District to Provide Limited On-Site Childcare Programs
Dear Parents/Guardians and Staff Members:
With the District starting the new school year using the distance learning instructional model, many families—and school staff—have expressed childcare needs and concerns. I am proud to announce that our District will be able to provide on-site childcare on a limited basis during distance learning, thanks to our partnerships with community-based organizations such as the South Bay Family YMCA.
The objective is that, while our teachers execute remote instruction, the YMCA would provide full-day childcare programs Districtwide that support distance learning instruction. In essence, we are repurposing funds and services traditionally utilized for before- and after-school programs to support our instruction during the school day. As you know, we are in an extraordinary period, given the global pandemic and resulting state and local social distancing guidelines.
The soonest the childcare programs could start is Tuesday, September 8. We are in the process of implementing protocols consistent with state and local public health guidelines to ensure in-person childcare is available at each of our campuses. Because our staff members are essential workers critical to the success of instruction during distance learning, our teachers will receive priority registration along with foster youth, homeless youth, and other students from families in need.
Because the need for childcare is far greater than the number of spots available, we encourage families to explore fee-based licensed childcare programs as well. We understand many of our families need childcare because of work demands. Please bear with us as we explore solutions with you and our community partners. Be on the lookout for additional details.
Sincerely,
Francisco Escobedo, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Virtual Back-to-School Town Hall
Mark Your Calendars! Please join Superintendent Francisco Escobedo, Ed.D., and other area school district officials from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 15, at a Virtual Back-to-School Distance Learning Town Hall. The event is hosted by state Assembly District 79 to provide school district leaders an opportunity to explain their reopening plans to parents based on changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic; allow parents the opportunity to ask school district leaders questions relating to the upcoming school year; and receive information from Cox Communications and AT&T representatives about their technology services, including how to obtain them.
Participating educational agencies include the Chula Vista Elementary, La Mesa-Spring Valley, Lemon Grove, San Diego Unified, and Sweetwater Union High School Districts and O’Farrell Charter School. To register, please click on the button below:
Virtual Town Hall Registration
Special Training Session and Parent Meeting on 8/18
On Tuesday, August 18, special meetings of the District Advisory Committee/District English Learner Advisory Committee (DAC/DELAC) will be held to share important information about the new school year. First, a virtual Parent Training Session will be held at 11 a.m., where Superintendent Francisco Escobedo, Ed.D., will share an overview of the Reopening Safety Considerations and Guidelines for our District, as well as the instructional models that will be offered during the 2020-21 school year. Then, at 12 p.m., Matthew R. Tessier, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent of Innovation and Instruction, will engage parents in an activity to gather their questions and suggestions for the plan. Questions collected by the group will be responded to in writing by Dr. Escobedo and will be posted on the District’s website. The Microsoft Teams link for English or interpretation to Spanish are accessible by clicking the button below. Please note, these are the same links to join either the 11 a.m. or 12 p.m. DAC/DELAC meetings.
LINK for Parent Training at 11 am and DAC/DELAC at 12 noon
Summer Learning Camp is Underway
Our District’s Summer Learning Camp began on August 10 in a distance learning model. Special thanks go out to the 184 teachers who are providing instruction to about 1,800 students in a virtual format. The Summer Learning Camp will serve students who were selected and invited to attend based on assessment data from earlier this spring, which indicated a need for intervention and to address possible learning loss. The Summer Learning Camp includes a rigorous instructional day for students through a structured daily schedule. This program includes some parameters defined in Assembly Bill 77 (AB 77) that increase academic rigor and student-teacher engagement.
Also starting on August 10, CVESD’s Special Education Department began a “Recovery Intersession” via a distance learning model. We have deep gratitude for 30 Educational Specialist Teachers, seven Speech and Language Pathologists, three Occupational Therapists, an Adapted Physical Education Teacher, and a School Psychologist who are each supporting this opportunity. We are also thankful for the 25 principals who are hosting classes and supporting teachers and students. The Recovery Intersession helps narrow learning loss that may be due to COVID-19 closures for students with Specialized Academic Instruction. It is also an opportunity for students to have sessions in speech and language if they receive those services during the school year. The Recovery Intersession includes a rigorous instructional day for students through a structured daily schedule with many opportunities for individualized and small group instruction.
Keeping Schools Safe – Proposed Partnership
Our District and biotechnology firm Kahala Biosciences have engaged in exploratory conversations around the development of a COVID-19 continuous quality improvement project when schools eventually resume in-person instruction. Working with possibly five of our schools and with voluntary participation, the proposed project would focus on determining the level of active cases among our District population, identifying what interventions work to mitigate spread of the virus, and analyzing the emotional response by students and staff toward testing and symptom monitoring. The Governor’s recently announced pandemic plan centered on five key areas, including public health guidance that recommends “staff in every California school be tested for COVID-19 periodically based on local disease trends and as testing capacity allows.” The Governor also announced that the state will provide resources and technical assistance for COVID-19 case follow-up in school settings.
District YouTube Videos
Safety Starts at Home: Help us reopen schools more quickly and safely. Wear a mask. Slow the spread. Learn how the Chula Vista Elementary School District is doing its part in this video for parents and their children.
The Quick 3 in CVESD with Dr. McLaren: Learn more about Dr. McLaren, her commitment to educational equity, how she attended a segregated school through the fourth grade—and why she has a soft spot for struggling readers.
Dr. Escobedo Discuss Potential Testing and Tracking Partnership: At a recent gathering of Chula Vista community leaders, CVESD Superintendent Francisco Escobedo, Ed.D., shared how the District is looking into a potential partnership with Kahala Biosciences to develop a continuous quality improvement project focused on COVID-19 testing and contact tracing.
Ella B. Allen Elementary School 