Christy Herrera (3min) — A 19-year kindergarten teacher argued that the hybrid model is unworkable for kindergartners given COVID restrictions, and strongly recommended 100% distance learning for TK/K students to avoid trauma and allow proper acclimation.
Sarah Latora (3min) — A parent of a third and fifth grader praised Clifford Elementary staff, raised concerns about mask-wearing barriers for children with vision/sensory issues, requested consistent scheduling for siblings, suggested grouping full-distance-learning students across sites with a single teacher, and supported team teaching.
Sandy Hoover (2min) — A TK teacher at Clifford advocated for full distance learning as the best model to keep staff, students, and families safe while still delivering curriculum, and suggested it would allow children to acclimate positively 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, and thanked board members who met with parents.
Alexandra Sawiski (2min) — An essential worker and sole guardian expressed concern about lack of support for working parents during distance learning, and asked for help with the Spanish-language component of her child's Adelante immersion program.
Maria Elena Arteaga (2min) — A parent leader echoed the request for a parent committee to be involved in back-to-school decision-making and thanked board members who attended parent meetings.
Jenny Overby (2min) — A teacher thanked Dr. Baker and the board for the professional development week, praised frontline essential workers, and asked what the district's plan is for regular COVID testing of all staff before and during the school year.
Abid Kama (4min) — A Stanford instructor asked whether there is data showing that live teacher instruction is more effective than packaged online modules, and also asked whether there is a plan to make up lost instructional hours and whether staff would be compensated for them.
Michelle S.M. (5min) — A community member questioned why Fridays were chosen as the off/cleaning day rather than Wednesday, raised concerns about enforcing six-foot distancing with young children, supported the idea of district-wide distance-learning teachers for students not returning, and stressed the need for child care solutions for both families and teachers.
Mercedes Northen and Rex Northen (6min) — Two parents speaking together asked the district to articulate clear educational goals for the new year — including restoring grading, increasing teacher-student interactivity, and improving Spanish immersion instruction — expressing concern that lowered expectations harm all students, especially those who were excelling or most disadvantaged.
Rosemary Campos (4min) — A parent asked for more explanation of why a five-day AM/PM model is not feasible, raised concerns about immersion program quality in all three models, asked how decision-making committees were formed, and questioned how teachers with health concerns will be accommodated and whether cleaning staff capacity is sufficient.
Jen Cook (2min) — A parent of an incoming kindergartner expressed serious doubt that any of the proposed models can effectively deliver Spanish immersion to a five-year-old in a home without native Spanish speakers, and asked for clear communication to incoming kinder families about how immersion challenges will be mitigated.
Christopher Rosan (1min) — A parent echoed concerns about immersion fundamentals for kindergartners at Adelante/Selby, and suggested that unused open campuses in the district could be utilized to address space constraints for physical distancing.
Michelle Buetler (4min) — A teacher expressed doubt that school can function normally under COVID restrictions, especially for primary and special-education students, and called for creative outside-the-box thinking such as one in-person day per week combined with flexible remote learning, and allowing medically vulnerable teachers to serve larger distance-learning caseloads.
Ceri Phillips (3min) — A parent of a first grader and incoming kindergartner stressed that the learning loss is a long-term issue affecting the whole year, argued that kindergartners cannot effectively learn online with a teacher they have never met in person, and noted that even non-essential workers will eventually need to return to work and require child care support.
Ali Gilmore (4min) — A parent of a child receiving IEP therapy services asked for more detail on plans for special education — both mainstream accommodations and therapy services — noting that remote learning has been largely inaccessible or ineffective for students with special needs and asking whether outside providers, IEP modifications, or different in-person models are being considered.
Heather Morey (1min) — Speaking on behalf of PE Plus, she thanked the district for its partnership and the professional development time, and offered PE Plus's continued support in whatever form next year takes.
Patricia Tez (1min) — Speaking on behalf of North Fair Oaks area parents, she asked about continuity of school lunch and dinner programs under distance learning, how teachers will detect child abuse when not seeing students in person, and how the district will support non-English-speaking, non-tech-savvy parents and students experiencing depression or housing/job instability.
Victor Hernandez (2min) — Executive Director of PCC School Age Childcare offered PCC's support to the district in providing child care, noting they successfully supported distance learning during the last two weeks of school and are ready to expand capacity at their current or a new campus.
Karina Perez (1min) — A Garfield parent of two children advocated for Option 1 (full distance learning), arguing that Option 2 is unworkable given parent refusals and that Option 3 places too heavy a burden on teachers, while praising her children's teachers for their communication and virtual classes.
Daniel Hecht (1min) — A parent of an upcoming first grader at Adelante Selby expressed dissatisfaction with all proposed plans, raised the possibility of homeschooling or private school, and asked how many parents have expressed interest in leaving the district and how that affects enrollment and funding.
Marlena Goanna (4min) — A special education paraeducator working with kinder–second grade students with significant needs described the physical impossibility of maintaining six-foot distance while caring for students who need diaper changes, hand-over-hand support, or have elopement behaviors, and reported remarkable student progress during distance learning, expressing worry about regression if students return under restrictive conditions.
Carrie Schmidt (6min) — A 25-year bilingual teacher and reading specialist at Hoover acknowledged the trauma of the switch to distance learning, emphasized the importance of social-emotional wellbeing and parent partnership, expressed concern about children who depend on school as a safe haven, and said she personally favors a hybrid model but recognizes the virus ultimately dictates what is possible.
Nora Aguirre (1min) — Did not speak — the board was unable to locate or unmute her; a board member noted that the Special Ed Director Dr. Palino would call her the following day regarding her special education questions raised at a prior meeting.
Item details
Rationale: Superintendent John Baker and Liz Wolfe will present the district's work to date on the safe reopening of RCSD school campuses this fall of 2020-21. As we plan to reopen schools in the fall, district leadership has followed The San Mateo County Pandemic Recovery Framework for Schools , which provides all San Mateo County school leaders with the health, education, and legal guidance needed to develop local plans for the safe reopening of school campuses in San Mateo County. Campuses have been closed since March in response to community spread of COVID-19. Tonight's presentation will give the board and community an idea of what school could look like beginning August 19, 2020. Note: The presentation to this board agenda item will be uploaded on Tuesday, June 2nd. Financial Impact: None at the moment. Submission for Approval Prepared by: John R. Baker, Ed.D., Superintendent Approved by: John R. Baker, Ed.D., Superintendent §
Item details
Financial Impact: $1,547,715.00 Additional increase of hourly stipends and overnight stipends for teachers to be determined as needed. Submission for Approval Prepared by: Wendy Kelly, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources & Educational Services 6-8 Approved by: John R. Baker, Ed.D., Superintendent §