Dear MPCSD Families and Staff,
School has officially made it to the end of 2020, and the rest of our lives are just a few days away from welcoming in 2021! I’m sure you are feeling an overwhelming sense of relief as I am. Having our schools open to vital in-person and virtual learning the past four months has been rewarding beyond words. I again express how humbled and grateful I am to our community for putting its teachers, staff, and students first. Before you head to break, there are some important items I’d like to share. The pandemic situation is moving quickly as are the state and local responses. Staying up to date is essential.
Stay @ Home Orders
The state-issued Stay at Home Orders for the entire Bay Area Region take effect tonight at 11:59 p.m. as the region’s overall ICU bed capacity has now dipped to 15%. At this time these new orders do not affect schools that are already open to in-person learning. For more specific information on the orders and schools please read this press release from the San Mateo County Office of Education. We will continue to track the state’s and county’s direction should conditions worsen further requiring schools to move fully online.
MPCSD’s COVID case rate has remained very low and the Board has many times affirmed its commitment to keeping schools open as long as we can do so safely. At each of its meetings, the Board will discuss COVID data and remain flexible to make decisions that reflect the conditions at the time. The Board’s only automatic trigger to close a school or the district is 5% positivity at our schools, the trigger outlined in the county’s Pandemic Recovery Framework. As of now, we plan to reopen to A-Week on January 5, 2021, as indicated in our instructional calendar.
Winter Break Travel and Safety
We must continue to adhere to health guidelines with fidelity over Winter Break. I implore all of us to follow San Mateo County’s travel guidelines: if you leave the Bay Area (even if you engage in “safe” travel), please quarantine for 14 days upon your return, prior to sending your children back to school. I know I am asking a lot, but it is our only protection against COVID spread. If you have questions about what is and isn’t permitted under the Regional Stay at Home orders, please see the state’s COVID dashboard here (scroll down to the Regional Stay at Home Order section). Remember, the best way to show your school staff how appreciative you are for the sacrifices they have made is to not put them in harm's way upon your return from break.
Quarantine Guidelines
You may be aware that the CDC changed its quarantine recommendations recently. Even as surrounding counties have adopted the CDC’s recommendations, San Mateo County Health Department has intentionally kept with the full 14-day quarantine period. If and until SMC changes its guidelines, MPCSD will follow SMC Health as it is our primary health authority.
For 2nd-8th graders, please note that A-Week begins for students on Tuesday, January 5, 2021. If you travel and don't want to miss in-person school, be home by December 21 to quarantine. B-Week begins on Monday, January 11, 2021. Similarly, if you travel, be home by December 27 to quarantine.
Independent Study Plan
Our expectation that you quarantine for 14 days is accommodated through an Independent Study Plan (ISP). For information about your school’s ISP procedures, please reach out to your school’s office or look for ISP instructions in your school newsletter. The ISP experience will not match what you expect from in-person or live online learning. An ISP is meant to give your student assignments that keep them on track with learning targets, but not to recreate the classroom experience. Please use ISPs for quarantine reasons and understand that our teachers and office staff are working hard to accommodate your requests.
District Office Winter Break Hours
The District Office will be closed to the public from December 21 through January 1. It will reopen Monday, January 4, at 8:00 a.m. If anyone in your household receives a positive COVID diagnosis during Winter Break, you still are required to notify the District. Please email [email protected] with your name and contact information and the name of the student or staff member who has tested positive. A District contact tracer will contact you within 24 hours of your email. The information you share in the email will be kept confidential.
Teacher and Staff Vaccines
I get asked all the time...Erik, how can I help? What can we do to support our staff? Well here is one clear way: advocate for the health and safety needs of your kids’ teachers and staff by emailing Assemblymember Marc Berman and CA State Senator Josh Becker requesting that CA prioritize ALL school staff (teachers, preschool staff, school nurses, office staff, custodians, yard duty, bus drivers, administration, etc.) for the vaccine AND ensure the process for accessing the vaccine is CLEAR. Let them know how grateful you are to have schools open and that the CA government needs to prioritize these heroes when distributing the vaccine. The decisions are happening NOW, so time is of the essence.
In closing, I wish you and your families a wonderful, rejuvenating Winter Break. Even as we celebrate in different ways this year, we can always find something for which to be grateful. I am grateful for the entire MPCSD community, which has weathered this most difficult year with a level of grace, understanding, patience, and mutual care and respect that should make us all proud. And may 2021 bring health and hope to us all!
Sincerely,
Erik
