ALVORD UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

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Dear Members of the AUSD Community,

I hope you enjoyed a peaceful Spring Break from school and were able to relax and safely enjoy the company of family and friends. We took advantage of the break to make modifications to our campuses, where necessary, and reflect on the first week with students back in school. It was incredible to see our students on campus, where they belong. Our school leaders, teachers, and staff did a great job managing all of safety measures and expectations. Thanks to our students and parents too for abiding by the new procedures and doing their best to make the most of a challenging situation.

Riverside County remains in the Red Tier, although the downward trend continued again this week. It's possible that by this coming week we will transition to the Orange Tier. Our Daily Case Rate is down from 4.8 to 4.1 (Orange Tier is between 1.0 – 3.9). Our Positivity Rate and Health Equity Quartile rate already meet the Orange Tier threshold. That's great news for our community and economy. It's great news for our seniors and their families too! The less restrictive the tier, the higher the capacity at the graduation ceremony. See the tier system metrics below:

Regarding teaching and learning, our students and teachers were amazing! Whether students were learning from home or from the classroom, the learning continued thanks to the creativity and planning by our schools and teachers. Teaching students at home and in-person at the same time is yet another challenge our teachers are rising to and conquering. And it will only improve with time as we deliver this model of concurrent learning the last 8 weeks of the school year.

See an example below:

Will state academic testing be waived again this school year like it was last school year?
Yes. This past Friday, the U.S. Department of Education agreed to allow California schools to use local assessments. We will administer our diagnostic assessment instead of the SBAC.

Will students have to get a COVID-19 vaccine to attend school?
No. At this time, there is no a vaccination approved for students under 16 years old and California lawmakers have not mandated the COVID-19 vaccines for students 16 or older.

Will students have to get COVID-19 vaccine to attend school when there is a vaccine for all age groups?
It’s unclear whether California lawmakers plan to mandate COVID-19 vaccines the same way the state mandates vaccines for diseases like measles.

Do students still need to be up to date on all of the state mandated immunizations if they're distant learning or attending school two days a week?
Yes. It's critically important from a public health perspective that children receive these immunizations. Preventative services are still critical during this time, and immunizations are one of the most important public health interventions.

Will summer school be in-person?
Yes. From June 7 to July 15. Assuming the conditions continue to improve.

Will students return to full in-person instruction next school year?

We are planning and preparing for all possibilities, including a return to full in-person instruction, for all students, and for all grade levels, five days a week. Of course, that will depend on whether or not there are any social distancing requirements or other safety measures schools are expected to follow. We are examining all of our classroom and campus spaces since we will have to reconfigure many classrooms or other spaces if social distancing of 3-feet and/or other restrictions remain when we open the 2021-22 school year on August 6.

Will families have the option of remaining in a distance learning program next school year?
Currently, almost 40% (6,734) of our students continue to learn from home. We will survey families later in the Spring to determine the demand for program choice in 2021-22.

We have teamed up with our partners at CalFresh, as well as with the University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources Department and Riverside County to present Staying Healthy with Good Nutrition and Physical Activity, this coming Wednesday, April 7, 2021, from 4pm - 5pm. Find the Zoom link and details below in the News section.

On behalf of the Board of Education, welcome back from Spring Break. We look forward to the last two months of the school year and a traditional and ceremonial send-off for our seniors.

Sincerely,

Allan Mucerino

The Riverside County Department of Education (RCOE) also provides many services for school-age children and their families. Click on the image below or here to visit the RCOE Parent Portal. To browse by topic, click on the links below for detailed information.

Child Care for Essential Workers

Child Care Assistance and Resources

Child Care Finder

Head Start

Migrant Head Start

State Preschool

Teen Parent Program

Infant/Toddler Special Education Programs

Email: 2Superintendent@alvordschools.org
Website: https://www.alvordschools.org
Location: 9 Kpc Parkway, Corona, CA 92879, USA
Phone: 951) 509-5000
Facebook: facebook.com/alvordunified
Twitter: @AlvordUnified