The Mount Diablo Unified School District board is scheduled to discuss a proposal to enact a “limited hybrid” partial return to in-person classroom learning, beginning as soon as Jan. 11.
The reopening plan set to be discussed will have to “balance the physical safety of our students and employees with the academic, social and emotional health of our students,” according to a brief report accompanying the agenda for Monday night’s meeting. The plan would have to meet guidelines set by Contra Costa Health Services and by the California Department of Public Health
Before that can happen, that school district report says, updated agreements with school district labor groups, most notably its teachers, have to be reached. Teachers have not reached agreements on how, or when, they will return to in-person classroom learning for this “Phase 2 Limited-Hybrid Learning Model.”
District Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark recommends the board authorize limited hybrid, staggered in-person learning; allowable student contact and on-site participation for school activities, whether or not a full, in-person return to instruction happens in January; and authorize family choice between the limited hybrid model and full-year distance learning programs.
Tonight’s board meeting starts at 6 p.m.; it’s virtual, and can be viewed by going to https://mdusd-ca.schoolloop.com/boardmeetings
49 comments
dems answer to unrest by Americans…
through out some buzz words to confuse them
What “buzzword” in particular are you finding confusing?
Jan 11th … what is another 10 weeks of distance learning. SMH What is another 10 weeks of mental anguish to our children to this board ….
They still need to negotiate with unions, teachers … really? What have they been doing since March? It takes that long to negotiate an agreement? Could it have to do with the fact one party may want ‘amendments’ to their contract because they are not in it for teaching our youth?
The Superintendent is recommending a staggered approach … so he is a scientist now or a medical professional? Wow … great to know! *dripping with sarcasm* if you could not tell.
you forgot to subtract the 3 weeks off for thanksgiving and christmas…
7 weeks????
I couldn’t agree more. This entire time they should have been making schools social distancing compliant and ready for a return. They should have been negotiating with unions and preparing for a return to school. Now, since Oct 13th the District has been approved to return children to classrooms but our children suffer since MDUSD had no plan, has been doing absolutely NOTHING for nearly 8 months to prepare for a return and now need to still negotiate with Unions. Incredible how UN-student focused this School District is. It’s disgusting. Find a new crop of Teachers who WANT to Teach our children. They are out there. Get the kids back to school NOW.
Since the teachers are on their 3rd year without a contract because the district would not meet in good faith or vote when they had a chance, I would say it does clearly take at least that long.
@ Member
So the teachers union has taught without a contract for three years, so now they are holding our kids hostage over COVID to get there contract? Great … so distance learning for my kids entire high school is what I should expect … MDUSD will continue to fail. It was once a proud school district … once …..
Teachers ratified a contract almost 3 years late, we are under contract
end the imprisonment of our children and their futures!
time to start up school again, send the kids back to class, let the teachers who believe in the importance of education over politics teach them, hire others to fill in, to heck with the union and the politicians who are beholden to them
Finding people who want to be teachers has been challenging. What is your plan to incentivize new teachers to get certified to replace the ones who won’t risk their health on a dangerous experiment?
@Chuq Unfortunately, some people think anybody can be a teacher.
“Dangerous experiment.” Sigh. Do a little research.
Every public school in the area and most throughout that nation are doing a staggered approach.
Unions can’t negotiate until we know what schools will look like.
As for your ignorance about why we teach, we don’t do it for the $$. We do it for our students.
Don’t just complain, run for school board.
You do realize all teacher salaries are public record. I have 3 friends that are teachers, they make between 107,000 to 125,000, before pension, health are and benefits.
So try and be a little honest! Again all data fir every teacher is public record.
“…we don’t do it for the $$.”
Then quit complaining about the low pay….
@MDUSD Parent/Teacher, I’m sure grateful that doctor, nurses, and other healthcare workers – whether they are members of a union or not – have not taken your approach. Patients would have been left out in the cold. .
Every PUBLIC school is doing a staggered approach … what is different about the private schools .. o yeah, they do not have to deal with the teachers union .. Wonder if that is the major difference?
You could argue private schools are smaller .. fine, let the public schools open one by one. I would help my local public schools out if they did that, o wait, I am down at them regularly helping.
SmileWC Excellent point.
@MDUSD Parent/Teacher
Wow…you’re just like President Trump. He’s not doing it for the money, either. Are you donating your salary as well?
Oh please, stop with the “we don’t do it for the money” bs. You act like you’re a volunteer. Admit it, teachers do it for the time off. 4 + weeks vacation during the school year and 9 weeks off for the summer.
Running for the school board will have no impact as any candidate that doesn’t tow the union line would never win and you know it. So making that point is a farce and you know that as well!
