SRCS : Distance learning will continue through end of school year

This just in from Diann Kitamura, superintendent of Santa Rosa City Schools: Distance learning will continue through the end of the school year; SRCS students and staff WILL NOT return to school campuses this year.

The message from Diann Kitamura:

April 1, 2020

Dear Santa Rosa City Schools Staff and Families,

With the continued safety and health of our students, staff, families, and community at risk, the Board of Education and I have made the decision to continue distance learning in Santa Rosa City Schools through the end of the school year. Other superintendents in Sonoma County are making this same decision. We are doing this after receiving direction from Governor Newsom and State Superintendent Thurmond, and in consultation with the Sonoma County Health Officer.

This means:

Santa Rosa City Schools students and staff will not be returning to school campuses this school year.

Learning from home will continue.

As the California Department of Education provides more guidance on distance learning, Santa Rosa City Schools will continue to build reasonable and relevant teaching and learning activities for the rest of the school year.

A special note for high school students:

The University of California (UC) announced today that it will reduce some admission requirements for Fall 2020, including suspending the letter grade requirement for A-G courses completed in Winter/Spring/Summer 2020 and suspending the standardized test requirement for students applying for Fall 2021 freshman admission.

The California State University (CSU) is reviewing whether to drop its testing requirement for admission. A final decision is expected soon.

Proms will be rescheduled. Contact your principal if you have any questions about this.

Please email your ideas about how to celebrate graduation with the shelter in place order extending to the end of the school year to: lkolacek@srcs.k12.ca.us.

We are implementing these measures because social distancing is crucial to preventing the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). Although students will not report to school, we will continue to provide distance learning options, with packets of work mailed home, Zoom and Google meetings with teachers, and loans of Chromebooks and wifi hotspots for students who need them. We will also continue to provide free meals, Monday through Friday, to anyone ages 0-18, and to provide counseling and social-emotional support.

I have a special message for students and parents: Please do not work from home to the point of stress and worry. For example, spending 6 hours per day on technology to do distance learning is too much. We do not expect our students to complete coursework in the same way they would at school. If you have concerns, please contact the teacher or your principal.

Like everything else related to this crisis, our distance learning will remain flexible and subject to change. We all have a role to play in keeping our community’s children engaged and learning. I appreciate your patience as we build our distance learning program while implementing it at the same time.

Take care,

Diann