SMMUSD Shares School Reopening Plans For Malibu Students

MALIBU, CA — Malibu and Santa Monica elementary schools will reopen April 19 and secondary schools in the district will reopen April 26, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District announced late Friday.

"We know that many families are very excited to have their students return to school five days a week following spring break, while some families are still hesitant," Dr. Ben Drati, Superintendent said in a statement. "With the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health distancing guidance reduced to three feet in classrooms announced on Monday, this opens up tremendous opportunities for fully reopening for those students who are ready for return."

School resumes on April 12 with distance learning for all grades. Drati asked families to remain vigilant and stay safe during spring break.

"Elementary students will return full-time on April 19 and secondary students will return full-time on April 26," Drati said. "Secondary students will have a week of hybrid as a transition the week of April 19. Distance learning will be an option."

The district will not reopen fully until April 19 because current travel quarantine requirements will prevent some students and staff from returning to in-person on April 12.

"Our reopening focus is the health, safety and wellbeing of students and staff," Drati said.

Drati urged families to continue following health recommendations.

"We are still in a pandemic and need to take all precautions to ensure we do not end up with cases that require a school to shut down and quarantine, sending hundreds of students and staff home," Drati said. "This delay of one week will provide an extra measure of safety for our return."

Principals and teachers are creating new bell schedules and campus protocols to keep students and staff safe, which will begin April 12, he added.

"Again, these are complicated issues that are unique to the new position in which we are finding ourselves, but we believe that this careful planning will lead to a safe and engaging school experience for all students," Drati said.

SMMUSD principals and staff have spent the past few months planning for a hybrid return on April 12, and site facilities will be ready for students by this date, Drati added.

"However, this shift to full reopening cannot be achieved without time needed for many complex logistical concerns, including: providing new virtual classrooms with certificated SMMUSD teachers for those students remaining in distance learning-only; creating outdoor eating areas for students to eat / drink with six-foot distancing due to masks off; activating child care programs; and restructuring transportation schedules to accommodate strict bus capacity guidelines," Drati said.

During the week of April 12, elementary students will have a modified distance learning schedule with both synchronous and asynchronous work. Each elementary school principal will provide more information.

For secondary, the week of April 12 will engage in a modified distance learning model, followed by a week of hybrid for the week of April 19, as schools ramp up to reopen on April 26. Each secondary school principal will provide more information.

"We are confident that this is the best decision to ensure everything goes smoothly upon return," Drati said. "We are committed to reopening our schools and remaining open."

Distance learning option

Elementary students who are not returning to in-person instruction will be assigned a new teacher and new class with other distance learning-only students in that same grade.

"This is the only way we can continue offering a high-quality distance learning Zoom experience with similar scheduling and a fully-focused return to on-campus learning," Drati said. "Distance learning teacher assignments will be provided the week of April 12."

For secondary students continuing with distance learning only, students will keep their same teachers and participate with the class via Zoom. There may be a few exceptions for teachers who are unable to return in person.

Decision form

Parents in the district are required to fill out a decision form, so schools know who is returning and who is continuing with distance learning only.

"It’s critical that all families submit this form, so we may plan accordingly," Drati said.

Special education students

"For students with IEPs, please work with your special education team in order to better understand how your child's services can be delivered per the LACDPH guidelines," Drati said. "We will fulfill the minutes in your child's IEP, but we will need to look at the safest way to provide services. If your child will be continuing in Distance Learning, services will continue to be delivered online."

After-school care

After-school care will be available for families in the district.

"We will do our best to support elementary school families with childcare needs upon our return to full in-person instruction beginning on April 19," Drati said.

For information or questions about childcare in grades TK-3 at all sites, parents can visit the website at https://www.smmusd.org/Page/4110 or email SAP@smmusd.org.

CREST Club for 4th/5th graders will operate at Edison, Franklin, Roosevelt, and Will Rogers.

For information about childcare in grades 4/5, please visit the city website or call (310) 458-8540. For 4th/5th graders at the remaining sites, email SAP@smmusd.org for more information. CREST Enrichment will continue to be offered virtually. Visit the city website for more information.

Local health experts provide ongoing support

Local health experts and medical professionals during the March 25 health symposium shared insights to support the decision to reopen.

"The symposium also provided valuable guidance for families who want to continue in distance learning or are uncertain about what is best for their student," Drati said. "If you missed it, you can view the recording."

Stay vigilant and follow health department guidelines

"All of us are responsible for following current health department travel guidelines," Drati said. "We recognize that some families and staff may travel during non-school days. We expect any staff or students who have traveled outside of California to abide by the required 10-day quarantine. This is for the health and safety of all staff and students."

"This is not the time to let our guard down," Drati said. "We must all continue to do our part to keep COVID-19 away from our staff and families. To accomplish that upon return, we will continue with strict health protocols, including wellness screenings, mandatory and proper mask wearing, except when eating or drinking, regular hand washing / sanitizing and six-foot distancing while eating / drinking."

Drati described how important it is to keep sick children at home.

"It will be critical to keep sick children at home so as not to risk an entire class, or worse, an entire school having to shut down," Drati said. "Your principal will inform you of the consequences for students who will not wear their mask properly, as this is a serious issue during this time."

Other safety measures and COVID-19 testing protocols at school sites will be announced, he added. It's part of building confidence for families that might be uncertain about sending children back to in-person school.

"We are in this together, and together we can fully return to school safely and continue delivering distance learning to those students who are not returning at that time," Drati said. "We look forward to enjoying the remainder of the school year to the fullest extent possible."

For more news and information about the vaccine rollout in California, visit Patch's information hub. Also, be sure to check out How To Get The Coronavirus Vaccine In California.