Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

The purpose of this message is to provide a brief update on COVID-19 developments, Governor Gavin Newsom’s “Safe Schools for All” plan which he presented in late December, and the District’s commitment to reopen schools when it is safe to do so.  

COVID-19 Update

We are continuing to monitor the various COVID-19 metrics in our County and based on guidance and directives from the Governor’s Office, the California Department of Public Health, San Bernardino County Department of Public Health (SBCDPH), and the California Department of Education we are finalizing a plan to return students to school once it is safe to do so. We recognize the virus is surging within our County and the detection of a new more contagious strain of the virus has caused apprehension about coming back to school for in-person instruction for many families. We also recognize that our student’s social and emotional needs are a priority, and they need to be able to meet with teachers and their peers soon. It is our goal to ensure that students learn in the safest possible environment that will support both academic and emotional needs. We will continue to keep our stakeholders informed as we progress towards a date for reopening our high schools. You may click here to access the County website for updates on COVID-19 metrics each week.  

Governor’s California Safe Schools for All Plan

On December 30, 2020 Governor Newsom proposed an aggressive plan to incentivize the reopening of schools that includes funding and technical support measures to resume on-campus instruction by mid-February or March. He shared that his plan was prompted by research suggesting that, with proper mitigation efforts, a safe return to school was possible. He noted that the plan was designed to address negative social and emotional impacts as well as the disruption to learning and failing grades that have occurred for many students during their prolonged online learning experience. His California Safe Schools for All Plan, Safe Schools for All Plan Summary, specifically encourages elementary schools and at-risk students to return to in-person instruction. We do know that San Bernardino County is currently in the highest "widespread risk" tier on the state tracking data, and this Purple Tier designation still limits our ability to reopen high schools. The distribution of vaccines and the placement of educators in a higher priority category will help the effort to move forward once new cases and positivity rates stabilize.

As the semester progresses, our Superintendent will be involved in several meetings with County health officials where we expect to get additional details that will guide our plans to reopen. As we progress through this dialogue, we will keep you informed of these developments, but please know we remain committed to keeping the safety of our staff and students, and the specific needs of this District, at the forefront of any future reopening decisions. The entire issue of reopening schools is an emotional one, with various comfort levels and needs regarding in-person instruction. We recognize this, and we vow to work together with our families to provide safe alternatives that they can choose from.

Second Semester

As a District, we have seriously reflected on our experiences from first semester. We have spent time listening to students, parents, and staff to see how we can improve distance learning to effectively meet the needs of our students. As a result of these conversations, we made some adjustments for second semester. These adjustments include: an earlier 2nd period start time of 9:30 a.m. on Mondays, a revised distance learning schedule, and the opportunity for remediation of first semester D or F grades for students. We believe this fresh start for our students, along with effective interventions, will lead to increased student engagement and success.

Although we have experienced significant challenges since March 13, 2020, this community continues to provide hope for our students. Caring, individualized attention, and being compassionate and understanding make a positive difference in a student's day. I believe there will be brighter days ahead, but until then we will strive to ensure that our students have the opportunity to feel connected and supported to their school communities through your patience and guidance.

CJUHSD Parents,

Reopening Timeline:

Students in the Chaffey District will finish the 2020 Semester and then begin the 2^nd Semester in the current distance learning model due to the State’s closure mandates associated with the rise in COVID-19 cases and following consultation with the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health.

Unlike elementary schools, high schools are not permitted, under State mandate, to open until 28 days after all three required metrics are below the most at-risk Widespread (purple) Tier’s threshold - see the SB COVID-19 Dashboard below. I In order to consider an in-person reopening, it will first entail two weeks of numbers in all required metrics dropping below the threshold while in the purple tier and then two additional weeks with stable numbers in the Substantial (red) Tier. Unfortunately, at this time, new case rates are trending upward and health official are estimating we won’t see a reverse trend until after the holidays.

Small Groups Return on November 9^th (voluntary):

Irrespective of the County’s tier status, the State has approved some at-risk students and students in outdoor extracurriculars to return in small student cohorts to campuses under strict safety protocols. The District is working with schools to plan for these groups to return, which may include: special needs students, students struggling with distance learning, and extracurriculars (athletics, performing arts, and other student groups). No staff member or student will be required to return as decisions will be strictly voluntary. For additional details, please contact your school’s administrator.

