? Speech OT and more are all online?
191. What about specialists (i.e. ESL, etc.) who pull out of classrooms, how will that be handled? Many times, because of scheduling issues we are forced to pull students from different classes into one group (which can vary from day to day), which goes against the idea of keeping the same students together in cohorts.
192. During class sessions, students often need physical cues or children need to be closer than 6 feet apart. Staff also have to be close to students to read or see their work. How will this be handled? This is especially important for students with IEPs.
193. There are students with IEPs that require teachers to provide seating close to the instructor and other non-socially distant methods of teaching. Will teachers follow this IEP or will those accommodations and modifications be rewritten before September? If we do follow them, how will these educators be protected?
194. Will sign language interpreters be required to wear masks? Facial expressions and mouth morphemes are a big part of ASL; some students rely on lip-reading to support their understanding of sign language.
195. Will all specialists/support staff still push-in? Will they push-in to multiple classrooms?
196. Some special educators have to handle toilet training and other aspects. Is this still expected even though handling bodily fluids is even more high risk?
197. Will staff be able to opt out of physical contact with children? How can we do this while honoring their IEP?
198. How will counselors address the mental health needs of our students in a safe and effective manner while practicing social distancing?
199. What about special education self-contained students who are projected to be mainstreamed for 2-3 periods per day per their IEP in 20-21? It seems that would not be allowed per the guidelines as they would be changing classrooms and exposed to numerous students/teachers. Will the guidelines trump these students’ needs for a least restrictive and appropriate educational setting?
200. What autonomy are teachers given to advocate for their students in special education classes? For example, many students with disabilities need strict routines to flourish, and may express their dysregulation through physicality, such as punching, biting, spitting, etc. How can we protect them and their peers?
SPECIALS AND EXTRACURRICULARS
201. How can students be protected in band classes where wearing a mask prevents playing an instrument?
202. VDOE guidelines have placed strict restrictions on music. Will music educators be given preference in continuing remote instruction so that their students can continue to sing and engage in the activities that are developmentally appropriate and aligned with their curricula?
203. Will we be following guidelines provided by groups like EdTA (International Thespian Organization) for activities like theater and band?
204. How will music/choir classes run in school? We know that singing has been linked to super-spreader cases of Covid. Many students share instruments during the school day, especially in elementary. What guidance will be provided?
205. If students can’t sing or play instruments, will curriculum be re-written to accommodate these changes? When will this happen? Will teachers be penalized on evaluations if they can’t teach the curriculum due to restrictions from Coronavirus?
206. Can students share general music classroom instruments (drums, rhythm sticks, etc)? VDOE strongly recommended NO. If so, will time be provided to disinfect these instruments between classes if these teachers end up on a cart because their classroom has been taken over to accommodate social distancing? Who is providing the disinfecting supplies? Many instruments can’t use regular cleaners.
207. How can students sing in choir when masks and social distancing are required? VDOE says no. Will schools be forced to eliminate choir and choir positions? How can we protect music programs and their ability to resume fully once it is safe?
208. How do art staff meet new core curriculum standards, if we are mobile and students supply their own materials?
209. How will specials teachers be kept safe after a rotation of 100-150 kids daily?
210. What about teaching culinary arts? How can a group of 4-5 students social distance while cooking in small classroom kitchens? How do you make sure that all cooking equipment and cooking utensils are properly sanitized between each student touching them when working as a team?
211. What will Physical Education classes look like? Will state mandates be adjusted?
212. In addition, PE classes are some of the largest in the school and are usually made up of multiple grade levels. If students can’t share equipment what will the class expectations be? If class is held outdoors what happens in bad weather? Will class sizes be implemented as there aren’t any at this time for P.E.?
213. Will libraries in schools be closed, or should we implement a cap on the number of students able to enter at times like lunch and after school? Will we be required to disinfect any books that are returned? The virus can live on books for 72 hours - are we going to be provided ways to clean them or will we be storing them someplace for that time period. We also lend out computers and have computers used by kids constantly during the day. How will those be cleaned?
214. Who will provide the cleaning supplies, training, and complete the actual sanitization in libraries/media centers/makerspaces? If librarians/Media/Tech teachers will be sanitizing will we be provided additional time to complete this since many carry teaching schedules as well?
215. What about Art staff-how do we share supplies? Even if we have to divide up the supplies we will need a bigger budget to ensure each child gets all supplies AND storage for each class/child's materials.
216. What about specialists who teach every child in the school or multiple schools? How can we safely teach hundreds of students each week?
