LASD Town Hall Summary

Thank you to all who joined us at Monday evening's Town Hall meeting with Superintendent Jeffrey Baier. We discussed our Virtual School, Summer Learning for All and planning for the 2020-21 school year.

Click here to watch a recording of the full Town Hall.

Click here to view a PDF of the meeting presentation.

Participants in the Town Hall asked questions and others have emailed to ask about various plans for this and next year. We've summarized those that are most relevant for the community as a whole below. Please email Superintendent Baier at jbaier@lasdschools.org if you have any additional questions, concerns or feedback as we move ahead. As always, we value and encourage your feedback.

What is the plan to reopen for the 2020-21 school year?

While we all want a return to normalcy next school year, Governor Newsom has clearly signaled our schools will need to operate differently in the midst of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Our plan for the 2020-21 school year will evaluate all aspects of student learning, instruction, finances and operations in the district to ensure we meet all state and local public health requirements to reopen safely.

Planning is already underway and we hope to share plans with the community soon. Please join us for upcoming Board meetings as the planning unfolds. We will also provide regular communication through the Superintendent's Newsletter and Board Highlights.

How will LASD's Virtual School change and improve next year?

Our entire community of families, students and teachers pulled together to quickly implement our Virtual School this year. We moved from emergency remote teaching to a distance learning program. We are now preparing to improve and innovate in our Virtual School in anticipation that distance learning will need to continue in some form or frequency in the 2020-21 school year.

All teachers will participate in a robust professional development program June 1-10 to create instructional consistency across schools, improve our Virtual School and ensure the program meets the needs of our diverse student body. Additionally, the district will be asking parents, students and teachers to participate in surveys to gain insights on areas to improve the program for the fall.

What is the date of the first day of the 2020-21 school year?

The first day of school is scheduled for August 19, 2020. Each district's school calendar is established by its school board. The LASD school board has not received any guidance to change the already scheduled date for the first day of school.

Will there be summer school this year?

Due to public health requirements, LASD will not be offering its traditional summer school program. Instead, we have developed a virtual program called Summer Learning for All that is available for all students at every grade level.

What is Summer Learning for All?

While summer participation is not mandatory, the first segment of the program will coincide with our last eight days of school and all students are required to participate. Your child's teacher will offer a few live Google Meet sessions to discuss the first segment. For the rest of the summer, students will work independently through weekly online grade-level activities to encourage them to review and practice reading and mathematics during the summer in preparation for the next school year. In addition, students will receive weekly projects that explore the critical skills and habits we teach and foster in LASD so students develop the capabilities they need for lifelong learning. For more information, visit the Summer Learning for All website.

What are the specific models of instruction the district is considering for 2020-21?

At this time, a team of teachers, administrators and principals are discussing many potential instructional models. Between a model that brings back all students to campus and one that is fully virtual, there are many hybrid or blended instructional options to consider. We will keep our community posted and seek input as we continue to evaluate all of these models. Because state and local public health guidelines to reopen schools are currently unknown, our plan will be flexible so that we can adjust at any time to ensure we meet changing requirements.

Will the plans for next year also include instruction for students with special needs?

Yes. Representatives from our Special Education Department are part of our 2020-21 school year planning team. As always, our special education staff will continue to work with students who have IEPs to ensure they continue to meet goals, make progress and receive the best education possible, while taking public health requirements into account.

Does the district anticipate financial challenges due to the economic impacts of COVID-19?

It is clear that LASD will experience declines in revenue in the current and upcoming years. As we plan for the future, preparing for financial challenges in these uncertain times is essential to long term success. We will begin discussions this school year with the Board of Trustees and our Citizens' Advisory Committee for Finance to determine how we can weather the financial impacts of COVID-19. As always, we will keep our community informed of these discussions so you may provide valuable feedback to help inform our financial decisions.

How can I stay up to date and provide feedback regarding LASD's plans for reopening?

Please join us for upcoming Board meetings on May 26, June 1 and June 8, when the Board will continue to discuss our plans for reopening. The emailed Superintendent Newsletter and Board Highlights will also keep our community informed as we continue to plan. Surveys will be emailed to parents, students and teachers later this week. You may also email Superintendent Baier at jbaier@lasdschools.org with feedback, comments or questions.

Website: lasdschools.org
Location: 201 Covington Road, Los Altos, CA, USA
Phone: 650-947-1150