Return to campus for high school students on the horizon

Encinal students travel to school in 2019 / Tyreze Borillo

By March 16, 2020 almost every school in California shut down. Fast forward one year and most school districts in the state are considering reopening.

Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) and Alameda Education Association (AEA) are currently discussing hybrid schedules that involve both in-person and online instruction and are targeting a possible return by April 5.

On February 24, AUSD and AEA signed a tentative agreement that allowed elementary schools to do hybrid instruction. A signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) outlines required precautions to ensure safety, including: health screenings, disinfectants, sanitizing and equipment.

Now, the AEA and Board of Education’s focus is on grades 6-12. The MOU is in the ratification process to allow small groups of students to return and reopening campuses.

By pushing for a return under uncertain conditions, 41% of Encinal High School students surveyed said they wouldn’t return to campus if given the chance. Encinal’s senior student body presidents have mixed feelings towards the return of in-person school.

“I think it’ll be good to slowly start getting back to things as usual, especially with vaccinations rolling out,” said Selma Malkic. “I just think it’s important that students are offered resources like compensation for asynchronous work and making sure students feel comfortable because many might feel overwhelmed with the transition happening as soon as the first week of April.”

“I really miss the everyday interactions with my classmates and that's what really excites me about going back,” said Emma Erwin. “Another part of me has grown accustomed to online learning and I can’t imagine being in a classroom again. I think a schedule that incorporates both in person and online learning is a great way to smoothly transition back into normal life.”

Some seniors are holding out hope for a graduation ceremony and fear reopening campus may jeopardize that.

“I want to be an optimist and yell reopen because I miss physical human interactions, but we need to look at things realistically as well. I don’t want us to rush into anything too quickly just because we are making some progressions with the virus, then risk reverting everything in a shortened period of time,” said Leah Fikermariam. “If we are going to risk it I want us to guarantee that it won’t result in the possibility of our graduation being stolen…the board needs to take every single possibility into consideration when making the final decision.”

Teachers are concerned that a loss in asynchronous time will make it more difficult for students to access curriculum that is already compressed.

"As an AP teacher I'm extremely worried about being able to prepare my students to submit their portfolios...if this proposed schedule with halved instructional minutes is implemented," said Encinal art and photography teacher Jennifer Hart. "We are uncertain we can provide the rigor of curriculum necessary to prepare our students for AP tests this spring with this schedule. In that, we do them a great disservice...this reopening schedule does not set students up for academic or mental health success."

Hybrid schedule proposed at Board of Education meeting on March 9.

Allowing more students on campus is just the latest phase in a gradual reopening plan. Academic pods started meeting on the Encinal campus on February 3 and athletic pods started in late February.

“It provides some semblance of human normalcy and connection,” said special education teacher Mr. Howard, the first teacher to welcome small groups back to campus.

Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed plans to inject $2 billion and $4.6 billion respectively for funding, incentives, and support for schools in order to ensure a safe and confidential learning environment. However, there are terms and conditions that would affect the funding schools can get. Newsom is requiring districts to open kindergarten through second grade classrooms by April 1st or else they would lose this money. In addition, it is mandatory for all elementary schools with addition to at least one grade in middle school or high school to open back up once their county is in the “red tier.”

Many school districts started to open up earlier this March, but this deal pressures the remaining districts to evaluate their closures. School staff vaccinations are a priority as well in order to push the reopening of schools.

What would this mean for high schools?

Once a county is in the “red tier,” districts must open at least one grade from 7 to 12 (full day or hybrid) by April 1st in order to receive the extra money. If districts decline to open schools by April 1st, they will lose 1% of their funding each day until students return and extensive COVID-19 testing would become mandatory. Alameda County entered the red tier on March 9.