217. Will school districts use evidence from scientific research to be sure music classrooms are safe environments for teachers and students?
218. If the VDOE agrees to allow students to compete in sports, will athletes be mingling with students from other schools? How does this work when we are encouraged to keep students in cohorts that don’t mix? Some schools travel to schools very far from town in order to compete.
219. Art is all about demonstration which often needs to be side by side or within close proximity to the students. How shall we handle this when we can’t be within six feet? Will extra technology recourses be provided to accommodate this?
220. How can we store artwork in between classes without it ever being somewhere another student could possibly touch?
221. Will schools host weekend SAT/ACT tests that are open to any interested student? ACT and the College Board are adding additional dates and pushing districts to open up for these tests despite the difficulty in social distancing and the fact that students sometimes take the tests in districts miles away from their own.
222. Many CTE classes include the use of shared machines and tools. Will students still be permitted to utilize these resources? If so, how will they be cleaned and by whom?
223. Will marching band be able to hold summer rehearsals? Will sports teams be allowed to begin practices in July?
224. How will the fall football season be affected (will there be games and how will it affect busing for away games? Will there be more funding for additional buses if students need to be spread out more on buses?) Will the band be able to participate if games are held?
225. Since students may not be allowed to change into their dance or pe clothes, does this mean lessons need to be altered?
HOMESCHOOLING STUDENTS
226. Who will be responsible for catching students up if they return to school after being homeschooled? How will teacher evaluations be modified to address the gaps that will occur?
Will families be able to move between homeschooling, remote learning, and in-person learning at any time?
227. Will there be additional oversight of homeschooling during this time?
228. Will districts supply families planning to homeschool temporarily (for the year/until there is a treatment plan) with educational requirements?
REMOTE LEARNING
229. As the guidelines make it clear a school may need to return to remote learning at any time, will schools be required to provide prep time to teachers in order to prepare for this? What we did in the spring was crisis schooling cobbled together on the fly. Further remote learning will require training and time to rewrite curriculum and lessons. We did this for MP1. How will we have time to do this for other quarters? Will we be compensated if we have to do this while teaching?
230. Will there be an option for parents to continue remote learning (following the school academics)?
231. What training is being given to parents about how remote, flipped, or blended learning occurs?
232. Why isn't this time better spent learning how to improve virtual learning and giving the teachers the resources they need to create meaningful lessons online?
233. Will staff be provided more training opportunities for how to teach through Google Classroom using Google Docs, Google Quizzes, Google Slides, etc. and will students be provided training on how to access Google Classroom, how to type in a Google Doc, how to submit a Google Doc, how to upload a picture of their work, etc? Could we provide similar opportunities for parents and students?
234. Will the state make sure that each district is receiving enough funding to assure that each student will receive a device in September for online learning and be trained on how to use this device? What about K-2?
235. If a teacher/staff initially opts into in-person learning, are they able to change their mind and work remotely? (not specific to high-risk). Same question for students.
236. Will teachers be required to have remote learning plans available to students at home, as well as prepare in-class lessons? When teachers get home from teaching in my classroom, do we spend the next few hours reviewing the work of my remote learners? Then do it all again the next day, and the next?
237. Will mandatory live instruction be required for students participating in virtual learning?
Will districts compensate teachers working remotely for their internet service? Some teachers had to increase their plans/speeds in order to video conference and keep up with work.
238. What happens if there are power outages or device malfunctions while teaching remotely? Will teachers be penalized for this?
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
239. If the school provides us with PPE will it be within the guidelines of OSHA/CDC or will we be using masks until they fall apart?
240. Disposable masks must be replaced any time they get damp and they should not be removed and then pulled back up (like someone might do to help others hear/understand them). Teachers will likely need to replace their disposable masks multiple times per day. Will teachers have to supply their own masks like they often supply tissues, art supplies, classroom library books, etc?
241. The regulations for daycare indicate that staff should wear their hair pulled back. It also states that staff should wear an oversized shirt during activities that may place them in direct contact with secretions and change them if the secretion comes in contact with the clothing. Are such regulations in place for staff members who work with learners who cannot manage their saliva or other body fluids? Smocks should be considered required PPE and provided when necessary.
242. Will teacher and student dress codes still apply?
243. Will staff who choose to cover their hair for hygienic reasons be allowed to do so? Will students?
