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School Starts Aug. 12; Mask Complaints Are Being Investigated, Q&A
FEATURED COLUMNIST School Starts Aug. 12; Mask Complaints Are Being Investigated
Q&A With Dr. Michelle Rodriguez, Superintendent, Pajaro Valley Unified School District
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Editors Note: This is the last column of the school year. Ask Dr. Rodriguez will return in August.
••• I recently sent in a summer school interest form for my child. When will we be informed about the final plans for summer school and where he will attend?
For the first session beginning next week, most of the programs are through the Extended Learning Department, therefore, families can contact Extended Learning to confirm by calling 786-2360 or emailing extendedlearning@pvusd.net.
For Extended Learning’s online programs and credit recovery programs for high school students, held June 14-July 9, families and students should have already received the enrollment confirmation information directly through email.
If you did not receive that email, please contact Extended Learning at the contact information provided above. For the in-person Migrant Summer Program held June 14-July 9, families should contact the Migrant Department to confirm enrollment.
For the second summer school session, July 14-August 4, families should contact their child’s school to confirm participation.
I heard about the program Camp Connect. Can I get more information on that program?
We are excited to offer this unique full day, in-person program, Camp Connect, to identified students from June 14-July 9. The program is for current 4th-7th grade students and will be held at all middle school sites (Aptos Junior, Cesar Chavez, EA Hall, Lakeview, Pajaro Middle, Rolling Hills).
The goal of the program is to offer in-person activities such as art, sports, and other pro-social activities in a small group setting. As the program enrollment is limited to recommendation only, please reach out to your site administrator if you feel this program would be a good fit for your child and you have not received an invitation.
Can I still register my child for the second session of full day, in-person summer school at my site?
Yes, please contact your site administrator for more information on how to sign up for the second session of summer school. To ensure we have proper staffing, we were initially closing registration this week.
However, we have extended the window for another week so you may still register your child if you contact site administration by Friday, June 11, 2021.
What are these new boxes that we have on the walls by the ceilings throughout the District Office?
The boxes that you see are the new Informacast clock, bell, paging system that is being installed at the District Office. It is the same mass notification system that is installed in nearly all PVUSD schools. This system offers all call paging (including outdoor areas), advanced alerting, pre-recorded & scheduled announcements, and runs over the same network infrastructure that supports the phone and computer systems.
This system is highly configurable and will be set up in separate zones for DO, Adult Education, and PCCS which will allow for local departmental paging and bells or can be used to do an all-call page across the entire facility in the event of an emergency. Informacast integrates with the phone system so can be accessed by dialing predefined codes from any phone.
The Atlas speakers have integrated digital clocks that will scroll text-based emergency notifications and include LED flashers to support hearing impared people that may not be able to hear the auditory notifications. Technology Services staff have done all of the configuration, system tuning, and staff training across the district so they have become experts in adjusting and supporting this system.
We will be installing Informacast in the last few schools next year which will allow us to use the system for district-wide or multi-site announcements or emergency notifications as needed. The network and speaker installation will be complete at the district office during the third week of June. Technology Services will then complete the configuration and system tuning by the end of June.
Will schools be receiving new guidance from the state on what is required and not required?
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) intends to release their new guidance on or before June 15. These guidelines will inform our efforts for the upcoming school year.
I am a certificated teacher with a vulnerable elderly family member for whom I am the primary support person.
Even though we are both vaccinated, I am aware that vaccinated people CAN become infected with and/or spread the Covid virus (as you explain quite clearly in your last Q&A). However, I’m already hearing from friends who opted in or visit school sites that staff members aren’t consistently wearing masks in staff rooms, classrooms and other shared spaces.
How will you ensure that staff follow the mask guidelines so that other staff members who are concerned are not in the position of policing their colleagues? Will there be a protocol for staff members to make anonymous comments to their site administrator? Thank you for your support around this issue.
In the upcoming weeks, all schools in California will receive both guidance from CDPH and Cal OSHA. PVUSD will ensure that we follow those guidelines. With current requirements, staff is not required to wear a face covering if they are alone in their classroom or private office.
For now, all staff should be wearing their face coverings when in a shared space. If you see people not wearing their face coverings, you should let site administrators or department leads know so they can speak with appropriate staff. Site administrators will not use the names of the reporting staff to fellow staff members. Unfortunately, we have had to enforce the State requirement through progressive discipline when a staff member refuses to comply.
If you do not feel comfortable with speaking to site administration directly, you can leave a note for your administrator so you may remain anonymous. If you do not receive resolution for the issue, you should contact the appropriate Assistant Superintendent.
With the recent release of Dr. Fauci emails, Dr. Fauci said, “Masks are really for infected people to prevent them from spreading infection to people who are not infected rather than protecting uninfected people from acquiring infection.” He added that the “typical mask you buy in the drug store is not really effective in keeping out virus, which is small enough to pass through material.” So we are torturing our children inhibiting their breathing by requiring masks in the fall?
The understanding about the effectiveness of masks and guidance about wearing them evolved during the pandemic, as did Dr. Fauci’s position on their use.
Dr. Fauci did respond to questions about the Feb. 5 email you are referencing during a June 3 appearance on CNN, Fauci said his understanding changed as more information became available about asymptomatic transmission of the virus and the effectiveness of masks outside of hospitals.
“If we realized all of those things back then, of course, you’re asking the question, would you have done something different if you knew what you know now, of course people would have done that. It’s so obvious,” noted Dr. Fauci.
Nevertheless, all schools in California, both public and private, follow California Department of Public Health guidelines which currently require all people on a school campus to wear face coverings. Generally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and CDPH guidelines are fairly consistent with CDC providing federal guidance and CDPH providing state level guidance.
As the majority of children are not vaccinated, it is likely that the new CDPH school guidelines will still require students to continue to wear face coverings at school and on school buses. As we have throughout the pandemic, PVUSD will continue to follow CDPH guidelines and requirements.
The health and safety of our educational community is still a priority.
