Dixon Schools Stay Closed Through April 17

By Debra Dingman

At a special Dixon Unified School District Meeting held this past Friday via live Facebook, Superintendent of Schools Brian Dolan and School Board Representatives extended school closures through April 17 and discussed several issues including graduation expectations for this year’s high school seniors.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a news conference that due to the Corona Virus efforts, he did not expect California schools to open up next week or even in a few weeks.

Nearly all school districts in the state, 98.8%, are closed in response to the Coronavirus pandemic and the state education department is assembling detailed guidelines on how schools can attempt to continue teaching 6.1 million students out of their classrooms in the weeks and months ahead, according to a recent Los Angeles Times article.

It was gloomy news for the approximate 200-plus Dixon High School seniors who will most likely not be able to experience the usual June graduation plans. A July 4 celebration/graduation was one idea brought up. Seniors will be receiving information in their student accounts on Monday.

“If we close for the school year, we are not going to be able to cover everything students need to complete, so we looked at what’s most essential for our students to know or do at this time,” said Nick Girimonte, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services.

“There’s always a chance for a traditional June graduation, but at this point, we aren’t making any plans that far out and we’re taking the news and information day by day,” said Board Rep Caitlin O’Halloran.

Dolan did commit to trying everything possible to hold a graduation for both DHS and Maine Prairie High School whenever that might be possible.

In other news and beginning this Monday, there is a plan to distribute computers to students—one per family—so that students who do not have a computer at home will be able to learn school plans, do schoolwork, and converse with other students. There is a schedule by last names for distribution on the DUSD website. The ‘Distance Learning Program’ kicks off March 31, an online curriculum they are building as fast as they can of "good curriculum."

Dixon teachers are getting together this week to create plans of learning curriculum for one week’s worth of study and they hope to have it working on the online platform by Friday. Since the Governor said there would be no state testing this Spring, Dolan added, “at least that was off their shoulders.”

Fifth Grade Science Camp was cancelled, and refunds will be issued although there was a suggestion from school board members to have a camp next year for the students who will be 6th graders so that will be checked into, said Dolan.

During the time the schools are closed, there has been extensive cleaning and disinfecting, work on feeding the children under age 18, and full pay for DUSD staff, he said.

"There is a master plan to the madness and and we want to show appreciation to all involved," said O'Halloran. For suggestions or comments, there is a mailbox outside the District Office that is checked daily. For more information go to dixonusd.org/schoolclosureinformation.