244. Will masks be regulated for printing/content as part of the dress code? What happens when a student is wearing an Inappropriate mask?
245. Will all staff and students be provided with the necessary PPE? What about masks for unprepared students?
246. Will we be provided with the necessary cleaning products?
247. Who is going to pay for all the PPE and cleaning supplies?
248. Will face shields be an acceptable face covering for students and staff?
249. Can a teacher who shares a room with other classes/staff require that all individuals who enter the room wear a face covering, even students in other sections/classes?
250. In the case of soiled masks from sneezing, coughing, etc. that may need to be replaced, will biohazard boxes be in each classroom so they can be disposed of properly?
251. Will there be a form for students to complete if they are requesting no mask or if they are exposed and HAVE to stay home for distance learning? Will those documents be reviewed and approved by ONE district doctor to confirm the validity of the student’s health needs?
252. Districts have priced out masks and other PPE and found that it will cost millions of dollars to provide the necessary materials to open buildings. Will PPE take precedence over jobs? How will funds be allocated?
253. Who will supply replacement face shields, regulators, etc?
CLEANING
254. In schools who will be cleaning after multiple lunch periods? Who will clean computer keyboards? Toilets? Door handles?
255. Who will be responsible for cleaning shared materials and supplies like computers?
256. Who will be monitoring the cleaning systems put into place to guarantee it is being done effectively? I have seen letters go out quite a few times about increased sanitizing and cleaning but how do we ensure this really happens? What recourse will we have if it is not actually being done and we are immune-compromised?
257. How do you disinfect a large computer lab between class periods?
258. What if a teacher travels between different classrooms and has no control over the classroom setting from room to room?
259. Many classrooms utilize flexible seating like stools, yoga balls, etc. In some cases, these are used for behavioral reasons or as part of an IEP. Not all of these items can be easily wiped down. What will our responsibility be in these cases?
260. Many cleaning products and hand sanitizers appropriate for the virus contain fragrances that both students and staff may be allergic to. Given the large quantities in competing scents that are likely to be used, will the state institute a fragrance free policy for all substances?
261. If rooms are not being properly cleaned and HVAC system filters not being changed, who do teachers report this to? What if your building administrator or district administrators are not responsive to these concerns? Will there be wide district oversight?
HVAC
262. Will HVAC/air quality specialists be brought into each and every building to assess the air quality and check for proper ventilation? Older schools are prone to air quality issues and Covid-19 is said to spread in poorly ventilated areas.
263. Will HVAC/air quality reports be shared with parents and staff?
264. Are filters being changed in HVAC systems at the appropriate times?
265. Regarding ventilation: Will filters in ventilation systems be upgraded to the most advanced type for filtering particles? Will UV filters be installed in HVAC systems? How can staff be assured that maximum air exchange is occurring between outdoor and indoor air?
SOCIAL DISTANCING
266. How will lunches be served while maintaining social distancing, including for the cafeteria staff?
267. How will students at the secondary level move through hallways?
268. How will the suggested staggered schedules work in middle and high school? Many classes include multiple grade levels so released classes at different times will make it impossible for instructors to teach without distractions.
269. How will schools implement social distancing with specials? Is it possible to keep specials on remote because of large class sizes and have the smaller classes go back? How will teachers be protected from hundreds of student contacts per week?
270. Will there be additional teacher/staff lounges available so that adults can also be distanced while eating?
271. How will events like Back to School Night and parent-teacher conferences be handled?
If students eat lunch in classrooms for social distancing purposes how will food allergies be handled?
TRAVEL
272. Will students/families have to tell school personnel if they/members of their household have traveled to Covid hotspots?
273. Will staff be permitted to travel? Will they have to inform the district if they plan to travel?
274. Will there be a way to monitor if families are quarantining vs. traveling/vacationing? There were families who vacationed during remote learning.
HIGH TOUCH SURFACES
275. Will we be required to bring work home to grade even if it could be contaminated?
276. Most teachers have to grade at home because there isn’t enough time in the day to complete it in school within the time frame outlined by many administrators. Will parents, students, and administrators be informed that teachers will not be grading hard copies as quickly in order to allow papers to be quarantined?
277. Will teachers be required to collect and grade papers even if they might carry Covid? It makes more sense to collect as much work digitally as possible.
278. Who is responsible for cleaning high touch surfaces in classrooms? This would include door handles, desks, chairs, supplies, manipulatives, calculators, computers, computer carts, tissue boxes, pump hand sanitizers, pencil sharpeners, instruments, etc.
279. Will staff lunch rooms be cleaned during the school day?
280. Will school/classroom phones be cleaned regularly? Will teachers be responsible for cleaning them?
281. Will water fountains not be permitted for use except for bottle filling?

