PUSD’s application to expand in-person instruction denied by CDPH
PUSD Parents, please stay tuned for guidance on how we can help respond to this unacceptable and arbitrary decision. We cannot stand silent and allow our state to continue withholding our children’s access to on-campus instruction.
See below for the message from PUSD Superintendent.
POWAY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
10:45 PM
Dear PUSD Families,
Late this evening, we were informed by Governor Newsom’s representative, Dr. Naomi Bardach, Lead of the Safe Schools for All Team for the State of California that our application to expand in-person teaching and learning for middle and high school students was not approved by the CDPH. We are incredibly frustrated by this arbitrary decision, as the application had the full support of the San Diego County Public Health Officer, Dr. Wilma Wooten, and her team, after a thorough review.
This evening I spoke directly with Dr. Bardach to appeal the decision. Dr. Bardach was unwilling to change the ruling and said it was final. She stated that her approval of our application was contingent upon each cohort of students remaining in one classroom with a single teacher for the entire day. This is not possible for our secondary students, as they all have multiple teachers, courses, and schedules. Other North County school districts also submitted appeals to reopen. Their applications were also denied tonight based on this unrealistic condition not being met.
Our plan is to still be able to reopen during the week of March 15. If San Diego County continues its downward trend in case rates, it is projected that our County will be in the red tier by March 16. That would allow us to reopen middle and high schools starting March 17. The County moving into the red tier would allow us to move forward with reopening our middle and high regardless of the CDPH’s decision.
Our District, schools, and staff have worked tirelessly to establish safe reopening plans that adhere to all local and State requirements (COVID-19 School Safety Plan, CDPH checklist, Reopening Guidebook, etc.). We’ve established effective contact tracing and quarantining processes. We’ve added filtration devices and upgraded ventilation systems in all of our classrooms and schools. We've implemented enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols. We've implemented physical distancing and mask requirements. And we have successfully advocated for the prioritization of vaccinations for our staff.
We are committed to ensuring that we are able to welcome our middle and high school students back during the week of March 15. We are confident our reopening plan is comprehensive and addresses all conditions and protocols as required by public health officials. We apologize for the late email, but we wanted you to hear the news as soon as we were made aware. We will continue to keep you informed as we push forward with the reopening of our middle and high schools for our students.
Respectfully,
Marian Kim Phelps, Ed.D.
Superintendent
The Poway Unified School District (PUSD) is an equal opportunity employer/program and is committed to an active Nondiscrimination Program. PUSD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, ethnic group identification, ancestry, religion, gender, gender identification, mental or physical disability. For more information, please contact the Associate Superintendent, Personnel Support Services, Poway Unified School District, 15250 Avenue of Science, San Diego, CA 92128-3406.
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