VISTA — Difficult decisions are still ahead, but the Vista Unified School District approved a roadmap to manage several scenarios regarding re-opening schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the Board of Education passed the recommendations for in-person schooling and potential alternatives such as distance and virtual models, a dozen teachers spoke in opposition to in-person learning during a special meeting on July 9.
Still, the district approved what Nicole Allard, interim executive director of innovation and education excellence, said the plans approved are a “wireframe” and staff will finalize the learning models to present to the board at its July 23 meeting. School starts Aug. 19.
“I’m confident we will face this threat as a community,” said Superintendent Matt Doyle. “We have a duty to provide safety to all students, teachers and staff. This plan is not complete and is the first iteration. Our best plan of action is to be flexible and nimble in our line of thinking. Our on-campus and virtual model allows us to pivot.”
On July 13, though, Gov. Gavin Newsom shut down a number of businesses because of a rise in COVID-19 cases, and the Los Angeles and San Diego unified school districts announced they will begin the 2020-21 school year through distance learning models.
Vista, though, will not make a decision until its July 23 meeting, Christina Lupola, executive assistant to Superintendent Matt Doyle, confirmed.
Meanwhile, Craig Wiblemo, executive director of student support services, said the county has hit several triggers over the past three weeks causing businesses to close after re-opening in May and June. One trigger is an infection rate of more than 100 cases per 100,000 residents; and the latest data from the county shows 136 cases per 100,000 residents.
Also, there had been 24 community outbreaks the week leading into the meeting. Seven outbreaks are another trigger. He said testing sites at capacity and a 10-day wait with a 6% of tests positive and double than less than one month ago.
“We got to make sure we plan for students with special needs,” Wiblemo said. “All staff should use face coverings and students should be encouraged to wear face coverings.”
The teachers’ concerns center on the significant rise in coronavirus cases over the past several weeks. All said with the rise in cases, combined with special education students, vulnerable adults, cleaning logistics between classes, is too great to overcome.
Bill Faust, a 25-year employee at VUSD, suggested a simulated day so the district and schools can assess the logistics. He also said budget concerns, which board President Rosemary Smithfield later stressed, will also impact the district.
Several times Smithfield called on those watching the livestream to reach out to their state representatives and apply pressure for those elected officials to lobby for more funds.
“I want to be back in the classroom, and I want my children to go back to school,” teacher Sam Stavis said. “It’s not safe enough to go back without protection. It seems our community has lost common sense. If a kid gets coronavirus, will their family sue the district?”
Doyle said the district must be flexible and nimble to address the concerns with the pandemic.
Allard also reported the results of a survey in May, which had 3,351 students respond. The results showed 62% of students wanted to return to campus and 38% in a virtual or hybrid model. From the 38%, 18% asked for a fully virtual model.
Also, the district will conduct a new survey, and those results will be presented to the board on July 23, Allard said.
She added the district is prepackaging food and noted how VUSD distributed 10,000+ devices with 98%-99% connectivity after the emergency orders came down in March.
She also said the district is keeping a close watch on Senate Bill 98 directs districts to bring back students to campus in person “to the greatest extent possible.”
