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Dear YCJUSD Families,
Based on the current county department of public health guidelines, Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District is eligible to apply for an elementary school waiver to bring back students in grades TK-5.  At this time, only elementary schools are eligible to apply for the waiver to reopen.  There is no waiver available for secondary schools. In our preparation for a safe return, planning and programming for the rest of the school year is complex.  We want to share the process with you.

Steps already completed to return to an in-person learning model:

School safety measures

Handwashing stations installed

Hand sanitizer and disinfectant supplies distributed to schools

Custodial training

Auto thermal image scanning for student temperature checks

Ventilation system upgrades

Updated arrival and dismissal procedures at elementary schools

Steps currently in progress:

Elementary in-person/hybrid learning schedule to be communicated with all elementary parents

Parents complete the Confirmation Form to verify preferred learning model

In-person/hybrid or distance learning

Elementary school waiver submitted (11/13/20)

Next steps:

California Department of Public Health (CDPH)/San Bernardino County Public Health Department (SBCPHD) approval of elementary school waiver

Number of students confirmed in each learning model aligned with staffing to create class assignments for both learning models

Creation of class schedules at elementary schools (Based on the number of students returning to in-person/hybrid learning and students remaining in distance learning)

Communication sent to parents with student class assignment and possible new teacher

For more information on return to school guidance, please go to the following link: https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/.

We wish this process was not as complicated as it is.  We miss our kids very much and want to welcome them back to school as soon as we safely can.

Cali Binks

Superintendent

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can’t secondary schools return to school at this time?

At this time, there is no secondary schools’ waiver available. In order for our secondary schools to reopen, a county has to remain in the Substantial (red) tier for 14 consecutive days. For more information, please go to the following link: https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/. Our district is in constant communication with county public health officials, and we will communicate with families as updates become available.

If the elementary waiver is submitted and approved would you be prepared to open?

No, the waiver approval is just one step in the process to return to an in-person/ hybrid learning model.

Why can’t all elementary students return to in-person learning on campus every day?

To follow current California Department of Public Health guidelines to maximize physical distancing.

What is the Elementary Return to School Confirmation Form?

In preparation for reopening elementary schools (TK-5 grades), we are moving forward in our planning process. We have reviewed our parent survey responses and now need to confirm hybrid/in-person learning or distance learning preferences. On Friday, November 13th, a Google Form will be sent to elementary parents with the in-person/hybrid learning schedule and will ask families to confirm their choice to move into an in-person learning model or remain in distance learning. When we have met all of the necessary steps, a start date will be shared with parents as soon as possible. Our goal is to offer families the option of distance learning or in-person/hybrid instruction. As we adjust staffing to meet our families needs, a student’s teacher may change during this process.  The response deadline is Friday, November 20th.  If we do not receive a response for your student, they will be scheduled for hybrid learning.

Will siblings have the same elementary schedule?

Yes, schools will attempt to keep siblings in the same instructional block together (either “Group A” or “Group B” block)

Will the district offer after-school child care for elementary students?

Currently, the district is exploring the possibility of working with the City of Yucaipa to offer the STARS program.

Will elementary students and staff have to wear masks and stay “socially distanced”?

Yes, face coverings must be used in accordance with California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidelines. CDPH guidelines require schools to maximize space between students. For example, we have to consider ways to establish separation of students, such as, six feet between desks, markings on classroom floors to promote distancing and arranging desks in a way that minimizes face-to-face contact.

Will elementary students eat lunch at school?

No, students who attend in-person learning will have a “Grab & Go” lunch available at student dismissal at 12:20 p.m.

Will the elementary classrooms be a mixture of “in-person” and “distance” learning?

No, there will be no mixture of learning models in the classroom.  If students are in hybrid/in-person learning, their classmates will also be participating in hybrid/in-person learning.

Will Chromebooks be provided on-site or will the students need to bring in their devices from home?

Chromebooks will be available at school for students to use. Students are welcome to leave their Chromebooks and hotspots at home and continue to use them while outside of the classroom for educational purposes.

What are the immunization requirements for our elementary students prior to return?

Immunization requirements remain in place and must be completed for all new

admissions and transfers.  Please review the following link for all immunization

requirements and future immunization clinics hosted by YCJUSD;

https://www.yucaipaschools.com/immunization-requirements-abc5fe83

Will elementary students be required to wash their hands throughout the day?

Regular hand washing with soap and proper drying will be encouraged

throughout the day.  When hand washing is not readily available, hand sanitizer

will be provided.

