Sixth grade students will be returning to in-person learning on March 9th. Although San Luis Obispo county is still in the purple tier, Governor Gavin Newsom’s plan to go back to school changed for sixth graders. After the modifications, sixth grade is now grouped with Elementary school. The 6th grade kickoff marks an important step in getting non elementary students back in school, and opens the door for high school soon following suit.
School counselors for the middle and high school spent a long time constructing the perfect hybrid schedule that is best for learning and keeping students and employees protected. They are now looking back on the schedule they made in December to make sure middle and high school students have matching schedules with any elementary siblings.
“In alignment with this return to school and given that our County is still in the purple tier, we will follow guidelines for schools as defined by the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control,” Dr. Curt Dubost said.
Every student will be required to wear a mask, social distance, and sanitize throughout the day. Students must remain socially distanced while in the passing periods and lunch. However, students will be allowed to remove their mask while eating food, but are required to put it back on once finished.
“While we are most enthusiastic and eager about the return of our students to in-person learning, we are committed to doing so safely which requires a full compliance with mask wearing and all the other safety precautions,” Dr. Curt Dubost said.
The custodians will be cleaning up the classrooms and shared spaces every day. The custodians will use foggers and ionizers to deeply clean. Teachers will also be disinfecting the classroom in areas that are highly touched and using dust sprayers. In the transition from the am to pm cohort, there will be a full disinfect throughout the whole classroom. The district wants parents to check their kids health before arriving at school and, furthermore, complete a health screening on the app Parent Square.
Upon entering the campus, students and teachers will have to pass a temperature check with both a thermometer gun and a walk-through machine. Additionally, teachers and students must keep track of their contact with someone containing the virus or showing symptoms themselves and report it. Finally, teachers will continue to be tested each month as they are in the most contact with the students.
“Reopening in in-person 6th grade instruction will begin on March 4th and 5th with afternoon orientation and COVID-19 prevention training. … They will travel for the first time on their campuses to all 6 classes and see their teachers in-person for the first time,” Dorian Baker said.
Students who are grouped in the am cohort will go to school on March 4th at 1:30 to 3:05 for an orientation. The pm cohort will go the day after, March 5th, to receive the same orientation. They will be given covid guidance on new policies and procedures to ensure students and staff remain safe through the hybrid model. On March 8th, sixth grade classes will begin using the new hybrid schedule. Their first day of learning will begin on March 9th. From then until the end of the year, they will continue the hybrid model.
Until next week, March 2nd, will there be another update for seventh to twelfth graders on also transitioning to hybrid learning. Before then, the middle school staff is proceeding cautiously to get sixth grade students back into the classroom.
