Dear SPUSD Families,

 

Congratulations to South Pasadena Middle School on a successful reopening yesterday. Thank you to everyone including our staff, faculty, administrators, parents, and students who helped make this day possible. Please take a moment to watch this highlight video created to provide more information about in-person, hybrid learning.

 

Everyone at South Pasadena High School is diligently working to prepare for the reopening next week. The high school’s first, in-person, instructional day for Cohort B is Thursday, April 15. By the end of next week, SPUSD will be offering students in-person instruction at all campuses!

 

Looking Ahead
Recently, Governor Newsom announced that as of June 15, all industries in California may return to usual operations with common-sense risk reduction measures such as masking and vaccinations. The State’s reopening plan hinges on two key factors: 1) equitable vaccine availability and 2) consistently low burden of disease. When the state moves away from the tier system and “Beyond the Blueprint,” Newsom stated that:

“Schools and institutions of higher education should conduct full-time, in person instruction, in compliance with Cal/OSHA emergency temporary standards and public health guidelines." (Click here for article)

Therefore, we are planning to follow our pre-Covid daily and weekly schedule with the first day of instruction on August 12, 2021 assuming public health guidelines allow.

This summer, with targeted one-time funds, SPUSD is planning to offer a summer academic recovery program for identified students. At the elementary and middle school levels, this program likely will be a two-week institute prior to the start of school to assist identified students and help prime them for their next grade. For high school students, the focus will be on students who need credit recovery for graduation. More information will be provided as details are finalized.

 

Final Weeks of the School Year
We are in the final eight weeks of this academic year; let’s take a moment to appreciate how far we have come. Many of our end-of-year events will take place with appropriate safety measures. School principals will be sharing information about graduation and promotions for students. We have so much to celebrate in the coming weeks.

 

SPUSD will continue to proceed cautiously with a primary focus on the safety of students and employees at our schools. In the fall, there may still be restrictions from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH), but we are optimistic about the future. Right now, we must continue to be vigilant and remain safe by following all established guidelines. Please note that the LACDPH revised its travel advisory. Please follow the link to learn more.

 

Thank you for your continued patience as we complete our final phases of reopening. We are so excited to see the students back on campus and so thankful for everything the teachers and staff are doing to ensure student success.

 

Regards,

 

Geoff Yantz, Ed.D.
Superintendent