Reflections on a year gone by
One year ago, schools up and down the state began to shutter as coronavirus took hold. It was a Friday afternoon — Friday the 13th, no less — and in the kind of united spirit that seems unique to our county, leaders from Kern’s 47 school districts assembled one last time in person to answer one simple question: “What is the best for our children?” This is Kern County, where the vast majority of students are economically disadvantaged and rely greatly on schools to provide a safe haven — one filled with security, learning, nutrition and love.
Because there were no confirmed COVID-19 cases in Kern County and no evidence of community transmission, the consensus was to stay the course and keep our physical buildings open as long as was safely possible. We knew children were best served in school.
Collaboration continued around the clock over a whirlwind weekend. We created several task forces and began piecing together options that would allow for remote schoolwork, meals and other services to continue in the event schools had to be temporarily closed in the days ahead. The real-time news was dizzying. Everyone participated to make sense of the complex and continually changing information.
With rumblings of an impending state lockdown, we knew the days were numbered. When new guidance arrived from the California Department of Public Health, the collective decision was made on March 16, 2020, to temporarily close nearly all schools across the county no later than March 18, 2020, and transition to distance learning. Looking back, I would have never imagined that COVID-19 would hold its grip on our lives as long as it has.
KCSOS’s leadership team, district superintendents and our partners from Kern County Public Health Services Department met daily through Zoom and problem solved on the fly. We learned from one another, adjusted plans by the hour and stood
ready for any eventuality. Our focus then was on three pillars: continuity of instruction, meeting the technology needs of families and seeing to it that students got enough to eat.
The public education system as we knew it was reimagined essentially overnight.
Curriculum packets were quickly developed and shared with other districts thanks to our partners at the Bakersfield City School District. Thousands of pages of materials were printed through a network of local print shops and sent home so students could continue their studies. A contract with the leading learning management system, Canvas, was inked and a team was quick to develop an online school environment complete with virtual curriculum for all grade spans and subjects.
We surveyed parents to determine which students had access to a device and internet. As a result, 20,000 Chromebooks and 7,000 mobile Wi-Fi hotspots were sourced, purchased and distributed to those in need. More than 120,000 children were served two daily meals — lunch and breakfast for the
following day — at roughly 80 drive-by locations across the county.
Despite living through the most disruptive year in recent history, we have learned so much in a short time and have been able to accomplish a great deal despite huge hurdles. The past 12 months has accelerated our use of educational technology, bolstered asynchronous learning and allowed for better connections with parents in many cases. This was largely attainable because of the inherent grit and determination of Kern County residents. Teachers, support staff and school administrators met the challenges head on. The patience and grace afforded by parents, students and our community at large has been remarkable.
As difficult as the decision was to physically close our classrooms a year ago, returning students for in-person instruction has proven to be an equally monumental task. We have had to decipher a constant stream of health data and ever-changing guidelines, all while juggling competing priorities. It’s a balancing test to see to it that the academic and social-emotional needs of students are being met, while simultaneously prioritizing the health and safety of the community.
Science tells us we can
open our classrooms safely as long as schools follow their multi-layered COVID-19 mitigation strategies with fidelity. I believe Kern’s school districts have shown a commitment to doing just that. I’m so proud of the work that’s been done, despite nearly impossible circumstances, to prepare campuses for reopening and for our school districts’ goodfaith efforts to offer in-person learning to the extent possible. Kern was among the last to close and has been among the first to reopen for in-person learning.
The road ahead will be long and winding, but together, we can continue to shape education to meet the needs of the future workforce, while ensuring that every child has the social, emotional and academic supports needed to thrive. As we look forward to the next year, I would like to offer my sincere appreciation to the teachers, school staff, parents and students of Kern County for their resiliency.
It is the shared sacrifice and adversity that I believe will make us all stronger when we are on the other side of the pandemic. I’m very hopeful that will be sooner, rather than later.