When Hope Elementary School Principal Liz Barnitz described back-to-school during the COVID-19 pandemic, she said: “There is nothing like this.”
It has been a little more than two weeks of remote instruction for students at Hope Elementary, 3970 La Colina Road in Santa Barbara.
The beginning of the academic year looked different than ever before. Gov. Gavin Newsom mandated remote learning for Santa Barbara County and other California schools on the statewide monitoring list for widespread novel coronavirus transmission.
During this past week, a few school-age kids and their family members were scheduled for in-person technology support at Hope Elementary. Attendees were the neediest of students whose parents struggle with literacy and language.
School closures will have an increased impact on learning acceleration for more than 1 million English learners enrolled in California public schools, according to the state Department of Education.
A kindergartener and her mother, both wearing face masks, entered the Hope school campus. The parent held a district-borrowed laptop.
One of the first faces the pair saw as they approached the outside courtyard adjacent to the school auditorium was Barnitz, who cheerfully greeted the young girl and her family member.
“Hey there,” Barnitz told the girl. “I’m Dr. B. I’m your principal. Do you recognize me?”
Barnitz spoke in English and Spanish.
The young student shook her head for “yes.”
Barnitz darted inside the school office and quickly returned with a basket filled with hand sanitizer, pens, papers of a COVID-19 screening script for symptoms, and other items for prevention of the virus.
Barnitz wore a cloth face mask, a plastic face shield and blue disposable gloves when school visitors arrived.
Consistent with public health guidance, a screening in advance of the tech appointment included a body temperature check with a noncontact forehead thermometer and a verbal COVID-19 wellness check conducted by Barnitz. The process took a couple of minutes.
However, Barnitz said, it’s not an easy task.
“I have to be perfectly honest,” Barnitz said, “although I want to be with kids, I’m afraid of how even to do that logistically. How do you make that happen with 300 kids?”
Social distancing requirements were in place on campus, and a plexiglass separator was fixed on the folding table, among other protocols in response to COVID-19.
A technology support staff member for the school district helped with the on-site support. A Hope Elementary workroom aid, who speaks Portuguese, provided interpretation.
Shortly after, a young boy and his relative arrived for their appointment.
Barnitz set up another portable table and a plexiglass barrier, and she repeated the series of COVID-19 safety standards and protocols all over again.
Those scenarios are just a snippet of Barnitz’s work as a principal during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to Chromebooks, the Hope School District administered iPads and hot spots for Internet access to some families in need. School staff held office hours, called families and conducted some home visits to help make sure the students’ new academic year started on the right foot.
This year’s convoluted return to school consists of logging in with passwords, downloading content, online files and working out technology glitches.
“The tech piece has added this other layer,” Barnitz said. “You see it in students who are living in poverty, and students whose first language is not English.”
Every week, Barnitz does a telecast for the school community. One telecast featured Barnitz interviewing a nurse, and the elementary school students submitted pictures for a slideshow.
“There is always a message,” Barnitz said of the telecast. “It’s a lot of fun.”
The campus is empty of students. Cautionary tape is blocking access to playground equipment because of the coronavirus.
“It’s strange to be walking around without seeing kids,” Barnitz said. “That’s a big thing we are all adjusting to, but it’s been exciting to see all of the innovative things teachers are doing and how far they have come.”
To prepare for the start of the school year this fall, Barnitz spent a lot more time on logistics compared with the pre-COVID-19 days.
“I had to learn how to do temp checks,” Barnitz said.
She also reflected on the best parts of the job, and she said she enjoys collaborating and growing with educators to ensure the best for children.
“I love the kids,” Barnitz said. “There is something at a school site that is so alive. With a people-oriented organization, there are those hard moments and beautiful moments.”
The Hope School District teaches more than 900 students in Hope, Monte Vista and Vieja Valley elementary schools. Children in the district returned to school on Aug. 20.
— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.