Superintendent's Message

June 12, 2020

Dear Moreland Parent Community,

This year is drawing to an end unlike any other in past years. The transition to summer for our students ends with a quick glimpse of their teacher and other school staff collecting their devices and returning their items left in the classroom prior to the COVID19 shutdown. We are also rolling out promotion videos to our 5th and 8th grades to celebrate this accomplishment in their lives.

As we all work toward what the fall might bring, keep in mind that every answer is not clear yet and throughout the summer the landscape of how schools are being asked to respond to this crisis will change. In order to keep everyone informed about what we know and when, we will be providing updates on our website periodically through the summer and will be sending communication directly to parents as new guidance and direction from the Santa Clara County Public Health Department (SCCPHD) and the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) become available.

I greatly appreciate the time our community of parents took to complete the survey about the opening in the fall. We have evaluated all the data and have created a summary of the responses. You can access the results here. Additionally, our staff survey is also available on our website if you are interested in seeing the results of that survey.

The Task Force has concluded the work of identifying the three types of learning models the SCCOE and SCCPHD asked all schools to create in order to be prepared for any situation that might arise in the fall related to the COVID19 pandemic and the opening of schools. In our deliberation, we included information from the surveys, small and large group staff discussions, parent outreach, best practices for a quality instructional program, enhanced safety and cleaning protocols, the restrictions and guidelines provided by the SCCOE and the SCCPHD, and the serious constraints of the state budget reductions for Moreland. It is important to mention that the diversity of our community was reflected in the diversity of the solutions presented in the surveys and outreach and we have tried to achieve models that would support all our children and staff in a safe learning environment.

As promised, we have identified our three model types, Formal Distance Learning (Stage 1 as outlined in the Governor’s Pandemic Roadmap), Hybrid Model: In-Person Instruction & Part-Time Teacher Planned Distance Learning (Stage 2 & 3), and Schools Fully Open (Stage 4). Attached is a flyer that outlines the three stages and some of the learning structures, safety measures, and specifics related to each. Keep in mind that the Moreland School District does not decide which stage we are in as the fall approaches. That decision will be made by the SCCPHD and all schools in Santa Clara County will be in the same stage come fall. We anticipate knowing more about the direction of the County decision in mid-July. Our intensity around preplanning is to make Moreland as prepared as possible in our mission to provide the best quality of education possible.

Safety of our staff and students in all three models is of highest priority. Therefore, we are securing the necessary supplies and preparing rigorous cleaning protocols for all three models. Requirements about masks, student screening protocols, etc. will be more clearly defined for schools toward the end of June. As these changes in protocol are shared with us, we will fine-tune our plans to be ready for the changes. Currently, district staff is securing the needed resources (as they become available) to be ready for what is to come. It is likely that students will be required to wear masks at some level and therefore, we are asking that parents familiarize their children with this reality to prepare for the fall. Providing children with a mask that feels comfortable to them and helping them to see this as something that keeps them safe would help considerably as we transition into the fall.

In California, students are required to attend school and as of this communication, no waivers have been released at the state level to change that reality. In order to provide support for our autoimmune compromised students to meet the above state requirement, we are offering the option of our homeschooling program. This is not a distance learning model but an alternative path for parents to meet the compulsory education guidelines. Instruction would be from the parent under the guidance of a teacher. Additionally, students enrolled in this program would not hold a spot at their regular school site but rather be enrolled in this alternative program. Once we know more about the model being offered, we will share more information on our website about this program. Currently, we are not taking registration in this program until we have a better knowledge of the type of opening we are considering in the fall.

For those of you seeking summer camp opportunities, we have opened our Summer Camp program at Easterbrook Discovery School this summer. You can register and receive more information here.

Moreland will be providing FREE MEALS to families throughout the summer. You don’t need to qualify and any family with a child under 18 can participate. Please see this flyer for more details.

As you and your family enter the quieter days of summer, please know that we greatly appreciate the partnership we have with all of you and your continued community collaboration around this situation. We know that the uncertainty of the Fall creates stress and anxiety for you...and for us. We are committed to open, transparent communication with our community as we navigate these challenging times together. I personally wish you rest and relaxation this summer and hope that your life and the lives of your children enter a normal state of safe summer fun soon.