Gilroy public schools to reopen for in-person learning
Measures taken to ensure students, teachers stay safe from COVID-19 spread
Photo courtesy Rebecca Leroux, B43 Productions
Left: Luigi Aprea custodians, left, Margarita Leal, and right, Maria Ochoa clean classrooms.
By Marty Cheek
After 13 months of online education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many young students will step back into classrooms in mid-April as the Gilroy Unified School District opens schools to on-campus, in-person hybrid learning.
The GUSD Board of Education approved at the March 18 meeting a phased-in return for pre-kindergarten through second grades beginning April 15 and a return for students in third through fifth grade April 19. Sixth through 12th grade students will continue to learn online until the end of the 2020-2021 school year.
A student stands in a social distancing marker.
Gilroy elementary educators are excited to safely return to in-person instruction, said Lindsay Hack, a teacher who serves as the president of the Gilroy Teachers Association.
“It has been a trying year full of hard work for students, educators, and our school communities,” she said. “With the necessary precautions in place, we are looking forward to a little slice of normalcy. Along with in-person instruction, our elementary educators will continue to provide robust educational opportunities for our students who remain in distance learning.”
Families of elementary students were given the option to have their child participate in on-campus learning or remain in distance learning until the last day of school June 4. The district sent a decision form to all parents or guardians of elementary students to let them know which choices were available. The form needed to be returned by March 25 or students would automatically be enrolled in distance learning.
According to Superintendent Dr. Deborah Flores, 60 percent of families chose that their children go back to campus learning, the rest selected distance learning. The district hopes to open up all campuses for the 2021-2022 school year that begins in mid-August based on how the COVID-19 public health crisis is managed during the next several months with more people receiving vaccinations as increasing supplies of the drug get distributed.
Photo courtesy Rebecca Leroux, B43 Productions
Josephina Luna, a fourth grader at Luigi Aprea Elementary School, demonstrates washing her hands in a video sent to GUSD parents.
“I’m guessing a much higher percentage will want their children to go back to school in the fall after the virus count is so low and hospitalizations go down,” Flores said.
There is still an element of uncertainty in the COVID-19 crisis as experts warn of a possible “fourth surge” hitting the United States in the coming weeks. The county and state closed many businesses including schools abruptly in mid-March 2020 to limit the spread of the virus. The community of Gilroy was especially hit hard with higher case numbers based on population than other cities in Santa Clara County.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced the state would remove the public health tier requirements and fully open June 15, based on conditions of COVID-19 cases numbers dropping in the rate of hospitalizations and the number of vaccinations. This would allow schools to open in August, Flores said.
“He did acknowledge that there are some parents who want to have their students continue with distance learning in the fall,” she said. “We already know some of our parents want us to continue distance learning. I assume it’s going to be a small number.”
At the May 6 meeting, the school board members will receive updates from staff members on how the district plans to proceed with the fall reopening. Safety measures such as masks mandates, frequent hand-washing and daily health screenings will be implemented, Flores said.
Inoculations of students will also be provided to immunize those desiring a vaccine, she said. If pop-up clinics for young people 16 and older are available, the district will inform families.
“We would definitely encourage it but we can’t require it unless the state requires it,” Flores said.
The school district is also preparing for summer catchup classes for students who got behind in their education during the COVID-19 distance learning system. At the May 6 meeting, the board members and public will receive a report on what staff have planned to assist students during the summer months.
In the past few years, funding has been limited so school districts have given minimal summer school options. With the one-time funding GUSD will be receiving, its staff is planning on a much larger summer school program and is now starting to hire teachers for summer school.
Special education and migrant students will be given a priority for summer learning sessions. A percentage of general elementary students who have exhibited the greatest loss in learning will also be included. Limited funding will not allow a summer school option for all of the district’s 11,000 students.
The widespread vaccination of teachers and other school staff is vital to opening the campuses.
“We’re very pleased when we are talking to our union presidents,” she said. “They assure us that everyone they’ve talked to is indicating they want to get vaccinated.”
GUSD public information officer Melanie Corona has several students in her household. As a parent she understands the need for children to return to on-campus learning. Her fourth grade daughter is especially excited, she said.
“She’s not worried about the virus in any way. It’s just the first-day-of-school jitters that are normal,” she said.
Corona worked on producing a short online video to explain to GUSD parents and students the process of returning to classroom learning and the safety procedures that will be required for public health protection. The district also held information nights at individual school sites as Zoom town-hall meetings led by principals. An information handbook was also distributed.
“District-wide we are really lucky to have some great people who can provide tools and resources for students and parents who are experiencing some anxiety going back to the classroom,” Corona said. “We are as prepared as any district in that we have put every measure in place to make sure our students and our staff are safe. The safety of our staff and students is our top priority.”
