Mount Diablo Unified School District Superintendent Adam Clark said in a statement Thursday that a hybrid model of in-person and online learning could start as early as March 22.
The hybrid model has students going to school two days a week in the afternoon for in-person “support.”
The district’s trustees will likely discuss and vote on the proposal at its meeting on Wednesday.
In a letter to the MDUSD community, published on the district website, Clark wrote that the state and county have approved the district’s re-opening plan.
“We are pleased to report that several surrounding counties have moved into the Red Tier, and it appears that Contra Costa will be moving into the Red Tier on March 9 or March 16, 2021.”
As of Thursday, Contra Costa County was still in the purple tier of COVID-19 restrictions — the state’s most restrictive level — around 10 reported cases per day, per 100,000 residents.
Clark also wrote the district collected more than 27,000 surveys from district families over scheduling preferences, and that schools are already re-building classes. He wrote the district has “tens of thousands of cloth and surgical masks, over one thousand gallons of hand sanitizer, thousands of safety signs and markers and plexiglass shields for staff.”
“With materials secured and protocols in place, our campuses are prepared to open to students and families,” Clark wrote.
The superintendent recommends a “phased-in” re-opening timeline, with staff working remotely returning to school sites March 17 and “campus previews” for students and parents on March 19. Preschool, kindergarten, and first and second graders, self-contained SDC classes, and the Bridge Transition Program would return March 22.
Grades 3-5 would return March 25, and all other grades would return March 29. Spring recess would happen April 2-9.
“I realize that this recommendation may not be perceived as ideal by all members of our Mt. Diablo Unified community,” Clark wrote. “Starting this process now will allow us to effectively systematize processes and protocols to support student needs and work towards a full reopening in fall of 2021. I make this recommendation with the full understanding that we are still in a global pandemic and the safety of all stakeholders continues to be our highest priority. We will continue to work with our labor partners in good faith.”
He said, “We are quickly approaching our one-year anniversary of being closed. I am beyond confident that we can serve our students in person safely.”
Yay!!!
Just in time for Spring Break!!!
Woo Hoo!!!!
I told my kids if people go crazy over Spring Break and Covid Cases go up again….then they can forget about starting Full Time In-Person for next school year.
So the $6.6B will only go as far as hybrid model (2 days a week in the afternoon for in-person support).
How much more is needed to get them to actually open up?
In truth, it’s about getting the money from Gavin. It will be strange for the kids too. Socialization will be a bare minimum at best. Stay in your seat. Don’t move around if possible. Teachers and students need to stay six feet away from each other..
Everyone is trying their best, but the social distancing is a real challenge. Kids are going to get study help and no in person teaching. The only lessons taught will still be in the distance learning mode.
We’re so close to having everyone who wants it vaccinated. If it wasn’t for the prospect of the lost money, we wouldn’t be having this discussion.
Again, how is the county going to move into the red tier by the 9th or the 16th if only 2 of the three metrics are being met? The case rate is coming down but if all three metrics have to be met for 2 weeks, how would that be possible in either 5 days or 12 days? Please help me understand.
I’m sure the goal posts are being moved again. Because it’s not about safety, it’s about power and money. If the schools don’t open up before the end of March, then the district won’t get it’s share of the 6.6 billion. Sad but true.
Schools can open up 5 days after returning to the red tier….
Finally! This is a huge step.
Time to see where MDEA’s priorities are.
Our kids education or their continued union BS.
Not going to happen. It’s all a lie from them. Every other surrounding district actually had a real plan and will enforce it safely. These clowns don’t know what the hell is going on. They are an embarrassment to the county. They so desperately want the Newsom money. Have you parents even seen what type of PPE is in place at your school ? Well if your in the Walnut Creek , pleasant Hill, Martinez and some of concord you will get the good stuff but when it comes to Bay point you will have disinfectant spay in a bottle that the district put together with a Sharpie that says Disinfectant. They will have the cheapest plastic and the classroom will not be cleaned. Here they always talk about equality !! Give me a break. All this district cares about is the money and pleasing their pockets. Fire them all losers !!
I’m so glad I don’t have children! This world has become so stupid!
I’m confused. School staff will be vaccinated by 3/22? I thought the unions were holding out until then?
The message from Clark is a distraction. The union has not agreed to anything. He is playing games with you parents!! He will then blame the union to look good. It’s just a lie the board has no idea what to do. Parents wake up !!
MDUSD offered parents a choice of “social emotional support “ and then have the nerve to tell the press they are opening for in person learning. Total BS waste of time.
Teachers are so lazy. I will be shocked if the teachers actually teach this year. What a joke. Teachers at the elementary level were trained to be hands on. Now they’ve thrown that out the window and act like they are competent at online instruction. Already pulled my kids out. FYI teachers: you are not essential. School is essential for kids, but you’ve shown that YOU are not essential. Please look for other work and let real professionals handle this.
Couldn’t get their corrupt hands on that state government money fast enough.
Stuffing their pockets is more important than a child’s education.
Every single union member is complicit in this debacle.
These teachers unions shot themselves in the foot. to late you losers. things will never be the same with you and you’ve lost the trust of most Americans.
Charter and private schools should eventually thrive after this fiasco is over. us tax paying Americans are tired of the B.S.
