Dear Los Altos School District Families, 

On the first day of school, I wish you a very warm welcome to the 2020-21 school year!

While beginning a new school year is always filled with mixed emotions of excitement and trepidation, this year is certainly like no other.  We all face the stress of the ongoing public health crisis coupled with the challenge of distance learning. In this moment, I believe we must remember we face these challenges together, as an exemplary school district and community made up of amazing students, families and staff.  

Ten Schools Together Make One Amazing School District
We are a strong community of ten amazing schools--nine neighborhood schools and our new LASD Virtual School. Together, our resilient community is well equipped to overcome all obstacles in the 2020-21 school year. Over the last several months, we have proven time and time again the force of our collective effort, energy and innovation to ensure all students get the best education possible in the wake of this pandemic.  

Community Action in a Moment of Crisis
When news of the novel coronavirus first emerged in the early Spring, our Curriculum and Instruction Department spearheaded a multi-school, teacher- and principal-driven effort to deliver a plan for Emergency Remote Teaching.  Within a week of school shutdowns, our students were back in school online, and our staff worked tirelessly to provide as much continuity as possible for all students in LASD.

Our Reopening Plan:  A Collective Effort
Teacher and principal representatives from all schools, as well as district administrators and nurses, pored over State of California and Santa Clara County Guidelines and educational research to develop a comprehensive 2020-21 Reopening Plan to ensure every LASD student could have a strong start to the school year, regardless of public health circumstances.  While our preference was always to have 100% of our students safely back on campus, when it became clear that would not be possible, we were able to turn on a dime and implement the distance learning program we are launching today.  We did not leave this for our individual schools to tackle on their own because we are stronger as a district team.  We need cohesive and collective action to provide for our entire community of children.

PTAs:  Support for Blended Learning and Virtual Students Alike
While our district may be a network of separate PTAs, our PTA leadership has a history of working together for the success of all students.  Our amazing parent volunteers have many ideas to not only fundraise for all schools this year, but to continue those strong community ties that hold us together--especially in times of crisis.  

More than ever, our PTAs are continuing to think beyond individual schools, collaborating and combining resources to ensure all students and families are safe, healthy and thriving.  When you donate to your school PTA this year, your support will not only benefit the students in your neighborhood school classrooms, but will also support those children from your neighborhood school who opted for Virtual School.  This support is critical for all of our students. Look for PTA-sponsored events that bring Virtual School and Blended Learning families together to celebrate our wonderful school communities.  If you haven’t made your contribution to your school’s PTA yet, please consider an online donation of any amount using the links at the end of this letter.  If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact your PTA leadership or principal to lend a hand.  

LAEF:  Protecting Essential Programs in Uncertain Times
The Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF) is an organization that supports every student in LASD, not just the students at one or two schools. Furthermore, LAEF is no stranger to perseverance in a time of crisis, as it was founded when Proposition 13 slashed school budgets across the state. Regardless of participation-level, LAEF benefits all students because that is who we are as a community:  we stand together as one to support everyone.

Even in a pandemic and a distance learning program, LAEF donations will protect these vital programs for which LASD is known. LAEF is committed to leading our community’s support for STEM, PE, Art, music and wellness programs, especially in this time of crisis. Please consider a contribution to LAEF this year to ensure all of our kids continue to receive a well-rounded education.

Teachers and Staff:  Making the Sacrifice
Last but certainly not least, I want to extend my gratitude to our amazing LASD staff and their unwavering support for students, families and co-workers.  The Los Altos Teachers Association donated thousands of dollars at the beginning of Shelter in Place to support LASD families and fellow staff members in need.  Many staff members have made sacrifices to support one another by changing positions or schools to ensure those with health issues could remain safe during this pandemic.  Through collaboration and commitment, our staff has crafted a plan for deep student learning, as well social-emotional support for all students we serve.  Our teachers are ready to hit the ground running in distance learning after spending the summer engaged in professional development to deliver a comprehensive online education to all our students.  

