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Elementary More poor air quality schools open forecasted for this week
under waivers SB Unified, meanwhile, decides not to seek waivers for its grade schools By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Fog extends Monday morning from Lake Cachuma to Santa Barbara.
By JOSH GREGA NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Though air quality in Santa Barbara is expected to be unhealthy for sensitive individuals today, this is still slightly better air quality than on Monday. According to Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District public information officer Lyz Hoffman, Santa Barbara’s air
quality today is forecasted to be “unhealthy for sensitive groups” countywide, due to smoke blowing into the area from the wildfires raging across California and the greater West Coast. Sensitive groups include children, seniors, pregnant women, and individuals with heart and lung conditions. Monday’s air quality was deemed “unhealthy,” the third most severe air pollution ranking under “very unhealthy” and
“hazardous.” When speaking to the News-Press on Monday, the Air Pollution Control District didn’t have air quality predictions for the next several days since it only takes two-day forecasts, but Ms. Hoffman remarked that air quality will remain at today’s level for most of this week. “As of now, our forecast is expecting Please see WEATHER on A2
Coastline Christian Academy Principal Deedee Underwood says Monday’s in-person reopening felt different because of the COVID-19 protocols. During a News-Press interview, she didn’t have much worry in her voice and said her staff has been amazing. “Even with following all the protocol, they’re just joyful to have the students back,” she said. Monday, four schools opened their elementary-age classrooms: Coastline Christian Academy in Goleta, The Knox School in Santa Barbara, the Family School in Los Olivos and the Laguna Blanca campuses in Montecito and Hope Ranch in Santa Barbara. In order for a school to re-open for in-person classes, county and state officials must review the school’s plans and approve it for a reopening waiver. As of Monday, eight Santa Barbara County schools received waivers. The Waldorf School opened Sept. 9 in Goleta. Pacific Christian School is
slowly opening this week in Santa Maria, starting with kindergarten and first grade Monday and adding two more grade levels each day. The Howard School plans to open Sept. 21 in Carpinteria. Principal Underwood said she is following CDC procedures and keeping classrooms to 14 or fewer students at Coastline Christian Academy. Now that the school is able to reopen, she said enrollment has increased. Meanwhile, the Santa Barbara Unified School District announced Monday night that it will not seek waivers for its elementary schools. “We surveyed our community partners as well as our elementary staff and families and learned that there was not overwhelming support for reopening elementary schools under the waiver,” said Santa Barbara Unified Superintendent Hilda Maldonado in a statement. “Furthermore, the majority of our elementary staff members did not support the waiver.” email: ahanshaw@newspress.com
RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS
Laguna Blanca School starts in-person classes Monday at its campuses in Montecito and, shown above, Santa Barbara.
What is Teen Talk? Here’s a look at SB Unified’s controversial sexual health curriculum By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Public comments, both supporting and opposing a new sex education program, were expressed Sept. 8 during a heated Santa Barbara Unified school board meeting. Many complained that the Teen Talk curriculum is pornographic. Despite the controversy, the board unanimously decided to adopt Teen Talk. Board Vice President Dr. Jacqueline Reid and Board President Laura Capps expressed they’d like teachers to review the
Smoke from Northern California fires creates an orange sun in Santa Ynez.
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information and modify the curriculum for the district. “It is time to move forward with a curriculum that’s compliant, that’s data-driven,” Ms. Capps said. “There’s so much misinformation out there; we need to empower our students with correct information.” An overview by the curriculum provider for Teen Talk is posted online. It gives a look at the 12-session curriculum. Students are introduced to the course during the first session and are given a pre-test so instructors can assess their prior Please see teen talk on A10
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