Will parents be able to bring forgotten items (i.e., homework) during instructional hours?

Yes, parents can bring items for their students.

Will elementary students be allowed to “freely” move about the school and play at recess?

No, students will be assigned playground areas by class.

Will students/staff be required to receive a negative COVID-19 test prior to returning to in-person learning?

Our district is not requiring students to be COVID tested. Employees will be

tested every eight weeks according to CDPH guidelines.

How many students will be in the classroom at the same time?

A maximum of 18 students per class in order to meet the six feet social distancing public health recommendations.

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YCJUSD Families,
Thank you for your feedback and answers on the Return to School Confirmation Form.  We are still missing 900 responses and closing the window at 11:59pm tonight, November 20th.  Any students without a response will be scheduled for hybrid (in-person) learning.  If you still need to submit a response, please enter one for each TK-5 student in your household.

Confirmation Form - https://forms.gle/sSmgULD4H59xsBhw5

We have created a new website (https://sites.google.com/ycjusd.us/ycjusd-school-reopening-info/home), which will hopefully address any questions or concerns you may have relating to the return to school/waiver process. The new webpage can also be located on our district website.  Additionally, the return to school FAQs (https://bit.ly/32I8wuW) has been updated to include more information.

Thank you again for your feedback, patience, and trust.

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YCJUSD Families,

We submitted our TK-5 elementary school waiver on November 13th and have been monitoring its status closely at the following link: sbcovid19.com/schools/#schools-waiver.  As of today, the elementary waiver is in “pending” status.

We will communicate more information regarding the waiver status next week.

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YCJUSD Families,

We submitted our TK-5 school waiver on November 13th and have been monitoring its status closely at the following link: sbcovid19.com/schools/#schools-waiver.  As of today, Yucaipa’s daily case rate remains above 14 cases per 100,000 residents; the most recent daily case count is 51.65 cases per 100,000 for the week of November 30th - December 4th. This daily case rate is greater than the recommended upper threshold set by the State for considering an elementary school waiver for opening in-person instruction. For this reason, YCJUSD’s waiver has been denied at this time.

Next Steps: The San Bernardino County Public Health Department (SBCPHD) is closely monitoring the new daily case rates across all cities/towns in San Bernardino County. SBCPHD will automatically resubmit our district’s waiver request for reconsideration of approval to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) when the new daily case rate in Yucaipa falls below 14 per 100,000, and our district will not need to resubmit our waiver request to the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health.

Middle Schools and High Schools: There is still not a waiver being offered for middle schools and high schools. Our secondary schools can begin in-person/hybrid learning when our county tier moves from “Widespread” to “Substantial (7 or less daily cases per 100,000 residents)” for 14 consecutive days.

Thank you for completing the Return to School Confirmation form.  Your input remains valued and your patience is greatly appreciated.  If you have any questions, please reach out to your school site for more information or visit our new website: (https://sites.google.com/ycjusd.us/ycjusd-school-reopening-info/home).

We will continue to communicate information as we receive it.

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Dear YCJUSD Parents and Guardians,

The winter break is fast approaching and we wish you all the best.  Beginning Tuesday, December 15th, all schools and facilities will be closed to the public.  We will continue to serve our parents and community members through appointments and phone support.  The closure is due to a five percent positive Covid-19 rate with employees at a facility and an increased positivity rate within our district.

Distance learning resumes on Tuesday, January 5, 2021. Though distance learning will resume, we will not be open to the public until January 19th. We will continue appointments and phone service. Updated information can be found on our website: www.yucaipaschools.com. Additional information regarding the Coronavirus is available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and California Department of Public Health websites.

Nutrition Services will provide an opportunity for families to drive through and pick up meals for all children 18 years and younger at Park View Middle School, Mesa View Middle School and Valley Elementary on December 16th from  2:30 pm - 4:45 pm. There will not be meal service during our regularly scheduled Winter Break (December 18th - January 4th). Children do not have to be present in order for meals to be provided. Lunch and the next day’s breakfast will be included. Meal Distribution will be held between 2:30 pm  and 4:45 pm at the listed school sites.

Caresolace, our mental health and wellness referral service, is here for any need you may have. Check it out: https://caresolace.com/site/ycjusdfamilies/.

For your convenience, district and school site contact numbers are provided in the following link:  https://bit.ly/3mjB4lh

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To clarify our earlier message, distance learning will continue until 12/17 when winter break begins. Then distance learning will resume on 1/5