header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
March 18
1919 - Fire destroys abandoned second Southern Hotel, built 1878 in Newhall (corner Main & Market) [story]
Second Southern Hotel


SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted a webinar on Thursday for local educational agencies (LEAs) and education partners to lead a discussion on how schools can use new state and federal funding to invest in strategies that will facilitate a safe and impactful return to in-person learning. Over 700 individuals registered for the event to get up-to-date guidance from experts in public health and school districts.

“The Delta variant is more common now and more transmissible, and case numbers are again rising in many areas. Masking, vaccinations, and rapid COVID testing are absolutely essential to move forward,” said Thurmond. “With that as our context, we are uplifting the important efforts underway at our schools and how they are using the funds flowing from this historic education budget to get open, stay open, and meet the needs of their students in this moment.”

California Department of Education (CDE) Chief Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction Stephanie Gregson facilitated the event, and panelists included Dr. Naomi Bardach, State Lead of the Safe Schools for All Team; Superintendent Francisco Escobedo from Chula Vista Elementary School District; Andra Yeghoian, Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Coordinator from the San Mateo County Office of Education; and Alison Yoshimoto-Towery, Chief Academic Officer from Los Angeles Unified School District. Experts described specific strategies for safely returning to in-person instruction by targeting dollars toward literacy programs, student mental health and wellness, outdoor education programming, rapid COVID-19 testing, and more.

Bardach opened the session by explaining the science behind transmission and what that means for school prevention and mitigation efforts. She outlined the framework of the Safe Schools For All Initiative, which includes funding, technical assistance, tangible safety measures, and transparency and accountability efforts. “We are now looking ahead to 2021–22 informed by the evidence that we have from last year and informed by the major game changer, which is having vaccinations,” Bardach stated. “Vaccines make a huge difference. They really decrease the risk of spreading COVID-19 in our communities and our schools.” Bardach walked through key layers for safe schools that include vaccines combined with testing, masking, ventilation, and staying home when sick.

Escobedo and his team highlighted Chula Vista Elementary School District’s rapid COVID testing program as well as the commitment to using both state and federal funding toward improving mental health services such as increased psychologist time, additional counselors and social workers, and implementing a virtual academy and overhauling ventilation at each of the district’s 46 school sites.

Yeghoian spoke to ways outdoor learning programs are being utilized to reduce transmission of the virus, increase space for learning and play, and boost academic and mental health outcomes. She provided concrete steps for districts to consider as they implement outdoor learning strategies. Chief Academic Officer Yoshimoto-Towery described L.A. Unified’s Primary Promise, a program to accelerate literacy and math, language, and critical thinking skills. She walked through a systemic approach that focused on explicit teaching and modeling, emphasis on language, vocabulary development, and targeted individual and small group instruction.

CDE Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Constancio rounded out the panel with a presentation on how LEAs can use COVID relief funds. LEAs have access to nearly $33 billion in funds to address issues arising from COVID-19. Constancio explained: “This funding represents a combination of state and federal funds and is found across programs such as Learning Loss Mitigation and ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds and from AB 86, state level investments for in-person instruction, and expanded learning opportunity grants. This funding has been used for everything from purchasing of devices and connectivity that make the shift to remote learning possible, for academic supports to make up for lost instructional time, and supporting our students as they deal with mental and emotional tolls of the pandemic.” Constancio’s presentation highlighted how LEAs are using funding toward learning recovery strategies, COVID testing, outdoor learning, ventilation, and accelerating learning, and she provided additional resources and links to where CDE has made information available on its website.

“This is the first of many conversations that we intend to continue to have with you to help answer questions together,” said Thurmond. “Wear a mask, get a vaccine if you can, use rapid COVID testing, and know that we can support recovery and build an education system that was better than what we had before for all of our students.”

Before ending the virtual meeting, Thurmond challenged attendees to share information through a brief survey on efforts to safely reopen schools across the state. “I want you to invite me so I can come and help your schools and how we can support you in reopening them and, of course, to see the smiling faces of your students.”

A recording of the webinar is available on the CDE Facebook page.

#####

The California Department of Education is a state agency led by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. For more information, please visit the California Department of Education’s website.

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

0 Comments

You can be the first one to leave a comment.

Leave a Comment


LOCAL SCHOOL LINKS
Related Content
LATEST SCHOOL NEWS
Friday, Mar 15, 2024
String orchestras and concert bands from around the Santa Clarita Valley and Southern California will participate in the Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association concert festival hosted by West Ranch High School on Tuesday, March 26 and Wednesday, March 27, 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
Thursday, Mar 14, 2024
Samuel Dixon Family Health Center, Inc. is proud to announce their continued partnership with the William S. Hart Union High School District.
Tuesday, Mar 12, 2024
The William S. Hart Union High School District has announced nine high school seniors have been named National Merit Scholarship Finalists in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program.
Monday, Mar 11, 2024
The Castaic Union School District Governing Board will hold its regular meeting Thursday, March 14, at 6 p.m.
Monday, Mar 11, 2024
The regular meeting of the William S. Hart Union High School District’s Governing Board will be held Wednesday, March 13, beginning with closed session at 5:30 p.m., followed immediately by open session at 7 p.m.