I'm confused. Why did you, from Mission Park, copy and paste hundreds and hundreds of questions from this Facebook page Web Link that seems to relate to questions regarding the State of Virginia?

Example it says - Is the state of VA reopening their schools for the right reasons?

All of these questions relate to the state of VA? Why post these cut and paste questions that relate to VA rather than California, and seem to have no relation to the local school district?

It was with sarcasm that I said "no right-minded parent would care about a teacher's life when weighed against their child's education."

The PUSD staff and teachers are are such hypocrites. We see our local teachers and their kids at parties, restaurants, get together, protests, football practice, sports practice, dance class, camps, and putting their kids in our local public daycare and preschool. I guess THOSE Other teachers and kids are dispensable, but PUSD teachers can’t “risk” doing the job they were hired to do....and if a teacher really didn’t want to go do the job in a PUSD classroom they could have signed up to teach online Flex and allow PUSD to hire newly credentialed teachers to teach in the classroom and work in the highest paid district in California.

@PTOWN Parent

How about when you wrote "Sad. Let's not close schools - because only up to 2% will die" ?

Was that 2% figure sarcasm, too? Hope so. You know that the overall mortality rate of coronavirus is nowhere near 2% as initially reported, right? Multiple recent studies have estimated the overall mortality rate of coronavirus at about 0.35%.

The Spanish Flu of 1918 has a mortality rate of 2%, and it's pretty obvious to everyone that coronavirus is no Spanish Flu.

Joe,
I hope the best practices will be standardized through out PUSD because my child's elementary teacher chose to go on vaca last year. We had 2, 30 minute zooms a week with ZERO instruction.

After the PUSD spring break week, a time to get some things organized for the final stretch, there was no improvements what so ever.

Crossing my fingers this isn't a total loss of a year and a half of professional education for my kid.

In response to BoBb's question about Computer Science (Advanced Placement), Edgenuity does not have an A-G approved AP Computer Science A course (here is the list Web Link ).

You could fill out a dual enrollment form for CS 31 at Las Positas College which is the equivalent course (AP exam grants credit for CS 31). Another option is Scout from University of California.

Good luck getting a class at West Las Positas, they are impacted even online, and high school kids have lowest priority ....since we SHOULD be able to get these classes from our “World Class School District”...NOT!

Bill- nothing will change as long as the teachers union calls the shots and keeps allowing inept tenured teachers to keep their job. Why go back to an actual classroom when the teachers only need to work an hour a day when there is no risk of losing your job?

Bill- nothing will change as long as the teachers union calls the shots and keeps allowing inept tenured teachers to keep their job Why go back to an actual classroom when the teachers only need to work an hour a day when there is no risk of losing your job?

"Integrity, Leadership, Responsibility..." Why post all those inspirational words on the sides of our schools if PUSD can't even live up to their own obligations. What a horrible example you've made for our students. You pitch this traditional set of values and when the going gets tough you crumble and take the easy way out after 85% of the community supports you. Yes there will be risk (wont have to look far for the numbers on this thread), but the biggest lesson here is that true leadership takes courage.

I hear Dublin is looking for a Superintendent and people to fill their board. Please apply.

