South San Francisco, CA  March 9, 2021 h/t to Chauntel!

CLICK HERE FOR SURVEY!

Thank you for being a valued member of the South San Francisco Unified School District (SSFUSD) community. The state of California passed AB/SB 86 bills (Covid -19 Relief and School Reopening, Reporting and Public Health Requirements) on March 4, 2021.

SSFUSD has been working to create a Reopening Plan, Covid – 19 School Guidance checklist and the Covid – 19 Prevention Plan (CPP) to ensure that we are meeting all regulations as set forth by AB/SB 86. In order to provide in person instruction for all students, SSFUSD will need to modify our 2020 – 2021 Instructional bell schedules at the elementary, middle and high schools.

To accomplish this task and still keep students with their same teachers, we created a combination schedule where all students are in distance learning in the morning from 8:30 – 12:30, and students who choose to do so may attend an optional PM Instructional Block from 1:30 – 3:30 for in person instruction, while still meeting all health and safety requirements.

At this time, SSFUSD would like to survey parents so they can select their instructional model preference. Here are the major differences between our current Distance Learning instructional model vs the proposed Hybrid-Distance Learning/optional PM Instructional model.

100% Distance Learning:

-Current instructional model

-4 days live/Synchronous instruction

-1 day asynchronous instruction/support

-Minimizes in person contact so there is less likelihood of exposure to the virus

-Students will only interact virtually with all students in their classes

-Staff can only provide individualized or small group support virtually

-Learning hubs can continue as currently designed throughout the school year

Hybrid Distance Learning/Optional PM Instructional Block Model:

-New instructional model

-The Optional PM in person Instructional Block can be used for additional instruction, intervention, enrichment, or instruction regarding Socio emotion learning.

-Students/families that opt into the Optional in Person PM Instructional Block will be assigned into cohorts

-Students will be able to interact in person with students in their assigned cohort only
-For the Optional in Person PM Instructional Block students may have the same teacher or may be assigned to a different teacher

-The frequency of how often students can attend the PM Instructional Block will be determined by the number of student/families that opt into the PM Instructional Block

-Students/families that opt out of the PM Instructional block will have time to complete asynchronous work from 1:30 – 3:30

-Flex time has been eliminated for all students in order to offer the PM Instructional Block

-All students and staff on campus will be required to follow COVID-19 safety protocols, including temperature checks, masks that cover the nose and mouth, and frequent hand washing

-Learning hubs may need to be modified so students can participate in the Hybrid Distance Learning model

Important information:

Here’s a link to a slide deck that contains information on each grade level proposed Hybrid Distance Learning/Optional PM Instructional Block Schedule.

CLICK HERE FOR SURVEY!

It is important to note that our target date for Reopening and transitioning to these new Hybrid Distance Learning/Optional PM Instructional Block Schedules would be April 6, 2021. SSFUSD will use a staggered approach and plan to invite students back via grade level. Our students with disabilities, English learners, foster youth and homeless students, and at promise students would be prioritized to return to in person instruction first within the grade levels. SSFUSD will bring the next grade levels to school every 5 – 7 days.

In conjunction with the San Mateo County office of Education and San Mateo Public Health Department, educators have been prioritized to receive the vaccine. In addition, SSFUSD will be facilitating COVID-19 testing for all staff on a monthly basis as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of our students and staff.

Please complete a survey for each student that attends a SSFUSD school. SSFUSD would appreciate if you complete this survey on or before 3:30 pm Thursday March 11, 2021. Families/students that do not select the Hybrid Distance Learning/Optional PM Instructional Block Model will not be able to access the in person PM Instructional Block in April/May 2021.

Thank you

Keith B. Irish, Assistant Superintendent Educational Services
kirish@ssfusd.org