Dear PVPUSD Parents and Guardians,
TK-2 Waiver Application Submitted
Today we submitted our TK-2nd Grade Waiver application to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LA DPH) on behalf of all our elementary schools. This process will allow us to "get in line" and hopefully return our students to in classroom instruction as soon as possible. The current acceptance criteria in Los Angeles County is limited to only 30 waiver applications accepted per week (6 per region of LA County), along with a two week waiting period from the time the waiver is submitted. In addition, priority of acceptance is currently given to districts with a high percentage of free and reduced meal applications (PVPUSD has a very low percentage). Unfortunately, due to these limiting restrictions, it still could be quite some time before TK-2nd Grade waivers for all our elementary schools to receive approval from LA DPH.
Therefore, submitting our applications now will provide our district with return to school options in the future.
Small Cohort Guidance
TK-K Hybrid Return to School
In addition to the waiver application submittal for our TK-2 Grade students, the district is also working to return our TK-K Hybrid students under a separate provision of the LA DPH guidance, which allows for small cohorts to return to in-person instruction. The district does not need to wait for a waiver to return our TK-K classes under the Small Cohort Guidance. These TK-K classes would follow the current Hybrid AM / PM schedule students are enrolled in now. The district is currently meeting with teachers to determine the best course of action and timeline necessary to move forward with this program. Parents have also been surveyed on this possible program implementation. This parent survey data showed over 85% of our Hybrid parents would like to return to in-person classroom instruction. We are not yet in a position to announce a start date for in-person instruction for TK-K; however, we continue to work toward this option.
Middle and High School Learning Pods
The district is in the process of developing a plan to implement learning pods on campus for students who have been disengaged in the remote learning process. These learning pods would be a self-contained groups of less than 12 students, engaged in remote learning while on campus. Students would be identified and invited to enroll in these on-campus learning pods. The learning pods would be supervised by an adult, while the students continue their remote learning. We still have no in-person instruction start date for all students enrolled in the Hybrid programs at the middle school and high school levels, as this would require the county to enter a less restrictive tier based on a decrease in COVID positivity rates.
Special Education Programs
The district is currently operating in-person special education classes at the preschool, elementary school, middle school and high school levels. We thank all of our amazing special education teachers and support staff for making this happen for our students and families.
After School Athletics
High school athletic programs continue to progress after school, with coaches and students all adhering to safety protocols per the LA County Department of Public Health. We will be looking into the possibility of expanding these after school programs to our middle schools in the coming weeks.
Finally, while all of these steps are being taken, we continue to stay in close communication with our employee representatives, our principals, our district nurses and health aides, our teachers, our support providers, and our parent community through in-person meetings and surveys. Most importantly, we continue to make progress in returning our students to school safely and in accordance with the provisions set forth by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Alex Cherniss, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District
310-378-9966 X404
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To respond to this message, email: chernissa@pvpusd.net