The Dublin USD acting superintendent just posted a video message this evening that DUSD is opening in full virtual mode in August. He said a staff member or student losing their life because of this virus is not a risk he would be willing to take. The video is here Web Link

Joe -

I only used my experience as an example of someone who had to accept change and make changes to myself to meet the new challenges.

Whether it's in the business world or the educational world, the ability to change your paradigm and the approach to your job is the same. Willingness to change is key.

PUSD and teachers need to change to provide the education students need and deserve, given remote learning is becoming vital in today's world.

I have taught classes as part of my job - both in person and online. Both can be done effectively if the teacher develops the skills to teach in both environments. You can interact with students in both environments - you just need to be willing to learn the skills needed in each environment. You can learn how to "read" students in both environments - you just need to do it differently.

PUSD and teachers can certainly continue to ignore the new reality, but it will be at their own risk of becoming obsolete.

Parents will only accept a poor educational experience for their kids for only a short time.

PUSD has failed the community multiple times.

- They failed to listen to feedback for the last bond measure, could have passed but the district wanted to control the terms instead of listening to community feedback and adjusting the bond language for the purposes of accountability and specificity.

- They failed by taking administration raises while claiming a funding deficit that would impact teaching staff as a result of corona virus.

- They failed by not coming up with a structured remote learning platform for the 20-21 school year, throwing 100% of the burden to the teachers to "figure it out" and left parents with no remote classroom structure to plan around. I'll forgive the end of last years school year, but they had all summer to figure it out.

- They failed the community by providing options that had overwhelming support for in class learning, and then decided not to do it. Not because of the state, not because of the county. Haglund.

- They are failing forward by making parents the teachers, and if teachers felt underappreciated before, the blowback this year is going to be untenable as the district has failed to set expectations with parents on what a school day and work load and online vs independent % of study looks like.

The above are facts. The following is my opinion - PUSD is in a unprecedented situation and deserves some degrees of latitude in figuring it out. They need to prioritize safe operating protocols (I think everyone universally agrees) but that focus should be on we're going to return to school (as an option) and here's how we're going to do it safely. Not - "we can't do it". I don't blame the teachers, I don't blame the county or state (at this point). I blame the district leadership for not leading the way, they had the community support via survey results.....and in all honesty, even if the pivot was state/county mandated I'd even be more supportive if I thought the remote learning was cutting edge compared to other districts or schools.....but its not. Its abandonment.

@Wombat,

The current best numbers for IFR for covid-19 are more like 0.6%. On top of that, no one has immunity which is unlike the flu where some people have immunity. People need to take this seriously. We don't need people running around downplaying the seriousness of this.

Just as we are "re-imagining" policing, perhaps it's time to "re-imagine" schooling. If it's going to be on-line, we should have THE BEST teachers giving the presentations to all the schools in the district. Have the BEST teachers instruct in math and science, students who need extra help could have one on one sessions. Use resources such as videos for classes like History and social science. Let's face it, kids would prefer to watch a movie on history than listen to a boring teacher drone on. Layoff the ones who are not effective in on-line instruction. Think of all the $$$ we could save. Either tax refunds to all or issue checks to parents who have to use daycare or other while they work.

“- They failed by not coming up with a structured remote learning platform for the 20-21 school year, throwing 100% of the burden to the teachers to "figure it out" and left parents with no remote classroom structure to plan around.”

Are you watching board meetings and reading through the presentations thoroughly? Instruction will be scheduled, there will be professional development for teachers that many of the specialists at the DO have been working on all summer (which by the way is not over so relax), and many of us teachers are piloting various online platforms over the summer to make an INFORMED decision and not just rush into the education we provide. I realize people are anxious to specific answers rightthissecond but as an educator who loves my job and cares for my students, I am glad the DO is taking time to plan and be thorough and think through everything. Dublin and San Ramon rushed to make decisions and then had to backtrack anyway, but this district has educators and administrators meeting regularly and discussing every little detail you can imagine. I know it’s scary and unknown but give us a chance to do this right. And be patient with your teachers at the beginning of the school year, we are learning too, and it’s like we’re all starting from scratch as first year teachers again. We will have to make adjustments as we go, and if you trusted us literally with their lives when you sent them to campus everyday, then trust us to give your kids the best education we can safely provide in these insane times.

