Elementary students in the Lompoc Unified School District will start returning to campus March 8 for in-person learning four days a week.
LUSD representatives said declining COVID-19 cases number will allow the agency to ease restrictions that have kept students off campus and in distance learning.
After surveying parents and staff about their preferred in-person instructional model, district leaders said those who responded favored the morning-and-afternoon option.
The AM/PM model will see students on campus four days a week — one cohort in the morning, the other in the afternoon — and doing virtual lessons on Wednesdays.
Those on-campus lessons will last 2 1/2 hours a day under the plan.
The other alternative, or hybrid option, would have brought students on campus two days a week, roughly four hours a day, and keep them virtual the other three days.
“We are excited to be able to have our students back on school campuses,” said Superintendent Trevor McDonald. “Even though it will be different than traditional school, having kids on campus and learning in classrooms is a huge step in the right direction.
“We once again wish to thank LUSD parents for their continued support and remind them they will continue to have distance learning as an option, if that is their preference.”
Students also may continue with distance learning if that is the preference of their families.
District leaders expect to release cohort, class and teacher assignments on March 1, or a week before reopening.
A phased reopening plan would see transitional-kindergarten through first-grade students and TK-third grade special day class students return March 8.
Beginning the week of March 15, second- and third-graders will return, along with fourth- to sixth-grade special day students.
On March 22, the fourth- through sixth-grade students will return.
Seventh- through 12th-graders cannot return yet to in-person lessons and will continue distance learning.
“We are hopeful that the rates continue to fall and we reach the red tier quickly so we can also offer in-person instruction to our secondary students,” said Deputy Superintendent Bree Valla.
Masks will be required for all students, and class sizes have been reduced to ensure physical distancing can be maintained.
Recess also will look different, with students interacting only with their cohorts.
“We want to remind families of the importance of screening their children for symptoms before sending them to school. Working collaboratively in this manner, we will be able to keep our staff and students safe, and keep our campuses open for the remainder of the year,” added Valla.
For more about the schedule, safety measures and other aspects of the return to campus proposal , go to the district’s website by clicking here.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