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
College of the Canyons notched its first victory at the newly named Mike Gillespie Field on Saturday, winning its second straight conference series, this time over visiting Bakersfield College, by a 6-4 final score. 
Cougars Notch First Win at Mike Gillespie Field
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The Master's University hit 20 3-pointers, one shy of the program record in a game, to defeat the St. Thomas Bobcats 122-91 in the second round of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Men's Basketball National Championship tournament.
Mustangs Advance to NAIA Sweet 16
The Master's University baseball team lost a pair of 1-run games Saturday against the Menlo Oaks in Atherton, Calif.
Mustangs Drop Three Games to Menlo
The Los Angeles County Development Authority is excited to announce that its executive director, Emilio Salas, has been appointed to a two-year term to serve as a member of the national Strategic Planning Advisory Committee for the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO).
LACDA’s Emilio Salas Appointed to National Planning Advisory Committee
The 28th Annual Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival is back with your favorite musical performers and an exciting lineup of new acts.
Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival Live Music Performers Announced
REDLANDS — College of the Canyons track and field recorded a dozen top-10 finishes and established 30 new personal records while competing at the University of Redlands Invitational on March 15. 
Cougars Earn Top-10 Finishes at Redlands Invitational
There is so much to learn from different customs and cultures and you don’t need a plane ticket to experience it all.
City’s 2024 ‘Celebrate’ Lineup Released
Big Chicken, the star-powered fast casual chicken concept, which has a location in Santa Clarita, is fueling the mania for the Big Tournament with a nationwide Big Bracket Challenge.
Compete for Chance to Open Shaquille O’Neal Chicken Restaurant
California State University, Northridge’s Spring 2024 Cinematheque series will pay tribute to Hollywood casting director and producer Deborah Aquila, executive vice president and head of casting at Paramount Television Studios and CBS Studios, to mark the end of Women’s History Month on Wednesday, March 27.
Legendary Casting Director Deborah Aquila to Speak at CSUN
On Friday, March 22, the Uniquely Abled Academy (UAA) at College of the Canyons will host a graduation ceremony for nine students who have completed the UAA’s pilot robotics training program.
March 22: COC’s Uniquely Abled Academy Robotics Graduation
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation is excited to announce spring has sprung at its local parks, including those in the Santa Clarita Valley.
L.A. County Parks Releases Spring Jubilee Dates
The city of Santa Clarita’s Film Office released the list of six productions currently filming in the Santa Clarita Valley for the week of Monday, March 18 - Sunday, March 24.
‘Bosch Legacy,’ ‘CSI Vegas’ Among Six Productions Filming in SCV
Unlike our children who enjoy a week-long spring break, we adults no longer have that luxury.
Ken Striplin | Register Now for Spring Break Camp 2024
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit the following Los Angeles County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing and playing in ocean waters due to bacterial levels exceeding health standards when last tested.
Ocean Water Advisory Continues for L.A. County Beaches
The California Department of Motor Vehicles now offers a faster way for businesses to check that their employees have clean driving records using the new online Employee Pull Notice (EPN) Service.
DMV Launches Enhanced Digital Employer Pull Notice Service
1919 - Fire destroys abandoned second Southern Hotel, built 1878 in Newhall (corner Main & Market) [story]
Second Southern Hotel
1927 - Newhall telephone exchange, est. 1900, now serves 100 phones [story]
telephone
2003 - Lifesize sculpture honoring heroes of St. Francis Dam disaster unveiled in Santa Paula [video]
The Warning
In the first of three matches on consecutive nights in Arizona, The Master's men's volleyball team defeated Benedictine-Mesa in three sets 27-25, 28-26, 25-19.
TMU Men’s Volleyball Sweeps Benu in Arizona
Greg Herrick, the former longtime College of the Canyons women's basketball head coach who recorded 611 career wins while winning 16 conference titles, was inducted into the California Community College Women's Basketball Coaches Association (CCCWBCA) Hall of Fame during the organization's annual Banquet of Champions at Mt. San Antonio College on March 13.
Longtime COC Women’s Basketball Coach Herrick Enshrined in Hall of Fame
The Santa Clarita Planning Commission will hold its regular meeting Tuesday, March 19, at 6 p.m. in City Council Chambers City Hall, 23920 Valencia Blvd. 1st Floor, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.
March 19: Planning Commission to Discuss Wiley Canyon Mixed Use Project
Attend the city of Santa Clarita's most unique egg hunt, the Splash N’ Dash at the Santa Clarita Aquatics Center, presented by Kaiser Permanente.
March 30: Dive into Spring at Splash n’ Dash Egg Hunt
String orchestras and concert bands from around the Santa Clarita Valley and Southern California will participate in the Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association concert festival hosted by West Ranch High School on Tuesday, March 26 and Wednesday, March 27, 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
March 26-27: SoCal School Band, Orchestra Concert Festival
SCVNews.com