OPUSD board approves plan to return to on-campus instruction in a hybrid model
Students to return if Ventura County remains in the Red Tier for two weeks
Photo Courtesy of Oak Park Unified School District
Graphic created by Oak Park Unified School District, as they prepare to return to school.
October 23, 2020
A blueprint for the return to on-campus learning with a hybrid model was approved by the Oak Park Unified School District Board of Education on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020. Ventura County is now located in the red tier, which allows districts within the county to open their schools for on-campus learning. The tier location of a county is based on the number of COVID-19 cases and the percentage of positive cases.
Elementary school students will return to school on Jan. 5, 2021 and secondary students will return on Jan. 11, 2021 if Ventura County stays in the red tier or better consistently for two or more weeks.
“Although we recognize the limitations of distance learning and know that a number of families are eager to start back to in-person instruction sooner, our plan will minimize the disruption to the educational program for both elementary and secondary students,” Superintendent Dr. Tony Knight, Oak Park Board of Education President Barbara Laifman and Oak Park Teachers Association President Russ Peters wrote in a ParentSquare blast.
The Board will be communicating with both parents and staff on a bi-weekly basis starting Oct. 27 to share information about what the return to school will look like as well as the safety features that are being implemented. Students, families and staff will also receive training on COVID-19 safety protocols.
“If schools open in a hybrid model and are later required to close, then all students will return to a distance learning model while remaining in the classes to which they are assigned starting in January,” Knight, Laifman and Peters wrote.
Parents will receive a form on Nov. 5 to make a one-time choice regarding if they wish their child to participate in hybrid learning or remain on distance learning. The form must be completed by no later than Nov. 12.
“We are all looking forward to our students’ return to our campuses this school year, and we hope that parents will feel comfortable with our hybrid model, knowing that we are taking the utmost steps to ensure our students’ and staff’s health and safety,” Knight, Laifman and Peters wrote.
Updated safety information regarding the return to school can be found here.