Districts have had since last March to prepare for “what schools will look like.” Every day, essential workers go back to work. So should schools, they are an essential service. Your approach is pure union fallacy.
It’s amazing how little some of you care about your kids and educators alike. Distance learning isn’t ideal but you’d rather risk lives than have your kids learn via a computer connection.
Dang, all you little trolls went off the rails a bit.
@Never Enough I make $90,000 before benefits. I have 2 degrees and I have been teaching for 20 years.
@ZZ I work 7-5 at least Monday- Friday. Saturday and Sunday I put in a few hours as well. Summer I do 2-3 weeks of professional development where I do not get paid for. I attend meetings for about two weeks during summer for no pay. So that 9 week crap, is a misinformed falsehood, but you keep on believing it there guy.
@SmileWC I’ve had 5 students stay with my family because their biological parents could not take care of them. 3 have lived with us during covid because their families lost their jobs. So no need to talk to me about sacrifice there skippy.
@parent private schools are at more of the whim to their parents because they pay $$. Also, 3 local private schools in the county that have opened have had covid, and a family member died from the infection, but reporting is not mandatory, so there is that.
@S I never complained about the low pay.
@SB my union is weak. I pulled out of it years ago. We aren’t back in school because it isn’t safe to do so, nor is it responsible.
@cyn My family buys food and clothes for our students. We have housed several students over the years.So don’t talk to me about sacrifice for my students and their families.
@BDML the teachers union is weak. Look at the last contract we signed. So you are pretty clueless there guy.
Did I get all you trolls? If not, post again.
But all you that I got, don’t waste my life with your crap.
It’s the union and the district. Both have been sitting in a staring match for seven months without even laying the groundwork for reopening, apparently. Pathetic, and the opposite of “for the students.”
You should educate yourself about the safety of schools. Repeated studies show minimal risks; the risk of mental health issues is far worse. The Infectious Diseases Society of America just briefed this issue and found no basis to conclude schools are dangerous. But please, keep spreading the ridiculous fallacy and keep harming your students’ future.
I’m sure by the time everything is sorted out our numbers will increase with the upcoming holidays and projected protests after the election….and we’ll be back in the purple unable to reopen. SMH,….so sad for the students
Exactly – they should have started in July to get a half-year in before flu season. They’ll finally be “ready” and then levels won’t be low enough. This is all a song and dance show to keep kids in Zoomville until a vaccine arrives.
I’m sorry.. You’re telling my student is stuck at home with distance learning because the teachers are calling the shots? The number’s for Covid will go up no matter when everything re-opens. All we are doing now, is limiting our immune system exposure for everything, causing people more mental anguish than necessary, injustice to students for not getting a proper education…. On campus teaching should be essential. Teachers wear a mask and keep sanitizer at your desk so out children aren’t; affected even more so in years to come. Private schools have opened because they see the need. And our kids suffer cause the teachers aren’t being forced to go back to a class room. Go figure.
If it is OK for grocery workers, restaurant workers, hospital workers, and transportation workers to work during this pandemic, why can’t our teachers?
The teachers need to get back to work and teach. If you are so concerned about these children and their education, then do it. GET BACK TO WORK!
If not, find a job in another field and we will find others willing to do yours.
Re: negotiations with Teacher Unions…pay them if they work. Otherwise, consider their action a constructive-resignation. The best way to get someone’s attention is to NOT give them money.
well at least this article did say its the unions making the decisions
finally we are being introduced to the actual people running the dem politicians and our lives …..
welcome to union controlled state
i would be sad for the dem politicians but they are being paid off with our tax money …..soooo yeah
not sad but highly disappointed that anyone being corrupt would take tax money as their bribe ….
i wonder who bribes the wiener of the dem party
or better yet de laslacker
these guys do nothing but stir the pot …thats about it ….
It has been sixteen days since anyone in CCC has died of covid. In total in the county 262 people have died of covid.
This was in the Mercury news in March this year.
Between 2,000 and 14,000 people could die this year from COVID-19 in Contra Costa, health official warns.
I have a student in the Acalanes Union High School District. Hybrid model is worse than online because it’s basically coming in to take a test and not receive any instruction. AUHSD is totally unprepared. There won’t be any real schooling around here until 2021. The teachers union and the administration are unable to find a way to work, even though they are as essential to anyone. It’s a joke and a crock, and the online education is terrible. Many kids’ grades are down, many are suffering from mental illnesses due to being isolated so long. It’s a disaster perpetrated on kids, by adults who should know better and have had months to prepare. Lost faith in all of them.
Best of luck to you and your fellow students. I hope sanity prevails soon for all of our sake.
I don’t think the hybrid would work either academically .. but does it help with the mental aspects?
I am SOO glad my kids are done w K-12 and feel really sorry for those going through this as your kids fall further behind every day w this COMPLETE lack of teaching via distant learning.
