Beginning the 2020-21 School Year Together

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July 11, 2020

Starting the School Year Together: A Message from the Superintendent

Dear PUSD community, 

As we approach the midpoint of Summer and prepare to present recommendations regarding the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, we continue to navigate a sea of unknowns as we sort through information and guidance from our Public Health Department and other government officials. While these plans are subject to change and many tough decisions lie ahead, we know the following to be true: Together, we are fully committed to the health, safety and well-being of our students, staff and community at-large, and remain committed to keeping you informed and engaged in the days and weeks ahead. 

A team of dedicated PUSD leaders, certificated and classified employees, students, parents and community leaders have worked tirelessly through the Summer on a number of high-quality educational options in the face of an unprecedented global pandemic, and some statewide set-backs we’ve all read about recently in the news. While there are many differing opinions out there in regards to how and when we should welcome our students back to school campuses, the safety and health of our community remains our primary and collective goal. No matter how we move forward, we will do this together - and we will be better because of it.

To that end, we would like to invite you to engage in a number of upcoming opportunities to learn more and ask questions. We have been inspired, and to be honest at times overwhelmed, at the level of engagement we have seen from our community throughout this process.

First up, we will be hosting a virtual town hall for families of students with IEPs or 504 Plans on Monday, July 13, 6 - 7 p.m. During this session, we will discuss how we plan to support students with 504 plans and IEPs (Individualized Education Plans). We invite families to join us on Monday via the following link: pleasantonusd.zoom.us/j/97234850965

On Tuesday, July 14, 6 p.m., we will host a board study session during which our team will present our collective work and outline our recommendations for starting the 2020-21 school year. We invite you to tune in on Tri-Valley TV Channel 28 or tri-valleytv.org . You may review the meeting agenda and materials on our District website . 

Thank you for your ongoing partnership, as well as your continued engagement and support, as we prepare to start the school year together. 

Gratefully, 

David Haglund, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Virtual Town Hall on Starting the School Year Together for Students with 504 Plans & IEPs

Monday, July 13, 6 - 7 p.m l Join the webinar: https://pleasantonusd.zoom.us/j/97234850965

Join us as we discuss how we will approach starting the school year with our students with 504 plans and IEPs.

Starting the 2020-21 School Year Together: Information & Resources

We continue to update resources and information based on current thinking as we seek to find solutions with the safety and well-being of our students at heart. We wanted to highlight several of the informational resources below for our community:

Planning Timeline for Starting the 2020-21 School Year Together: Important Next Steps

Monday, July 13, 6 - 7 p.m.: Students with 504 Plans & IEPs Virtual Town Hall

Tuesday, July 14th , staff will present the proposal for reopening school at a Board Study Session . Note: The plan will be subject to modifications that may be necessitated by updated public health guidelines prior to the start of school. 

By Friday, July 17th, PUSD will send a final commitment form for families to complete for each of their students, selecting the educational model of their preference (again, for each student). We will also include detailed information about what a typical school day will look like for a student engaged in each model. It is critical for families to complete this form, preferably by July 22, but no later than July 24.

Aug. 7 - Aug. 10

Tuesday, August 11: First day of school

Congratulations to our PUSD AAREA African American Student Achievement Award Recipients

Each year, African American Regional Educational Alliances recognizes a group of outstanding students who have shown academic excellence and/or promise and progress. Please join us from congratulating this year's recipients from the following schools:

Fairlands Elementary School

Sarai Guyah

Foothill High School

Tolulope Adesokan

Mahalia Bryant

Myles Easter

Mariah Gragg

Layla Hypolite

Stephen Strong

Lauren Twamugabo

Hart Middle School

Justin Guyah

Benjamin Bass

Pleasanton Middle School

Montana Lubold Parkinson

Dina Mirghani

Andie Edwards

Dante Edwards

Families Supporting Health Care Workers & PUSD Employees

Thank you to the Tri-Valley Asian Association who donated personal protective equipment (PPE) valued at $18,000 to local healthcares and organizations, including PUSD. The donation is in partnership with PLAY Leadership (Promoting Leadership In Aspiring Youth), HUNAN Association of San Francisco Bay Area, Shenzhen GL I-net.

EXTENDED OPENING: COVID-19 Testing Site in Pleasanton

The Pleasanton COVID-19 Drive-Through Testing Site will continue to be open until further notice, with modified hours beginning Monday, July 13. The test site is for asymptomatic residents ages 10 years and above. No appointment is necessary and there are no out of pocket expenses.

Pleasanton Emergency Rental Assistance

The COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program will assist existing Pleasanton residents who are unable to pay rent due to the COVID-19 pandemic by providing a maximum grant assistance up to $2,500 per household to pay for up to one month of delinquent rent and late fees.

Applicants may submit an application online at cityservecares.org/renthelp or request an application by phone (925) 208-0660 or by email [email protected] .

Please view the flyer for more details or visit CityServe's website .

En Español

Food Benefits for Families in Need

Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school will get extra food benefits. These food benefits are called Pandemic EBT or P-EBT benefits. P-EBT benefits help families in California buy food when schools are closed because of the coronavirus emergency.

Families will get up to $365 per eligible child on their P-EBT card to use on food and groceries.

Families with children who get CalFresh, Medi-Cal or Foster Care benefits do not need to apply and should have gotten their P-EBT card during the month of May.

Families with children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals and who do not get their P-EBT card in the mail by the end of May must apply online before July 15, 2020. The online application is available at  ca.p-ebt.org . If you have questions about P-EBT, you can complete  this contact form .

Resources for Families Whose Living Situation Has Been Impacted

Has the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on your family's living situation? Are you at an increased risk of losing your housing because of the COVID-19 pandemic?

If you answered yes to either question, PUSD wants to ensure you are familiar with the federal McKinney-Vento law, which supports a student's ability to access a public education when changes in their living situation results in homelessness. The McKinney-Vento law also provides students the opportunity to remain in their school of origin if it is in their best interest and the student/parent requests it. For more information and additional resources, visit our McKinney-Vento (Homeless Youth) Education webpage  here . 

STEAM Preschool

Re-Opening Delayed until August

We are thrilled to begin reopening STEAM Preschool to serve all families. We have had to delay our planned opening to August 2020.

Temporary hours of operation will be 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., while COVID related licensing restrictions are in place. The current maximum group size of children is 10 per classroom.

To enroll or ask questions, email [email protected] or call (925) 519-4934

For more information about our program please visit http://steampreschool.pleasantonusd.net/

Resources For Families

Click the image below for a slew of helpful resources curated by our Student Support Services team and Parent Liaisons. You can also visit: http://bit.ly/2xJHjep (Spanish version - www.bit.ly/RecursosDeCOVID19, Chinese version )