Gilroy Update From Superintendent Flores- April 10

Press release from the Gilroy Unified School District:

April 10, 2020

Dear GUSD staff and families:

I hope this week has been a restful one for you, as we spent Spring Break in our new normal. I spent this week regrouping and gearing up for one of the biggest projects I’ve ever been involved in as a Superintendent: the official launch of distance learning for over 11,000 students in the Gilroy Unified School District. I think our entire school community has been anticipating April 13 with a mixture of nervousness and excitement, for the last three weeks. There are so many questions that we all have: how is this going to work? Are we ready? Can we make this happen? I’ve asked them all too, and I have come to a very clear realization: the answer is YES we can, and YES we will, because that is the only choice we have. We can and we will because our school community is flexible, resilient and graceful: all characteristics we must model as we move into this new phase of education.

I want to highlight the work of our teaching staff as they prepare to transition the lessons taught in their physical classrooms into a virtual realm. They have spent countless hours in trainings to learn how to conduct WebEx meetings, become more familiar with Google Classroom, and will embark on video teaching and virtual office hours beginning Monday, April 13. I want to remind you all that this entire undertaking is a work in progress, and we all acknowledge that the learning curve for staff, students and families will be very steep. Please be patient as we work through circumstances that will undoubtedly arise following our first day of distance learning. I know that once we work through the initial hiccups, we will settle into a routine that works. Please continue to check the Distance Learning page on our website frequently for information: https://www.gilroyunified.org/novel-coronavirus-information/gusd-distance-learning

Here are some updates for you:

To date, we have distributed over 1,800 Chromebooks to families in Gilroy. We have had over 6,000 families indicate that they have a technology need. Our Ed Services team and IT Department are working hard to accommodate all of these requests, and I ask you to continue being patient. I understand many of you are concerned because you haven’t been contacted for Chromebook distribution yet, and I can assure you we are working as quickly as we can. If you do not have a Chromebook to begin distance learning on Monday, there are a few things that you can do:

1. Complete the new Technology Needs survey: https://forms.gle/fG4qxPT3XvN5NkfT6. Then make sure you check the email you used to complete the survey often to find out the distribution date and appointment time for pick-up. Make sure you check your spam or junk mail folders as some appointment confirmations have ended up there. We will resume Chromebook distribution next week.
2. Have your student(s) check their gilroyunified.org email. Teachers are communicating via email. Your child can log-in using a smart phone, tablet, Chromebook or any other device. Children can notify their teachers that don’t have access to a Chromebook yet, so teachers are aware.
3. Download the WebEx app and Google Classroom app on a tablet or smartphone. Students can attend WebEx meetings and access assignments using apps on devices other than a Chromebook.
4. Be creative. If your child does not have access to a smartphone, but can log-in to their GUSD email address, they can access the audio codes for WebEx meetings and participate with their virtual classes that way.
5. Learning packets for students without internet. Our staff has been working tirelessly to identify students who may not have internet access or devices at home, and will begin mailing home hard copy packets for students to complete.
6. As a reminder, food distribution resumes at seven school sites on Monday, April 13. Between March 16 and April 10, we have provided over 40,000 meals to children in Gilroy, and we will continue to do so through the end of the school year on June 5. We will continue serving food at Solorsano Middle, South Valley Middle, Antonio Del Buono Elementary, Eliot Elementary, El Roble Elementary, Glen View Elementary, Rod Kelley Elementary and Rucker Elementary, weekdays, from 10 am-1 pm. Children do not need to be present for parents to receive meals on their behalf. Distance learning packets will also continue to be available for pick-up at food distribution sites.

I hope you’ll spend this weekend excitedly anticipating what is sure to be a great adventure for all of us. As with most adventures, it will be better as we tackle it together. The Gilroy community has demonstrated its resiliency throughout this school year, and is doing so again with this new challenge. I know that we will get through this together. Please continue to be patient, model flexibility, and be creative. We all need a little grace right now.

Take care of each other,

Dr. Deborah A. Flores, Ph.D.

Superintendent, Gilroy Unified School District

This press release was produced by the Gilroy Unified School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.