SB Unified elementary schools are set to reopen for hybrid learning on Monday, March 1st. Over the last few weeks, a sudden call from the district to re-open elementary schools caused school officials to start preparing. The key number for our state to start allowing elementary students to go back to in-person learning is 25 people testing positive per 100k people in California.

Seeing how close we were to reaching that goal, teachers were notified to start preparing their classrooms and materials once cases dropped below 30 people testing positive per 100k people in California. Families were sent a notice that allowed them to restate their choice on hybrid and digital learning for elementary only.

A letter was sent to the County Supervisors and Public Health Department from the School Board to prioritize vaccinations to school employees. Thanks to this starting Tuesday, February 23, elementary staff will have access to COVID testing at their school site. This will continue for two weeks, and additional diagnostic testing will be offered to students that have either had symptoms or been exposed to a COVID positive case. This testing and the safety plans for the reopening have been approved by the California Department of Public Health.

All classified employees for both elementary and secondary returned to in-person full-time work starting Monday, February 22.

It has been made clear by the school board that they are ready to let all SB Unified students across elementary and secondary schools back onto campus, and as we continue to follow COVID guidelines, the closer we are to achieving this plan.

[Image Credit: MLive]