Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
The Palo Alto Unified School District will become one of the first school districts in the Bay Area to return to face-to-face classes after its board decided at its last meeting that middle and high school students will be able to return to the classroom starting March 1.
Don Austin, superintendent of the Palo Alto Unified School District, said on his Twitter account that the school board presented a reopening plan that also agreed to have sixth-graders return during the week of March 1.
And that is, students in grades seven through 12 will be in the classroom as soon as Santa Clara County moves into the red on mobility and openness restrictions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, and stays there for more than five days.
However, even though the level of restriction could change in the next few days, the Board agreed that the return to school will not happen before March 1.
The school official also said the Palo Alto Unified School District will soon be sending out surveys in a few weeks to plan for the 2021-2022 school year.
It should be noted that the Mountain View Los Altos School District is also considering a similar plan, where seniors can go to the classroom next month.
According to the Mercury News, Austin noted that only a fraction of students who said they would like to return to face-to-face classes are expected to actually do so.
This, he said, after approximately 58 percent of Palo Alto parents at the three middle schools surveyed said they would return for in-person instruction.
Virtual classes will not end even though children and youth return to school, as students are expected to stay in what Austin called "Zoom rooms" with a teacher.
In addition, classes are expected to be 10 students or less. While those students who prefer to stay at home will be able to do so and continue with the online classes from home.
"They can attend either way and don't have to commit for the whole year," Austin said. "That would alleviate some anxiety around what seems like a high-risk decision. It allows students to easily stay home if they don't feel well or don't want to travel, and it should reduce the instances of people coming to school."
The announcement comes amid protests both for and against the children returning to the classroom, especially when there is no guarantee that they will follow protocols that will help them avoid bringing the virus home or contracting it.
While many of the teachers have not yet been vaccinated and there are no changes in the ventilation systems in the schools.