@ WinkyDink,

Absolutely agree the education system can be completely overhauled from this. Every kid could and is now able to get the best teachers in the district and maybe even in all Alameda county. Think of the downtrodden schools and students in bad districts this could help.

Hell, even the prestigious Ivy League schools could easily offer the best teachers in the country to anyone with an internet connection, but sadly I'll probably never see this in my lifetime...hypocrites

To everyone condemning the teachers,

You are entitled to your concerns, grievances, and feelings of great disappointment, however, they are misdirected when aimed at those educating your children.

The pandemic has roused surges of anxiety and unprecedented levels of uncertainty, and I offer my most sincere sympathies to those struggling to cope with such stresses. That said, kindly leave the teachers out of aim when firing off at the mouth. A good rant makes for an excellent release, Lord knows I indulge in one all too often, but disparaging the teachers in your attempt to come to terms with the current, though certainly not permanent, state of the world is not only unjustified, but simply uncalled for and incredibly immmature and hurtful.

I'm not a teacher, only a former student, nonetheless, after scrolling through multitudes of groundless insults, it felt like a punch to the gut, and if you genuinely stand by these claims, you are not only out of touch, but out of line, and I suggest taking some time to count your blessings. Mock, sneer, and jeer all you'd like, Pleasanton instructors make up some of the best in the nation. Don't believe me? Let's readdress that word "unprecedented", prior mentioned to describe the pandemic, but in another context.

Unpredecented are the Pleasanton AP pass rates in comparison to the rest of the nation. Unprecedented are the number of Pleasanton students admitted into Ivies and other prestigious universities in comparison to the rest of the nation. (Two sources of great "pride" and "honor" for far too many of you, something to relish in and share with deaf ears who don't give a damn where your kid goes to school - unless, God forbid, they end up at some lowly middle-tier university, or worse, a community college.) And, finally, unprecedented is the limitless love and devotion of Pleasanton teachers to their students, despite angry attacks from members of online mobs, some of whom don't even know their own kid as well as the teacher. Too often do we take these anomalies which we are so accustomed to for granted.

Will this school year be different? Absolutely. Will it be ideal? Certainly not. But these are not ideal times, and though great uncertainty lies ahead, in time it will pass. Until then, place faith in Pleasanton teachers, that they will rise to the challenge and do everything in their power to provide the best curriculum they can in the worst of times. I am confident that they will and not only because it's their job, nor because they owe it to the ungrateful and disgruntled, but because they'll do whatever they must to foster student success, just as they did before the pandemic and as they will continue to do long after it passes.

Teacher -
It has been stated in every townhall there is no “virtual” class schedule. Teachers are free to create their content, schedules, etc. there isn’t a virtual structured day / lesson parents can plan around. Or some teachers can submit a hw packet and checkin later in the week and others can have specific scheduled lectures, but there is no administrative structure around the virtual school day.
Now if that’s changed, that’s new news.

Pleasanton Parent, there was a bill adopted call SB 98 that you can take a look at.

Many, including our family, experienced teachers that went AWOL last Spring. One of my child's teachers in the course of Mar 16 to end of May sent exactly 3 emails....that's it.

With SB 98, in place of the funding model based on ADA, there is supposed to be some sort of time tracking system that means in order for schools to get funding, it needs to track how much educational time a student is actually receiving. How this translates into specific ways teaching time will be tracked is something I don't know.

To get details on what that is, you could email the Board for specifics. Spring remote learning was a disaster for many students. These sporadic "check ins," if they occurred at all, was not actual education delivery.

Pleasanton Parent, if you go to the most recent board meeting agenda, go to item 6 attachment B for the various schedules planned, and some specifics such as minutes per day and the fact that teachers must interact with students virtually for a certain amount of minutes per day. The next steps slide shows they are still working on specific bell schedules (probably for secondary as the elementary schedule seems nearly complete). I believe the presentation to be very thorough and addresses many concerns that all of us (parents, students, and teachers) had based on what happened in the Spring, and the timeline for what the district is still working on is pretty clear. Keep in mind that when the district is writing these schedules they have to take cues from the state who have been releasing information very recently about expectations for remote learning and minutes and all that so we all need to be a little flexible and patient right now until final decisions are made across the various levels of leadership involved. Trust me, I’m dying to jump in and get started on planning specifics as well so I’m not planning at the last minute and looking unprepared in front of my students (you wouldn’t believe the first day of school nightmares us teachers have!).

