Back on campus: LAUSD announces specific dates for students to return to campus by grade
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Unified School District's Superintendent Austin Beutner announced Monday the specific dates students will be returning to school, broken down by grade.
"We'll open 61 elementary schools and 11 early education centers the week of April 12. These were selected by a group of experienced administrators based on the schools' readiness to reopen and the location in each of the communities we serve," Beutner said. "The remaining elementary schools and early education centers will open the week of April 19, and middle and high schools will open the week of April 26."
The stagged reopening of schools by grade is done in order to allow for a safe, COVID-friendly transition for students and staff back into the classroom, he said.
"For example, an elementary school might see a quick check-in online for students with their teachers to start the day on April 12th. The remainder of the day students will work independently while all school staff – principals, teachers, bus drivers, librarians, counselors, custodians, cafeteria workers and many others – carefully review safety protocols and fine-tune schedules," Beutner explained.
Every elementary school in Los Angeles Unified will be offering a full-day, in-person instruction program for all students. Students will receive three hours of focused instruction in literacy, math, science and social studies, they will have recess with their classmates and eat lunch together. Students will also have the opportunity to receive help with their homework and to participate with friends in activities like painting, dance and yoga until 4 p.m. each day, Beutner said. LAUSD will also continue to provide one-on-one tutoring after school as well.
RELATED: LAUSD targets April 12 reopening date, will offer vaccines to families
"All of this will be done while maintaining the highest standards of COVID safety practices and protocols," added Beutner.
Once a school reopens, COVID-19 tests will be provided at that school for the weekly testing of students and staff.
"We have been providing free COVID tests for students and staff and their families for some time now and are pleased to see the overall rate of the virus in the Los Angeles area continues to decline," Beutner said. "To give it a little bit of context, the current rate of those testing positive at schools and COVID case levels in the Los Angeles area were last seen in September and October."
Specific dates for the reopening of individual schools and grades can be found on Los Angeles Unified’s and individual school websites.
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