Santa Rosa Teachers, District In Full Agreement on “Values and Safety”

Share with Friends

As the largest school district in Sonoma County prepares to move forward with a plan to open schools on August 17th, teachers and administrators in the Santa Rosa City Schools are in full agreement on a key issue; that safety of students and teachers must come first.

With that in mind, district superintendent Dr. Diann Kitamura announced in a letter to parents on Wednesday a plan to open initially with all students and teachers participating in online distance learning. This comes as school districts all across California are increasingly opting to forgo in person classes in order to get school back in session on schedule.

With the recent surge in coronavirus cases in the state, teachers, parents and administrators are in general agreement that in person classes may have to wait until the virus surge is brought under control.

In the Santa Rosa City Schools, an agreement being hammered out is expected to eventually offer 16 thousand students and their parents three different learning options. One hybrid model would involve two days of in person instruction in reduced size classrooms, and three days of distance learning. A second envisions five days of distance learning. And the third is also fully distance learning with the student engaged in less traditional project-based learning assignments.

The agreement between the district and teachers will be voted on by teachers late this week and early next, and is expected to be approved at the school board meeting on July 22nd.

As it stands now however, no in person learning is expected to be offered until state and county health officials report an improvement in coronavirus spread locally, and the danger to students and teachers is considered acceptable.

Will Lyon represents some 900 teachers as president of the Santa Rosa Teachers Association.

Both the district and teachers union say distance learning will not resemble the hastily assembled, emergency plan used this past spring. Instead, according to the district, it will include more support for students and parents, daily online instruction by teachers, increased accountability, and regular evaluation and grading.