Also Pleasanton Parent, in regards to the parent survey vs governmental action in the opening of schools, I believe that the governor today will announce that schools in all counties in the Watch list will be prohibited from reopening schools for in person instruction.

Alameda County is on the watch list so even if 100% of the parents surveyed wanted classroom learning to occur, the fact that Alameda County is on the watchlist will make all surveys null and void. Even if Boards have allowed the school to re-open in person only, I doubt they will be able to if it is within a watch list county.

I suspect all watch list counties will have to open schools with remote learning only due to what the governor plans to do today.

At my kids elementary school multiple and I mean multiple teachers just sit around with their Venti Starbucks in the morning gossiping, talking about their mani/pedi's in the playground before school starts paying almost no attention to the kids. After the bell rings they go to their classroom full of aides or student teachers who end up teaching. COVID comes around and now they actually have to do work. My kids teacher spent no more than 1 hour a day with her students... no emails, no direct check in's... just the bare minimum.

I am the head coach of a college sport as a profession at a public university and I see this at the college level too with professors... They are better with the online piece, but won't do much beyond the minimum.

I also see a lot of young students who WANT to teach and former athletes of mine who CANNOT get a teaching job because some lazy tenured teacher won't retire and can't get fired. Too bad we can't let those who want to teach, teach.

Do I expect any of this to change? No. Remember the saying "THOSE WHO CAN, CAN. THOSE WHO CAN'T, TEACH".

We really need a school voucher system so those homeowners who want to send their kids to more in person education can do so without being strong armed to pay for schools twice if they want any kind of alternative

If the public schools are so good there should be no problem with people beating down the door to try to get in.

@Coach
Are you participating in the conversations of teachers before school? If not, how do you know what they are discussing? Perhaps they are talking about lesson plans or discussing an issue that came up between students in their classes. What makes you think they are “gossiping” and talking about their “mani-pedis”?

What school are your children at that has a classroom “full of aides or student teachers who end up teaching”? In all the years I’ve volunteered in my child’s classes, there was only one aid who was assigned to work specifically with one student in the class. Please provide us with specifics of your experiences in elementary school classrooms.

Your post was angry, hostile, and misogynistic and offered nothing in the way of constructive criticism or finding solutions to problems. I hope my child never comes within fifty feet of a “coach” like you.

I cannot believe all the complaining about online schooling. You complainers write as if the teacher’s are making the decisions. They are not. Also, pretty confident that by the time August comes around it will be very hard to find a county with in person schooling. Stop blaming PUSD. This is a pandemic that needs to be ended. Also- school is not daycare.

Gavin just bailed school districts out with his new state guidelines. How can Pleasanton get out of Alameda County. now ?

If you need legal help: ACLJ.org/ help -is a No Cost, Non profit, Legal Organization with the Priority of making sure California Kids are Educated properly and Putting Students First! They are accepting All Legal Inquiries...from Working Parents to Rights Accommodations. What’s happened in PUSD, where students education and needs are last, is appalling.

Legalhelp
READ THE ROOM!

@ryan, first we have to teach kids to read.

A scientific study:

“Nordic study suggests open schools did not measurably affect spread of virus” -SF Gate, 7/20/20

“Scientists in a Nordic study have found that keeping primary schools open during the coronavirus pandemic may not have had much bearing on contagion rates. There was no measurable difference in the number of coronavirus cases among children in Sweden, where schools were left open, compared with neighboring Finland, where schools were shut, according to the findings.“

“Indicative data show there is no difference in the overall incidence of the laboratory-confirmed covid-19 cases in children aged 1 to 19 years in the two countries; contact tracings in primary schools in Finland found hardly any evidence of children infecting others, according to the working paper by the Public Health Agency of Sweden and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. What's more, there's no increased risk for teachers, according to a Swedish comparison of cases among day care and primary school staff, compared with risk levels in other professions.”

