RETURN TO CLASSROOMS BRINGS JOY AND RELIEF
S.D. Unified, Chula Vista, other districts allow some students back a year after shutdown
Tens of thousands of San Diegoarea students returned to classrooms Monday as their districts, some of the largest, were among the last in the county to open campuses for in-person instruction — to a mix of delight and nervousness among parents and educators.
“It was great, excellent, he loves it,” said Lori Kluck of her second-grade son’s first day at Torrey Pines Elementary. “He needs to be around kids. He’s an only child, and being at home was depressing. Walking into school today, there was an energy that was amazing. We’re back, baby!”
It has been about a year and a month since schools in San Diego Unified, Chula Vista Elementary, San Ysidro Elementary, Sweetwater Union High and Lemon Grove Elementary districts brought large numbers of students to schools.
In San Diego Unified, district officials are expecting roughly half of its approximately 97,000 students to return this week.
For Sweetwater, Monday’s reopening was voluntary for teachers, and only high school seniors and certain student groups — such as students with disabilities and English learners — were allowed to come back. About 5,000 of Sweetwater’s 36,000 students are returning to school this week, Interim Superintendent Moises Aguirre said in a video to families.
The districts are open this week for hybrid learning, which means students can only go to school part time. The amount of in-person time varies by school and by district.
In Chula Vista, students will be going to school for about 21⁄2 hours a day, five days a week.
In San Diego Unified, most schools are expected to open for four days a week of in-person instruction, but some opened for two days a week. On Fridays, all students will participate in distance learning to give teachers more time to collaborate and plan,
officials said.
One of the biggest anxieties educators said they faced in the days leading up to reopening — aside from keeping their students safe from COVID — was how they are going to simultaneously teach students who are staying home and students coming to class, while ensuring the same quality education for both groups of students.
Andrea Morales, whose kindergarten and first-grade sons attend Tierrasanta Elementary, said she was pleased to learn that neither boy used his laptop in class Monday and instead participated in full, in-person instruction. She also was happy the school made room for all students who wanted in-person education to return to school four days a week.
“Both boys were really excited,” Morales said. “They said they had a great day. They were excited to see their friends.”
Her sons had struggled with online learning, she said. Her kindergartner found it hard to stay focused and often wound up spending extra hours each day completing his work. Her first-grader would turn off his camera and play during Zoom classes or switch off instructional YouTube videos to watch entertainment instead, Morales said.
Morales’ daughter will start sixth grade in person at De Portola Middle School on Wednesday, on a twoday-per-week hybrid schedule. Students are assigned school days based on their last names, so her daughter won’t be in class with her friends, Morales said.
“I’m still disappointed that they didn’t get to go back full time,” she said, adding that, after the long delay returning to school, she’s considering private school options for the fall.
At Torrey Pines Elementary, the first day back at school was less than perfect for Kluck and her secondgrade son. Cars were lined up at the school, so they had to park far and walk to school, she said.
Then, since several classmates were still learning at home, the whole class was still working on Zoom, she said.
Even so, it was a big improvement over learning from home, she said. Her son qualifies for special education services but has fallen behind socially and academically, she said. Her son’s occupational therapy for handwriting did not work well remotely, she said.
“I want him to have a normal childhood, but COVID took that away from him,” she said. “When he went to school, I felt like this was the first day he’s doing what he’s supposed to do. I’m so happy that they’re finally going back.”
In a third grade class at Encanto Elementary, students were seated at desks separated by several feet. They all wore masks and headphones and worked on laptops. A projector in front of the class played a video about kindness that kids learning at home could watch.
About 323 students had returned to in-person learning at Encanto Elementary, said Principal Audra Mandler.
Visiting Encanto were top San Diego Unified officials and Mayor Todd Gloria. Reporters watched as Superintendent Cindy Marten and Gloria posed with a teacher and a principal, but the media were not allowed to talk to students.
Gloria thanked the school district and school staff for working to bring students back to campus, which he said was a Herculean task made possible because COVID-19 cases are down in the city.
“It’s a happy day for kids and a happy day for parents, who have been juggling working from home and taking care of their kids,” Gloria said.
At one point he asked students in class, “Who doesn’t like COVID?” and everyone raised their hands.
Marten said the staff is doing its best to keep everyone safe. Students and teachers on campus are required to wear masks and follow social-distancing protocols. The district is offering COVID-19 testing twice a week for staff and students.
Students will eat lunch on campus, but they will be sent home every day with breakfast and an evening meal. At the end of the week, students will receive meals to last over the weekend, to address food insecurity, said Gary Petill, San Diego Unified’s food and nutrition services director.
Marten said students are ready to put the virus behind them and get back to class.
“We cannot be more proud and happy to be where we are today and to know recovery begins now,” Marten said.