Distance Learning and School Meals Will Continue

Dear OSD Families and Staff:

The Board of Education and our district leadership are committed to ensuring the health and safety of our entire Oxnard School District community. Based on recommendations from state and local health and education officials, we have made the decision to extend remote learning through the end of the 2019-20 school year. This does not mean the current school year is over.

Today, the Ventura County Office of Education announced that all Ventura County school districts agreed to keep their school campuses closed through the end of the school year in support of the coronavirus mitigation effort. The decision was made in consultation with Ventura County Public Health Officer, Dr. Robert Levin. This decision comes after recommendations from California Governor Gavin Newsom and California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond for schools to continue providing distance learning in lieu of in-class instruction for the remainder of the current school year.

OSD is committed to providing our students with Standard-Based Distance Learning that ensures readiness for the next grade levels. Our instructional staff will plan grade-level appropriate and rigorous lessons in order to maximize the learning of our students. We will provide more information to staff and families in the coming days. 

We are among other Ventura County school districts that are already providing distance learning opportunities for students and will continue making them more robust.

Meals for children ages 1-18 in our community will continue to be available at our four school sites: Harrington, Driffill, Cesar Chavez, and Fremont.

One of the most difficult aspects of the closure is the disruption to traditional end-of-year activities including promotion ceremonies. We are exploring alternative ways to celebrate and recognize our students for their accomplishments.

In closing, please know that we will continue to share any new information with you as we have it. We are grateful for the dedicated teachers, administrators and support staff working hard to provide all of our students’ academic needs and overall wellbeing during these challenging times. For the latest updates, please visit our website at www.OxnardSD.org.

Sincerely,

Dr. Karling Aguilera-Fort

Superintendent

Dear OSD Families and Staff:

The impacts of the coronavirus are touching every aspect of our lives and forcing all of us to find creative ways to adapt to this unprecedented situation. We know the disruption in normal school operations has created many issues and uncertainties – from childcare and meals to graduation plans and college preparation. In this letter, we will answer some of your most pressing questions as best we can.

When will school reopen?

In coordination with the Ventura County Office of Education and all Ventura County school districts, the Oxnard School District will be keeping our schools closed at least through Friday, May 1. Our new target date to reopen is Monday, May 4.

As you know, things are changing daily, so there is the potential that the closures could be extended beyond May 1, 2020. Yesterday, California Governor Gavin Newsom advised parents to prepare for the possibility that schools may be closed through the summer break. While that could indeed happen, we remain hopeful that conditions will improve enough to allow us to reopen before the end of the school year.

Will promotion ceremonies be held?

Like all of you, we want nothing more than to honor our students for their accomplishments. The thought of 8^th grade promotion ceremonies being cancelled is heartbreaking, and we will do all we can to make them happen. In the event that in-person ceremonies are not possible due to public health concerns, we will explore alternative ways to recognize our students for their achievements.

Will remote learning be provided for students at home?

Yes. We are currently working on plans to provide remote learning for our students. As you can imagine, this is no small endeavor. It involves issues with technology, training and equitable access for all students, including those with special needs and those who do not have internet service or computers at home. We are working to roll out distance learning as soon as possible and will notify parents when it is ready. In the meantime, Southern California PBS TV stations are offering TV-based at-home learning opportunities for students from kindergarten through 12^th grade. Additional information is at www.kcet.org/at-home-learning.

Are students required to participate in remote learning?

Once our remote learning plan is in place, students are expected to participate. We understand some families may have situations that make participation difficult or impossible and we are happy to discuss those situations on a case-by-case basis.

Will state CAASPP testing take place?

The state CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress) testing in math and English language arts has been canceled for the current school year and will not take place.

Will school meals continue to be provided?

Yes. Oxnard School District will continue to provide school meals, which are a vital source of nutrition for many students. A list of meal pickup locations and times are available at www.OxnardSD.org and for a list of meal pickup sites located throughout Ventura County, please visit www.vcoe.org/meals.

Will schools provide childcare?

We are aware that school closures present serious childcare challenges for many families. However, the point of closing the schools is to protect students from exposure to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and to slow its spread. This social distancing is for the greater good of our communities. Using schools as childcare locations would defeat the purpose of the closures, so we will not be offering childcare at our school sites at this time.

In closing, please know there are dedicated teachers, administrators and support staff working hard to provide for our students’ academic needs and overall wellbeing during these challenging times. This situation is evolving rapidly and we will continue to share new information with you as we have it. For the latest updates, please visit our website at www.OxnardSD.org.

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Karling Aguilera-Fort, Superintendent