Santa Clara County Issues Guidance On Reopening Schools This Fall

SANTA CLARA COUNTY — Although it's not yet known if students will be back in classrooms this fall, the Santa Clara Public Health Department and Office of Education are already making preparations to keep students safe and healthy in the 2020-2021 school year.

The health department on Wednesday shared its guidance for school administrators on how to best handle things like classroom instruction, bus transportation, face masks and more.

The full document, "Reopening of Santa Clara County K-12 Schools," can be read here.

Officials said a determination on whether it's safe to reopen schools this fall will depend on how successful containment of the new coronavirus is throughout the summer months.

In a statement, County of Santa Clara Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody reminded community members to practice safety and hygiene measures today so students can stay safe at the start of the school year.

“We need everyone in the community to strictly follow social distancing now so that children and teachers can safely return to school in the fall,” Cody said in a statement. “Schools and other institutions in our community can operate safely if they carefully follow all recommended public health practices, and they must move forward with their preparations now to ensure they have all the measures in place.”

The health department said recommendations for prevention vary by age group, limiting elementary students to contact with only their own teacher and classmates. High school students, however, could be required to follow stricter mask and social distancing requirements.

A Wednesday release from the health department stated its prevention considerations for school students includes limiting how many people come in contact with one another, maintaining constant social distance, reducing how long students are near one another and limiting the spread of respiratory droplets.

In a statement, Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools Mary Ann Dewan said the school district is committed to education even in uncertain times.

“We continue to learn a lot from this experience. This fall, while there is no doubt learning environments at schools will look different, our determination to provide students with quality education remains steadfast," Dewan said. "Adhering to the guidance provided by the Public Health Department, we will work with districts and schools to implement reopening and recovery plans that continue to reflect our commitment to prioritize safety for students.”