Why is it that cashiers, hotel and restaurant workers can go in enclosed spaces as well as PRIVATE schools, but not the public schools. In addition, jury duty is back…that’s a roomful of actual vulnerable people, yet teachers aren’t safe??? Really??? If a teacher or someone in their household has a particular underlying health condition, let them teach remote, otherwise, please return to the classroom.
Because in the grocery store, everybody wears a mask. Because in the grocery store, people come, stay 10 min and then leave. Because in the gricery store there is good ventilation. Because in the grocery store, people can keep 6 feet apart. Because in the grocery store, the cashier does not need to supervise closely 5 groups of 37 students who are doing or not what they are supposed to do, while also talking and explaining the lessons for 5 hours in a row with a mask on their face.
@Omega,
You forgot the part where a teacher comes into close contact with far fewer people than the cashiers in a grocery store. Hundreds every day, not to mention their co-workers. And ask any grocery store worker whether it’s true that “everyone wears a mask.” lol
More important: You also forgot all the evidence that schools aren’t particularly risky for Covid spread, at least for young kids. Where are all the teacher casualties from in-person teaching? (You can find articles from September listing single-digit deaths among teachers since school reopening, but almost without exception they contracted the virus somewhere else, or before kids even came back to school.) It’s been happening for a couple of months now, in wide swaths of the country.
All these impossible things you list about teaching during the pandemic are actually being done by teachers in many many places. And teachers here, right here in Claycord – just not public school teachers.
They’re having a virtual meeting to discuss in-classroom learning? Something’s wrong with this picture.
Maybe MDUSD shouldn’t be lead by a president (Brian Lawrence) who regularly bashes Trump and right-wingers on his twitter feed while sucking up to leftists and hiring a Superintendent who failed in Vallejo.
The biggest high school in Vallejo is Jesse M. Bethel High School is rated a 3/10 on Greatschools.org
I encourage you to do research on Dr. Adam Clark, parents!
Thankfully Mr. Lawrence is out after this year, but we need positive change and quickly!
Its irresponsible to put kids back in school with a COVID surge across the country and an eminent surge to come in California. We are all making sacrifices this year, including our children. Its just something we have to deal with.
Well the Amateur Teachers Union of California has met and we demand kids go back to school and will begin a strike at midnight tonight. You can pick our kids up at our houses. Because until we get the protection and pay we deserve we can’t appropriately care for our children. Won’t someone PLEASE think of the children!
Well, moms and dads, get your sponges, lysol and buckets ready and get over there to the classrooms and start scrubbing! Change the filters in the hvac and lets see how well you do! Because YOU are the ones who want to open up before it’s safe so chip in your muscle like the old days!!! It was called the PTA…come on! Get going!! Oh, and start that sign up sheet to help in your childs classroom because you aren’t worried to spend a few hours in there, are you? Or maybe you are! Lot’s of big talk on here….
All talk, all the time
“Big talk” – sure, the problem is people blowing off well-justified steam in blog comments. Not the union and the district, who have been blowing smoke for seven months and now are pretending to go through the motions for reopening “as soon as January”. As SOON as January. What a disgrace. In civilized countries they never even shut down their elementary schools. Europe is having a bigger surge than the US right now, but even so they aren’t generally closing young kids’ schools. We have really low COVID levels now, but the school machinery is just starting to think about getting into gear – by the time they are ready we’ll probably be back in purple. That’s probably the real plan. Stall stall stall and wait for a vaccine to save the day. Mental illness and stunted development in kids? Increased abuse? Someone else’s problem. The bureaucracy exists to perpetuate itself, and the union much the same.
I am a teacher at a daycare. We provide assistance with distance learning. We have had NO cases of Covid since school started! We are helping these children manage all of their assignments, maintaining social distance and having fun while we can! We have no more than 14 in a room and IT CAN BE DONE! All those meetings are just to buy time on telling all parents that they can’t open because teachers can’t go back to work with no FAIR contract. All this is hurting the children more than you think! At least the younger ones who struggle to pay attention to a computer screen more than 10minutes! They think this is just a game, not taking it seriously and parents just want us, daycare providers, to deal with EVERYTHING! it a not fair situation all around.
Well said @Lola. You are dealing with it everyday. I surely sense your heartfelt concern for the children.
Just helped a family member redo a entire week of homework that went missing. This is the second time an entire week’s work disappeared. I teach, review the material, answer questions, assist with the homework and watch as the work is submitted. There have been other times when other homework has gone missing. Also, the audio for some classes is so bad the student can not hear what is said.
I am glad to help my family member, but feel sorry for those student without the needed equipment and/or home help.
As those in power say – it’s all for the children.
Remember when you vote.
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