At the San Gabriel Unified School District (SGUSD) Board meeting on March 23, the Board unanimously approved the April 19 re-opening of Gabrielino High School, for seniors only. Phase III of the “Return 2 Learn” plan for elementary schools was approved earlier in the month, with transitional kindergarten through second grade returning to their campuses on April 6 and third through fifth graders returning on April 19.
The transition into Phase III comes as a result of the decline in COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County, meeting the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) threshold for a lower risk of transmission in schools. Families were allowed to choose whether their students return to campuses or remain in remote learning.
In preparation for reopening campuses, SGUSD partnered with the City of Hope National Medical Center and Herald Christian Health Center to provide vaccinations for a majority of their employees, making it safer for teachers to instruct students in-person. When in the classroom, teachers will also use goose-neck cameras to instruct students at home.
On campuses, mask and social distancing requirements will be implemented and custodians will clean high-touch surfaces several times a day. Classrooms will be equipped with personal protective equipment and medical-grade air conditioning.
To be allowed on campus, students will have their temperature checked and answer ParentSquare app questions, showing they are symptom-free.
During the March 10 Town Hall, Superintendent Jim Symonds stated, “Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the State of California say if we put these precautions in place, students are safe to come back to school.”
Returning students will attend school in-person for two days each week, either Mondays and Tuesdays or Thursdays and Fridays. On the days that students are not on campus, they will attend school online.
On the elementary school playgrounds, students will play in activity zones with their stable groups only.
“We’re thinking out of the box, turning some of our fields into walking areas, or providing different activity zones that we didn’t have before,” said Wilson Elementary principal Ivonne Contreras at the Town Hall.
The district awaits county health guidance before reopening campuses at full capacity.
Elementary students were chosen to return before secondary students because the first years of schooling are the most critical for development and young children develop less severe COVID-19 symptoms.
According to the CDC, “Researchers in Italy identified and tested nearly all contacts of 1,198 cases in school settings and reported a lower attack rate in elementary schools than the attack rate in middle and high schools. This pattern was consistent with findings from a study in New South Wales, Australia, that reported higher attack rates in high schools than in elementary or primary schools.”
Students at Jefferson Middle School who are struggling with virtual learning will be able to return to campus in cohorts of up to 14 students. Students selected for support cohorts at Gabrielino have been on campus since March 15.
Gabrielino High School Principal Sharron Heinrich stated at the Town Hall, “Our seven cohorts are being divided into three groups of English language learners, two groups to address our students with special needs, and two groups that are struggling with internet connectivity. ”
