A school district grapples with the pandemic
CHICO >> The students within the Chico Unified School District were on spring break when the initial coronavirus shutdown took hold of the nation and the world.
What began as a oneweek break away from campus spiraled into a complete shutdown of schools and an abrupt transition to onlineonly learning environment that no one was prepared for.
“I’ll be the first to say that never in a million years did I think this would ever happen,” said CUSD Superintendent Kelly Staley.
The landscape of K-12 education was completely shifted when the coronavirus pandemic took hold of schools, businesses and daily life as the world knew it. Within that spring semester, several rites of passage associated with school like graduation ceremonies and prom were altered to a drive-thru format or completely canceled.
“Last March, we never came back and that really hurt. Originally it was kind of fun because I had all this free time. Then I realized we’re not going back,” said Chico High sophomore Summer Sun. “I really value school a lot more. I realize I get to go to school and that’s something that I’m lucky to do.”
In the weeks following
spring break, the district issued a Chromebook laptop to each student which was delivered in a drive-thru grab and go format. Meals were also distributed in a grab-and-go style. Students were forced to learn via Zoom and teachers, many who weren’t very comfortable with the idea of teaching online, had to resort to online teaching, Staley said.
“Super proud of our teachers who weren’t totally comfortable, they had a typewriter when they were in college, but I’m going to figure this out for my kids and that was awesome to see that kind of resilience from our staff,” Staley said. “Even the younger teachers
who grew up, using technology and teaching with technology is so different.”
Staley said that the district was already planning to incorporate more online learning within the next five years. However, the pandemic sped that process up with much more urgency.
“Over the course of five years, we thought we really need to make sure, we’re transitioning away for environmental reasons, textbook reasons …we need to be transitioning to a more digital-based education system,” Staley said. “The fact that we were able to put a computer in the hand of every single student and that every one of our teachers
was able to deliver online instruction, I’m just blown away. That was a five-year plan. We did it in a week.”
The fall semester started completely online within CUSD but in October the district partially opened its campuses in an a.m./ p.m. format, in which about half of the students attend campus in the morning and the other half attends in the afternoon.
“I think it’s a little weird being in a hybrid model but that’s how it has to be because of COVID-19,” Sun said. “I definitely appreciate my teachers so much more than I did before because they’re there all day. We’re not there the whole day. I really respect what the teachers are doing.”
The district has operated in its modified traditional a.m./p.m. format since then, becoming a divisive topic within the community.
“We have people who want to be back full time right now. We have people who think we’re crazy for being back at all,” Staley said. “We have people who are like this is a really good compromise where my kid is getting lots of individual help and feeling safe. It’s been an experience.”
Zack O’Connor, a senior swimmer at Chico High, said it’s taken some time but he’s adjusted to the a.m./p.m. schedule.
“I’ve adapted to it. I feel like it’s the best thing for us right now,” O’Connor said. “I think I learned a lot of time management skills.”
Shamiya Haddid, a sophomore at Chico High, said that the pandemic and the shutdown of school allowed her to find new hobbies like art and running.
“School took up most of my life; it consumed my life. I’ve really adapted to the a.m./p.m. schedule. I find it to be more relaxing,” Haddid said. “This last year, since I was by myself a lot at home or in my room, it made me realize I don’t have to be with other people to hang out and socialize. It made me realize I can do well on my own.”
Tafar-i Baxter moved from
New York to Chico last summer. Baxter, a freshman at Chico High, said being at school, even in a limited capacity, has been enjoyable and “feels like home.” Baxter, Haddid and Sun are all members of the Student Advocacy Association at Chico High.
“My view of the school was so amazing and beautiful,” Baxter said. “Getting to see my real teachers and work in person was so cool. I hope that in the fall it gets better.”
The CUSD Board of Trustees, along with the district, has said its focus is on fully reopening schools in the fall.
Staley, the district superintendent, said that one positive to take away from the last year is that the pandemic forced the district to make changes that had to be made. In the future, if a student or a teacher needs to take an extended leave, they might not have to completely leave the school, Staley said.
“We now have other ways of providing instruction,” Staley said. “I am the most incredibly proud of our kids. This hasn’t been the ideal situation and yet they continue to show up. They’re super positive to be there. Are there kids that are struggling? Absolutely. But they’re there, and they’re trying.”