Guest column by Dr. Deborah Flores: Gilroy Unified School District readies to welcome students back to campuses
GUSD will implement a number of safety protocols on its campuses and district buildings.
By Dr. Deborah Flores
Deborah Flores
After almost 18 months of at-home education for students in Gilroy, the Gilroy Unified School District will welcome students back to full-time, in-person learning the first day of school, Aug. 18. We are thrilled about the return of our students and staff to full-time, in-person instruction, and extra-curricular activities for the 2021-22 school year. As we approach the beginning of the school year, the district is implementing a number of safety protocols to ensure our staff and students are as safe as possible once they return to our campuses.
The Gilroy Unified School District will be following the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) most recent guidance for K-12 schools regarding mask wearing. Everyone on a school campus where students are present will be required to wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status. Mask wearing is one of the best methods of preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other airborne illnesses. Masks are also required for all employees and visitors at the District Office, as we all do our part to ensure the health and safety of our community.
The district is pleased to continue offering an additional educational option for families during the 2021-22 school year: the Virtual Learning Academy (VLA). The VLA is a full-time online learning option for all grades that provides online learning with instruction from GUSD teachers, as well as independent learning opportunities.
The VLA will provide the core academic program, but does not include any current specialized programs GUSD offers. Students enrolled in the VLA program in middle and high school will be able to participate in extracurricular activities including athletics and clubs, for their neighborhood school. For more information, please visit the VLA website (www.gilroyunified.org/our-schools/virtual-learning-academy).
In addition to the mask requirement for everyone on school campuses, GUSD will implement a number of other safety protocols on our campuses and district buildings. We will continue to follow the guidance of the California Department of Public Health for schools
Staff and students will follow district protocols that require frequent hand washing. Surfaces will be cleaned and sanitized often, and the ventilation systems in our buildings will operate at maximum levels. We will continue to request that staff and students perform daily health screens before coming to campus, and should stay home if they are sick. Updated protocols are highlighted on our website: www.gilroyunified.org/reopening-gusd.
As we continue to hear from experts, the best way to slow the spread of COVID-19 and its variants is to ensure that anyone who can should get vaccinated as soon as possible.
GUSD was proud to partner with the Santa Clara County Department of Public Health to establish a vaccine clinic at Gilroy High School. More than 60,000 vaccines were administered by county staff at the Gilroy High School vaccination clinic between February and July 2021. More than 90 percent of GUSD staff have been vaccinated. We encourage members of the community who are able to receive the vaccine, but haven’t yet, to do so as soon as possible.
This is our way to return to normal and also protect vulnerable members of our community who aren’t able to be vaccinated — such as our children and those who can’t get vaccinated for health reasons.
As we prepare our campuses and classrooms for the safe return of our students and staff members, we will continue to provide as much information as we are able to reassure our families and students that they are safe and we are ready.
Our website, www.gilroyunified.org/reopening-gusd, provides information about important safety measures we are taking to ensure our schools and classrooms are ready for the return to in-person learning for everyone in the Gilroy Unified School District.
Deborah Flores
Dr. Deborah A. Flores is the superintendent of the Gilroy Unified School District. She wrote this column for Gilroy Life.