Katherine Stewart (2min) — Asked about re-establishing transfer students, requested Mandarin immersion instruction at least three days a week, and urged the district to survey parents about work schedules to inform hybrid scheduling.
Christy Herrera (3min) — A kindergarten teacher with 19 years of experience expressed concerns about the hybrid model for kindergartners and advocated for 100% distance learning for TK/K students at the start of the year.
Sarah Latora (3min) — A parent of two praised Clifford Elementary staff, raised concerns about mask barriers for students with vision issues, requested consistent sibling scheduling, and supported team teaching and a district-wide virtual classroom for full-distance families.
Sandy Hoover (2min) — A TK teacher at Clifford advocated for the full distance learning model to keep all staff, students, and families safe and to allow a positive introduction to school routines before returning in person.
Jacqueline Rodriguez (2min) — A parent leader proposed the creation of a parent committee to collaborate with the district on decisions about returning to school.
Alexandra Sawiski (2min) — An essential worker and single guardian expressed concerns about child care support for working parents and about support for non-Spanish-speaking families in the immersion program.
Maria Elena Arteaga (2min) — A parent leader echoed the request for a parent committee to be involved in decisions about the return to school.
Jenny Overby (2min) — A teacher thanked Dr. Baker and the board for the professional development week and asked what the plan is for regular COVID-19 testing of all district staff.
Abid Kama (4min) — A Stanford instructor asked whether there is data comparing direct teacher instruction versus packaged online modules, and whether there is a plan to make up for lost instructional hours.
Michelle S.M. (5min) — A speaker raised questions about why Fridays were chosen as the off day rather than Wednesday for cleaning, expressed concern about young children maintaining six-foot distancing, and stressed the need for child care solutions for both families and teachers.
Mercedes Nording (5min) — A parent from Adelante and her husband Rex asked what the educational goals and expectations are for the new school year, whether grading will return, and whether there will be improved interactivity rather than just task assignment.
Rosemary Campos (4min) — A parent asked why a five-day AM/PM program is not feasible, raised concerns about the immersion component in all three models, asked how decision-making committees were formed, and questioned how teachers with health concerns would be accommodated and how cleaning frequency would be addressed.
Jen Cook (2min) — A parent of an incoming kindergartner expressed concern that none of the proposed models would be sustainable or effective for a child entering a Spanish immersion program via distance learning.
Christopher Rosan (1min) — A parent from Adelante echoed concerns about kindergartners falling behind in language immersion and suggested that unused district campuses could alleviate space constraints.
Michelle Buetler (4min) — A teacher expressed concern that school cannot function normally under all the restrictions, particularly for primary and special education students, and encouraged creative solutions such as weekly in-person check-ins and leveraging teachers who prefer to work from home.
Ceri Phillips (3min) — A parent of a first grader and incoming kindergartner stressed that learning loss is a long-term concern and that 85% of parents want their children back in school, urging the district to think creatively about safe in-person options.
Ali Gilmore (6min) — A parent of a student with an IEP asked for more detail about plans for special education accommodations, therapy services, and whether IEP modifications or outside service providers are being considered.
Heather Morey (1min) — A PE Plus representative thanked the district for its partnership during the pandemic and expressed readiness to support the district in whatever form next year takes.
Patricia Tez (1min) — A community member from North Fair Oaks asked about school lunch continuity during distance learning, how teachers would identify students suffering abuse at home, how non-English-speaking parents would be supported with technology, and what mental health support would be available for students.
Victor Hernandez (2min) — The executive director of PCC School Age Childcare offered the program's support to the district for child care needs, noting they had successfully supported distance learning and were ready to expand capacity at a new campus if needed.
Karina Perez (1min) — A parent from Garfield Community School advocated for Option 1 (full distance learning), arguing that Option 2 is unworkable given parent hesitancy and that Option 3 places too much burden on teachers.
Daniel Hecht (1min) — A parent of an upcoming first grader at Adelante expressed serious concerns about education quality in the fall and asked how many parents have expressed interest in withdrawing from public school.
Marlena Goanna (4min) — A special education instructional assistant described the physical care needs of her students, including diapering and managing runners, explained how distance learning had produced remarkable progress for her students this year, and expressed worry about regression and challenges with health protocols when students return.
Carrie Schmidt (6min) — A bilingual teacher with 25 years at Hoover acknowledged the trauma of the transition to distance learning, emphasized the importance of social-emotional monitoring, expressed concern about students who rely on school as a safe space, and personally favored a hybrid model while acknowledging the virus constrains all options.