SF Gate: Web Link
- - - -

I strongly APPROVE of this decision. I have two grandchildren in this district and I know teachers who teach here. The convenience/inconvenience of this decision should not influence the decision, nor should the cost. This is a requirement of common sense and adult responsibility. It is up to us to make this work the best we can.

Has there been any follow up on property tax refunds as a result of this decision?

Schoolsout,
Yes... go check your mailbox.

@Wombat,

A brand new study shows middle school and high school kids spread covid-19 as effectively as adults.

Web Link

Also note that Sweden kept high schools closed.

@Bobb, proactive school districts have students AND adult teachers wear masks, and they use plexiglass for further protection. Teachers and students are at risk everywhere, but less so at proactive schools in a community with only 160 cases and recoveries in 6 months out of 84,000 residents. Teachers are more than welcome to resign if they refuse to do the job they were hired to do with the proactive, proven protections in place. These protections are more than the stores and restaurants we see them frequently at in this community.

BobB - “can’t do it”

No fwd thinking, no solutions, just barriers on barriers.

@PP,

Wear a mask. Keep middle schools and high schools closed at least until we are off the watch list.

It’s funny my kids are not allowed in a classroom for a shortened day with a smaller class but they can be at Kids Club (district run childcare) for 9 hrs a day. It’s weird the same people telling me it’s too unsafe to educate my kids are also telling me it’s ok to have them “watched” all day long in a classroom with district employees?!?!?! Does this logic make sense to anyone?

@PP,

And I'll repeat. No, I don't respect your decision to not wear a mask. It is because of people with that attitude that things have gotten this bad.

Interesting as well - just at the Bernal Sports Park. Large groups of kids exercising, no social distancing, many without masks, or if they have a mask they keep it on their wrist rather than face (what's up with that thought process).

This looked to be a city organized activity - great for the kids I guess - not so good when a large group runs by you on the sidewalk without a mask and without bothering to social distance.

My conclusing based on my limited smaple side - kids won't follow the mask rules, teachers will be forced to be the mask police and teachers will be put in danger if they have a group of these lids in a classroom with them.

Concerned Parent - how many students are in the kids club? There were around 750 students at Walnut Grove last year, are there 750 students in your kids club? Smaller classes means more teachers and more rooms. I don't think any schools have a spare room and teacher for all these extra classes.

Just because you can see with your eyes a small group of individuals in a kids club, try and extrapolate that over 9 elementary schools, 3 middle and 2 high schools - more than two thousand students just at each high school site. Do a little math and think about the logistics.

Wombat - It might have been ok for Norway (where, I imagine, the general population might care a little more for their fellow man than here). From the article: "But some countries have had dangerous outcomes when reopening schools, albeit for older children. In Israel, bringing students back to the classroom accelerated the spread of covid-19 among middle and high school students."

Joyce,

That agrees with the results of the study I posted. Middle school and high school students readily transmit the virus even with mitigation in place.

Middle schools and high schools need to be distance learning only at this point.

Also, read the data about what is happening at summer camps across the country. Going through young children like wildfire.

Most of us are facing the same obstacles right now including some of the teachers. Let’s not forget that some of the teachers have small children as well. Now is not the time to complain. Let’s support our children and their teachers the best we can moving forward. A certain board member recently stated “we need to bring our A game this time” and I couldn’t agree more. No pass or fail this time around because the election is not that far away.

#opencaschools

Legal action being taken

Pleasanton Parent,
Who can you possibly take legal action against?

Seriously, does anyone work who keeps posting on this page. I envision several commenters sitting on their computer, hitting refresh over and over until another post appears.

Sam , as this is ca, literally anyone.

Joking aside you could argue a lawsuit at the district level for not petitioning the county health director for an exception if the district could qualify and then at the county level if they denied.

This lawsuit however is at newsom as it’s his order.

I have heard good feedback from parents of the high school I attended as a kid. In Spring, they did remote learning, but each teacher taught their regular class via Zoom during the usual class period. Parents and kids seemed happy. The problem my kids had in Spring in PUSD was that many of their teachers combined classes and they were expected to be at 3 places at once. That was for the classes where the teachers did live classes. Some didn’t do any. Why not just schedule classes as usual via zoom? Obviously lessons will be repeated, but that’s the case live too.