Superintendent

Following our recent School Board meeting, I realize many in our community are disappointed with the direction to move forward with a credit/incomplete grading practice for the remainder of the school year. This decision is intended to be sensitive to the needs of our students and not to dismiss their hard work or the hard work of our teachers. It is our desire to honor their efforts to adapt to distance learning and teaching during the unprecedented impact of COVID-19.

On April 27, the San Mateo County health officer in conjunction with our neighboring five counties and the City of Berkeley, extended the existing shelter in place order to May 31.

As we look toward the future of our district, we want to provide you with some new updates regarding the outlook of the reopening of schools, current San Mateo County health orders, an emergency food drive, and current priorities for our district.

While your child’s academic needs are a prime concern of our school district, so too are their social, emotional, and mental health needs. The COVID-19 situation has had an unnerving impact on our students’ sense of routine and helping them to adjust to this new existence is just as important as keeping up with their studies.
As a parent, if you are struggling and feel like you are failing in these efforts, please do not hesitate to ask for help. Our community is a family, and we are here to assist you. We have mental health and guidance counselors on staff, and we have contacts with the City of South San Francisco and the County of San Mateo that can connect your family with many important resources.

This afternoon, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara county superintendents, in collaboration with the public health officers in their respective counties, announced the decision to extend student dismissals from school and modified school operations, including at-home distance learning, through the end of this school year.

On Thursday evening, Bay Area health officials released a recommendation that residents cover their nose and mouth when leaving home for essential travel, such as doctor appointments, grocery shopping, and pharmacy visits.

As the impact of COVID-19 continues to unfold, we have received new updates from federal, state, and local agencies.

As we reported last week, a decision was made by a collective of seven Bay Area county health officials to extend school closures and student dismissals from regular school attendance through May 1, 2020. This is being done to slow the spread of COVID-19 as much as possible. We remain focused on the safety and wellness of our students, staff, and community which continue to be our highest priorities.

Please be aware of the following additional updates, which we hope will aid in your planning and preparation:

Seven Bay Area county health officers, in collaboration with their six county superintendents of schools have made a unified, regional decision to extend school closures and student dismissals from regular school attendance through May 1, 2020, as a precautionary measure to slow the spread of COVID-19. The safety and wellness of students, school personnel, and the community continue to be our highest priorities among our collective counties.