Are teachers being forced to be vaccinated in order to return to work?
The hybrid model is not hybrid at all. The couple of hours in the afternoon for support is not teacher-led classes. It will be like an advisory period. It is a lame way for them to say they are hybrid. The MDUSD has never been a good district. I know because I am a product of it. It seems like the more money the district gets, the worse the schools get. MDEA can take a long walk off a short pier. The teachers union is full of crap. They deflect anything that is put on them. For example, some say parents want kids in school for free babysitters. In reality, parents pay the teachers (tax dollars), and the teachers are enjoying their time at home, spending about 20 minutes per period in the meeting. Our kids are not receiving an education.
You are absolutely correct. The “hybrid option” is complete B.S. with no actual in-person instruction included. The district did not even present a true hybrid option which included children in seats, in their classrooms with their teachers to the parents of the district.
They seem to be more concerned about negotiating with the MDEA than actually doing their jobs of educating our children.
MDEA’s demands are unreasonable and not based on any sort of science.
They should have had plans developed to have the schools fully reopened with stable cohorts of students on-site at least two days a week with their designated teachers. I’ve talked to teachers that have no intention of physically returning to a classroom this school year regardless of the safety…
Will open just in time for summer break.
Good thing my kids graduated decades ago. This district is going down the drain.
It’s time to separate and create a Northgate School District. MDUSD is too large and most of the $ is spent on ESL.
You’re not wrong, it is INSANE that a suburban district like MDUSD is so huge with number of schools/students and geographical area. But breaking away by Northgate/feeder schools to form a smaller, more responsive, competent district has been tried many times over the past ~20 years, but it gets beat down every time. And the #1 weapon used to oppose it? That’s right, THE RACE CARD, with some of the loudest most shrill players of that card being, you guessed it, TEACHERS.
This is sad, MDUSD is the only surrounding district not to have the kids back in school. Didn’t these people chose to be teachers, didn’t they know the pay YES they did. Just like the military they join for a better reason, I know because I’m a VET from Iraq war 3x never complained about pay just did it. If you you don’t want to go back and teach forfeit your pay and stay home. All other unions are back at work with a higher infection rate but they want to earn their pay honestly. But some teachers feel they are owed something if you don’t like it go walk a dog for a living, get out dressed and go to work. Please our kids need you and want to see you. I think next year all parent’s need to come together and remember this next year when we all need to donate money for teacher appreciation day, Christmas when these people expect money, gift cards and countless gifts, for what. I also thin the county should offer a tax credit for those school districts that want to hide.
Teachers talk about how “we aren’t babysitters.” Well opening up for two hours a week “for support” sounds like parents can drop there kids off for those two hours and go do something for themselves. I know that if I didn’t have to work and could drop my kids off at school in the afternoon I would totally go get a massage, nails done, or my hair done. MDUSD has seriously become a joke.
even if this does come to pass all it will take is another covid19 lie “spike” and we’ll be back to nothing
#EndTheCovidLies
How is 2 hours a day in the afternoon a good thing? It interrupts the kids somewhat made schedule and parents that work outside the house; How are they supposed to get them to school? Private schools have been open for full day instruction and shockingly everything has been fine. But our district parents are ok with this 2 hours a day 2 days a weeks? We should be forcing them to fully reopen. Our kids deserve to go back to school for a full day all week. Not 2 hours 2 days a week.
Boy am I glad we’re moving to the Midwest where common sense rules and you can actually enjoy real freedom. Not to mention my kid will get to go to a real brick and mortar that actually teaches more than global warming and gender dysphoria.
I don’t like being forced to pay a ransom by a school system funded by tax dollars.
Open the schools or disband the district so the good people of the district can form a school system.
Then we can really educate our children and do so safely.
Some human contact is better than none, but it is ridiculous to call this “reopening school.”
,,, for how many hours per week per student? 4 hrs is what I saw in a proposal
Oh the irony! I posted here months ago that this would be the magic date.
I’m surprised they’re not shooting for a September 11th opening date.
How kind of them.
Kids have been away from school for almost a year. Children don’t need spring break. It should be canceled.
Agreed.
You are thinking way too far outside the box. Lol.
This hybrid is not in person learning at all – it is “support” the afternoon – i think “virtual support” . And i talked to a high school teacher earlier this week who said they are not planning to go back even in the fall – it would only be “support” then. This is so insane and damaging for our students. 45 states have kids back in school with no restrictions( per the East Bay Times last weekend) and we have not heard of any major outbreaks or deaths among students, teachers or students’ families. The union is holding everyone hostage.
I know quite a few people in the teaching/education profession who told me they are not going to be vaccinated. I can see this playing out in another needless and costly litigation unfortunately.
Follow the money. This has nothing to do with the students. The districts want the money. Good for the younger students to get back. For the high school students it is a waste of time. There are only 2 months left. They are in a routine and basically any learning that is going on will stop. Teachers will now have to plan in person and online lessons. This will be the 3rd schedule for the hs students in Martinez. Talk about confusion.
My. Diablo should be ashamed of themselves. So the kids are going to get 2 hours of support with an adult to supervise. So 2 hours of a study hall with possibly the janitor watching the kids. The teachers want the spring break as they think they have been over worked. My kids teacher just graded papers that were turned in November. If teachers don’t want to go back show them the door.