Our principals have been working together all summer to build strong distance learning programs, in addition to formulating plans for safe reopening of their school sites.  Through consistent communication, hundreds of phone calls and virtual meetings, they have prepared parents and staff for the rigors of the year ahead.  More importantly, they have worked together not just to lead their own sites, but to share ideas and support each other through all their challenges.  This teamwork and collaboration is inspiring and has strengthened our leadership team to ensure a consistent educational experience for all students and families across the district.

This year is going to be an enormous challenge for all of us.  To reach our highest potential as a school district, we must continue reaching beyond ourselves and do what is necessary for the good of all students in LASD.  Our commitment to supporting one another, to acting as a cohesive community, and dedicating our energy to student success above all else will allow us to rise above this moment. I thank you in advance for your support.

I am so proud to be part of this community of dedicated parents, students and staff.  I am always here to support you, so please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.  

Sincerely, 

Jeffrey Baier
Superintendent 
Los Altos School District 
 

Please consider a donation of any amount to your neighborhood school’s PTA.  All donations will support all students from the school site, whether they attend the Blended Learning or Virtual School program: Almond, Blach, Covington, Egan (password: vikings), Gardner Bullis, Loyola, Oak, Santa Rita, and Springer.

Dear Los Altos School District Families, 

Thank you to those of you who participated and asked great questions during our Town Hall meeting yesterday evening.  If you did not have the chance to ask your question, please email me at jbaier@lasdschools.org.  We also received many questions in advance.  We are working on responding to them today using the email you provided.

Town Hall Video
For those of you who couldn’t make it, but would like to view a video of the Town Hall, please click here. We had a great discussion of the Health and Safety measures that will be in place once it is safe and allowable to reopen our school campuses to students.  Additionally, we discussed the Virtual and Blended Learning options, and the plan for beginning our schools in a distance learning format for all our students on August 19. 

Reminder:  Please Complete the Fall Re-Enrollment Survey
As we discussed during the Town Hall, the deadline for the Fall Re-Enrollment survey is the end of day today, Friday, July 24.  Each family was emailed an individual invitation and link to the survey.  If you haven’t completed the survey, please find the email from me dated July 17 and complete the simple, one-question survey to choose either the 100% Virtual or Blended Learning model. The email you received provides information about these choices.  You may also find more information on our Reopening Web Page.

Thank you again for your collaboration and partnership as we work together to provide a great learning experience for all students during these challenging times. 

Sincerely,
Jeffrey Baier
Superintendent
Los Altos School District
 

Dear Los Altos School District Families,

Today, Governor Newsom announced new guidelines and requirements for California’s schools. These guidelines are in response to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in many California counties that have been placed on the state’s Monitoring List, including Santa Clara County. 

Fall Reopening:  Online Instruction
Per California’s new public health guidance for K-12 schools, LASD will begin the school year on August 19 in an online learning model. According to the state, school facilities may only open in counties that have been off the state’s Monitoring List for 14 consecutive days. Santa Clara County is currently on the Monitoring List and therefore, LASD must begin the year in a distance learning model.

We are heartbroken for the families struggling with this rapidly spreading illness and for those who rely on our schools for essential services.  With a focus on educational equity, LASD will prioritize in-person learning opportunities for targeted students who require additional academic support whenever it is allowable and safe. These targeted populations include students in special education programs, students participating in the school nutrition program and beginning English learners.   

We’re Prepared to Provide a Well-Rounded Education for All Students
In anticipation of changing public health conditions, LASD developed a flexible Instructional Plan for the 2020-21 school year, which includes three modes of educational delivery to ensure academic consistency for all of our students. As I’ve mentioned before, we are prepared to operate in any scenario due to thoughtful planning, adherence to scientific research and public health guidance, as well as the collaboration from parents, teachers and our community. 

