The Story Continues…

Indeed, the story does continue. It’s already been nearly two months since campuses opened full time in August. What is funny about that statement is that it shouldn’t be a big deal and under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t be. But, we all know that being back on campus full time five days a week is a big deal. Since schools opened, I have made it a point of visiting campuses and participating in celebratory events like homecoming games and our now famous earth-to-space call. It reminds me that when you take a moment to get beyond the noise, there’s just so much to smile about. So, I will share updates on some of the ‘noise’ first and then get to the good stuff.
The Noise:
Vaccinations -the CDPH public health order,“ Vaccine Verification for Workers in Schools”, requires that all school workers must either provide proof of their full vaccination status or under go weekly testing for COVID-19. All local educational agencies and private schools in California must comply with it. Staff must be vaccinated by 10/15/21 or undergo weekly tests. It is my understanding that there are currently 85%-90% vaccinated Hart District staff members and that number increases daily. The Hart District is currently not discussing mandatory vaccinations for students.
Masks–still have to wear them inside and many are wearing them outside too on campuses. As you have likely observed, masks must be worn in our board room too as we are required to enforce the LACD PH indoor mask mandate.
The Good Stuff:
Quarantine-Students missing class due to close contact positive covid exposure will no longer have to miss 10 days of school. Instead, they can partake in a testing cadence and additional mask requirements to return to campus if they are asymptomatic. While not perfect, this is good news!
Governance Handbook–The Governance Handbook was passed by the Boardof Trustees on September 1, 2021.This document shares the role and responsibilities of the governing board, the governance standards and our core values: Excellence, Courage, Perseverance, Boldness, Innovative, Equity, Fairness, Inclusiveness, Kindness, Respect, Integrity, Collaboration and Accountability. It is these values that provide the foundation for all actions and policies of the governing board.
COVID–cases are down among students as of the writing of this article! While this occurrence can and does change daily, this decline is something to celebrate.
Athletics –fall sports—football, cross-country, girls’ golf, girls’ volleyball and girls’ tennis—are in full swing with winter sports starting soon. It’s an exciting time seeing students get to enjoy and play the sports they love.
As I wrap-up, I want to leave you with some information that I hope you never need, but if you do, you have it. In October, we recognize National Bullying Prevention Month to remind us that students, parents, teachers, and school administrators all play a role in stopping bullying. As with our governing board values, positive change happens when we focus on kindness, respect and inclusion on our school. campuses.We have established ‘Care Lines’ on all of our campuses.They provide students and the community with easy access to report any potential behaviors of concern that might indicate a need for further attention, including bullying.You can find the numbers for each campus here: https://www.hartdistrict.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=317666&type=d&pREC_ID=2127861
With that, thank you for being part of this continuing story.You can reach me atcmoore@hartdistrict.orgatany time.