Survey/Registration for Hybrid Learning:

As we move toward the end of this 1^st Semester and begin 2^nd Semester, we will continue to prepare and develop our reopening plan for when it is determined to be safe and permissible to return. This month, students will be asked to complete a registration survey indicating whether they want to participate in a hybrid model once it is permissible to reopen or remain on distance learning. For now, we will focus on completing this current semester by continuing to provide distanced daily instruction and support to all students. Our students have the functioning technology they need, along with access to counseling to support their academic, social emotional, and mental health needs. It will be important for students to take advantage of interventions such as tutoring and individualized help during class time or teachers’ office hours. Support with finals and end-of-semester projects will remain available for students who need assistance. 

Please do not hesitate to reach out to teachers, counselors, administrators, or my office if you need any support. This is a uniquely challenging time for our students, and we will commit to do all we can to help and keep you informed.

Mat Holton, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Chaffey Joint Union High School District

The information shown below is updated weekly by the County and State. If you would like to monitor our status over the next few months you may click here to view the County website. We urge you to also visit our District website frequently for reopening updates.

SB County COVID 19 Dashboard: CDPH Monitoring Metrics as of November 10, 2020.

Padres de familia del CJUHSD,

Línea de Tiempo de la Reapertura: 

Los estudiantes del distrito Chaffey terminarán el semestre de 2020 y luego comenzarán el segundo semestre en el modelo actual de educación a distancia debido a los mandatos de cierre del estado asociados con el aumento de casos de COVID-19 y luego de consultar con el Departamento de Salud Pública del Condado de San Bernardino.

A diferencia de las escuelas primarias, las escuelas secundarias no pueden abrir, según el mandato estatal, hasta 28 días después de que las tres métricas requeridas estén por debajo del umbral de nivel generalizado (morado) de mayor riesgo; consulte el Tablero SB COVID-19 a continuación. Para considerar una reapertura en persona, primero implicará dos semanas de números en todas las métricas requeridas que caen por debajo del umbral mientras se encuentra en el nivel morado y luego dos semanas adicionales con números estables en el nivel Sustancial (rojo).

Desafortunadamente, en este momento, las tasas de casos nuevos tienen una tendencia al alza y los funcionarios de salud estiman que no veremos una tendencia inversa hasta después de los días feriados.

Regreso de grupos pequeños el 9 de noviembre (voluntario):

Independientemente del estado del nivel del condado, el estado ha aprobado que algunos estudiantes en riesgo y estudiantes en actividades extracurriculares al aire libre regresen en pequeñas cohortes/grupos de estudiantes a los campus bajo estrictos protocolos de seguridad. El Distrito está trabajando con las escuelas para planificar el regreso de estos grupos, que pueden incluir: estudiantes con necesidades especiales, estudiantes que tienen dificultades con la educación a distancia y actividades extracurriculares (atletismo, artes escénicas y otros grupos de estudiantes). No se requerirá que ningún miembro del personal o estudiante regrese ya que las decisiones serán estrictamente voluntarias. Para obtener detalles adicionales, comuníquese con el personal administrativo de su escuela.

Encuesta / Registro para un sistema de enseñanza híbrido:

A medida que avanzamos hacia el final de este primer semestre y comenzamos el segundo semestre, continuaremos preparando y desarrollando nuestro plan de reapertura para cuando se determine que es seguro y esté permitido regresar. Este mes, se les pedirá a los estudiantes que completen una encuesta de registro indicando si desean participar en un sistema híbrido una vez que esté permitido reabrir o permanecer en la educación a distancia. Por ahora, nos enfocaremos en completar este semestre actual al continuar brindando instrucción académica y apoyo diario a distancia a todos los estudiantes. Nuestros estudiantes tienen la tecnología funcional que necesitan, junto con acceso a orientación/asesoría para apoyar sus necesidades académicas, socioemocionales y de salud mental. Será importante que los estudiantes aprovechen las intervenciones como la tutoría y la ayuda individualizada durante el tiempo de clase o el horario de oficina del personal docente. El apoyo con los proyectos finales y de fin de semestre seguirá estando disponible para los estudiantes que necesiten ayuda.

No dude en comunicarse con el personal docente, orientadores, personal administrativo o mi oficina si necesita apoyo. Este es un momento excepcionalmente difícil para nuestros estudiantes, y nos comprometeremos a hacer todo lo posible para ayudarlos y mantenerlos informados.

Mat Holton, Ed.D. 

Superintendente

Distrito Unificado de Escuelas Secundarias Chaffey

El Condado y el Estado actualizan semanalmente la información que se muestra a continuación. Si desea monitorear nuestro status durante los próximos meses, puede hacer clic aquí para ver el sitio web del condado. Le pedimos a que también visite nuestro sitio web del Distrito con frecuencia en relación con las actualizaciones de la reapertura.

Panel de control COVID 19 del condado de SB: Métricas de monitoreo de CDPH