Wiseburn Unified School DistrictSummary of Jan. 7, 2021 Special Board Meeting
On Thursday, January 7, at 6 p.m., the WUSD School Board gathered over Zoom for a Special Board Meeting to discuss the prospective return to school for students, with a focus on TK-2 and the associated waiver.
In addition to listening to public comments, board members discussed community sentiment and heard a presentation delivered by Superintendent Blake Silvers with an update on the current county COVID-19 metrics and considerations and recommendations for Wiseburn's in-person instructional plans:
Following the presentation, board members provided some of the below featured direction to District staff regarding the District’s COVID-19 operations:
- Due to the current risk COVID-19 presents in Los Angeles County, TK-2 students will not return to campus under the granted waiver from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on January 25, 2021, as previously discussed.
- Presently and with urgency, the District will look at our Distance Learning schedules and change as appropriate to focus on more live virtual instruction.
- With current knowledge of the COVID-19 metrics in mind, April 12, 2021 is the earliest possible date of return for TK-2 students under the waiver.
- At the regularly-scheduled board meeting on March 11, 2021, the District will explore our current circumstances and make a decision for April. We want to see safer COVID-19 numbers that can be sustained over time.
- If there is any return to in-person instruction this year, it will be in a "cohort model," meaning students would return only in a small cohort capacity, and not in groups of greater than 12 students per classroom.
- Wiseburn's Special Education Cohorts will not return to campus until at least February 1. The region's current Stay at Home order must be lifted before the return.
- However, individual in-person assessments/specialized services will continue to stay compliant with federal legislation.
- The District should explore a plan to support our students who are "at promise" and/or who need specialized support that may consist of a small cohort model. This would be after the Safer at Home order is lifted.