Fall Re-Enrollment Survey
Although we will begin the school year with all instruction online, we are continuing to prepare to bring students and staff back to our neighborhood schools as soon as we are able.  For that reason, we will run two instructional programs simultaneously so all students have the educational continuity of the same, highly-qualified teachers regardless of the instructional model: one program for families who wish to continue in a 100% virtual model once orders are lifted and another for those who wish to return their children to campus.  LASD families will receive a confirmation email with their child(ren)’s enrollment and more information about the program.  If you have not yet completed the Fall Re-Enrollment survey for your child(ren), please look for a reminder email later today. 

The only constant during this global pandemic is change.  As public health data continues to evolve regarding the COVID-19 crisis, we will heed the guidance of our public health officials and balance the need for in-person instruction with a safe learning experience for our students, and a healthy working environment for all our staff. 

Thank you for entrusting us with the monumental task of redesigning education for all LASD students as we continue to navigate this public health crisis. This is without a doubt the most difficult challenge we’ve ever undertaken, but I am confident LASD will continue to be a model of academic excellence.

Warm Regards, 

Jeffrey Baier
Superintendent
Los Altos School District
 

Dear Los Altos families, 

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through the multitude of details and regulations related to the reopening of our schools in August.  Yesterday afternoon, the Santa Clara County Public Health Department (SCCPHD) released its requirements and guidance to safely reopen schools in the fall.  Thanks to input already received from parents, teachers, students and staff, as well as the hard work of a dedicated team of diverse employees and stakeholders, we are very pleased that LASD’s plans are in-line with the newly published SCCPHD requirements.

Monday evening, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Sandra McGonagle and I presented our Draft Instructional Plan for the 2020-21 school year to the Board of Trustees and the community.  The plan outlines a “Continuum of Instruction” to maintain educational continuity for all students throughout the school year, as well as the flexibility we need to strictly adhere to any changes in public health regulations.  If you missed the School Board meeting, you can view a recording here and a PDF of the presentation here.

At this time, staff recommendation to the board is to begin the school year in a Blended Learning format, with all students spending a portion of their week learning on campus and remaining days learning online.  SCCPHD requirements to safely reopen schools are complex and it will take time for our students and staff to adjust to these new norms.  For that reason, we view Blended Learning as the best initial instructional model to provide educational continuity for all students, while protecting the health of all students and staff. This is one big step towards our eventual goal of a safe and measured return of all students to our campuses.

From our May survey, we know many families are anxious for students to return to our campuses full-time.  Alternatively, some families feel more secure in a Virtual School model, so our plan allows families to choose a 100% Virtual School option.

Over the next several days, we will scrutinize the SCCPHD guidelines for K-12 schools, ensure our plan strictly follows all regulations for both elementary and junior high schools, and finalize our instructional model for reopening in August.  We will use these additional guidelines from Santa Clara County to implement the final details of our health and operations plans.

Here are the next steps: 
●    July 1-5:  LASD staff will review the instructional plan against the new SCCPHD K-12 requirements 
●    July 6: The LASD Board will review and consider approval of the 2020-21 Instructional Plan 
●    Mid-July: Once approved by the Board, the final Instructional Plan will be emailed to families, along with a survey to choose 100% Virtual School or an on-campus learning option
●    July 27: Staff will bring Health and Operational Plans for the Board to consider approval 
●    Early August: Finalize Technology and Site Operations plans 
●    August 19: First day of school

As we continue to move forward in our planning, we want to hear from you. Please email trustees@lasdschools.org with questions, feedback or concerns.  Your partnership is paramount to the success of all students.  We look forward to opening the school year safely with you.

Sincerely, 

Jeffrey Baier
Superintendent
Los Altos School District 
 

The Los Altos School District is currently evaluating various scenarios to reopen our schools in the 2020-21 school year, while taking into account the necessary public health requirements to keep our students and staff safe and healthy. While we all want a return to normalcy in the next school year, it is very likely that some form of distance learning will be required. For that reason, LASD asked parents, teachers and students to provide feedback regarding their experience in Virtual School this year so that we may improve our program and ensure we come up with a model for the upcoming school year that provides the best educational experience possible for all students. Please take a look at the summary results of the survey here.