Sports canceled? Students in masks? Sacramento health officials urge big changes for schools

Schools in Sacramento County will likely stagger class schedules in the fall – perhaps allowing students on campus for only a few hours at a time – and many sports, large gatherings and music activities could be canceled for the 2020-21 academic year as districts respond to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to reopening guidelines developed by the county’s top education officials released Tuesday.

The 32-page set of recommendations also states if K-12 campuses do reopen, it will likely need to be with significant modifications to achieve social distancing.

The Sacramento County Department of Public Health recommended to school officials that several sports – including football, soccer, basketball, baseball and softball – be canceled, based on the current situation of the coronavirus outbreak. School officials said they will work with state health officials and the California Interscholastic Federation to develop further guidance on sports. CIF is “studying strategies to work with public health to restore athletics when it is safe to do so,” the document states.

Health officials also recommend that orchestras and bands be suspended “unless adequate social distancing is possible.” Theater arts and physical education could proceed with social distancing.

Students and staff at middle and high school may be asked to wear masks when social distancing cannot be achieved; those students who don’t have masks should be provided surgical masks. Each school should have a “sick room” and no one with a temperature above 100.1 degrees should go on campuses.

In addition, rallies, dances and assemblies should not be held, according to the health department’s recommendation. Students should be kept in cohorts, and lunches, recesses and other breaks should be staggered. Students may receive boxed lunches in their classrooms and desks will be positioned six feet apart.

The guidelines are “a guide for districts to consider as they plan for the next school year,” according to the document.

“There is no one-size-fits-all approach to reopening schools across our 13 districts,” the document states. “Based on available information as of June 2, 2020, school districts in Sacramento County will create contingency plans for reopening schools based on the guiding principles, current planning considerations, and assumptions set forth in this document. These plans are subject to change as public health guidelines are updated.”

The guidelines were put together by a Sacramento Office of Education task force made up of 40 district representatives and under the watch of Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye. More than a dozen parents and teachers also provided input, according to the document. The recommendations are guidance for the 13 districts in Sacramento County.

Separately, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration is developing statewide recommendations for schools. Politico reported last week that those recommendations will include that teachers and students wear masks, that school schedules be staggered and that partitions be placed between desks.

The modifications to school schedules, busing, and other changes will cost districts more money- a concern for some districts facing financial, and also given Newsom’s recent proposal to slash more than $5 billion for K-12 schools.

San Juan Unified just approved $400,000 to purchase masks and hand sanitizer for classrooms.

“We’re not sure that will get us through next year, but those costs are extensive,” said San Juan Unified Superintendent Kent Kern. “It will be a challenge for districts when we are already facing a budget crisis.”

New class schedules

Public and private schools will likely be required by Sacramento County Public Health to modify school schedules to limit how many students are in a classroom and on campus. The number of students in each classroom will depend on the size of the room and how the furniture can be positioned, according to the guidelines.

“Because school sizes vary so widely, it’s very difficult to have only one size fits all,” Kasirye said. “The number of students that can fit in a classroom will determine whether classes will be staggering. It all depends on the classroom the size and the grade as well.”

Kasirye said some private schools have already submitted their plans how to reopen.

SCOE listed examples of what the campus experience could look like:

• Classes could be divided into smaller cohorts and attend class in-person either on Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday.

• Half-day schedules with morning and afternoon sessions.

• Block schedules to reduce passing periods in school hallways.

• Staggered schedules where classes start and the end their day at different times.

SCOE Superintendent David Gordon said the districts are still thinking about what model best fits their students and teachers, many of whom are vulnerable to the virus given their age.

Kasirye said county health officials have been working closely with schools, but if problems do arise, officials could visit campuses for inspection.

“All of them want to do what’s right,” she said. “And they want to make sure they can keep their schools open.”

Activities that require students to congregate must be limited.

The SCPH is recommending science labs, physical education, band and performing arts continue to take place only if students and instructors can be kept apart with physical distancing. Some activities, like choir, are encouraged to be conducted virtually.

Some sports may be restricted or eliminated this year, according to the guidelines. Contact sports such as football, soccer and basketball are not recommended. Sports such as swimming, tennis and cheerleading may be feasible.

Districts, according to the guidelines, will “try their best to maintain the extracurricular programs, clubs, and athletics that are so important to the physical, mental, and social well-being” of students.

Gordon said the bottom line is that the districts each choose what programs to continue running in the fall, but are working together to make it consistent across the region.

Kern said school leaders rely on public health officials for those decisions, but it could vary depending on individual pressures that each district might face.

“We are adjacent to two neighboring counties that may not have the same level of restrictions as Sacramento County, said Folsom Cordova Unified Superintendent Sarah Koligian, referring to Placer and El Dorado counties. “Our students do mingle for sports and extracurricular activities. How will we navigate that? With our weekly meetings, we are trying to coordinate those activities at least within our county.”

“There are programs that touch kids emotions and hearts that bring them things that they might not have at home,” Gordon said.

Decisions on how to provide instruction are subject to collective bargaining agreement with teachers unions, many of which represent teachers who have underlying health issues or are over the age of 60.

Several school districts including Elk Grove Unified and Folsom Cordova Unified released surveys to families asking for feedback on how schools should reopen.

“Some of the stuff will be decisions that people have to make with their doctors,” said Ed Burgess with the San Juan Teachers Association. “There may be other opportunities. We don’t know. Parents may want to do some sort of homeschool type thing, and there may be opportunities for teachers to support through those guidelines. It feels difficult because there’s so much unknown right now.”

The Sacramento City Teachers Association said in a written statement that “it is a concern that SCOE developed its guidance apparently without seeking any input from the unions that represent certificated staff.”

“First and foremost our concerns have to be ensuring the health and safety of students, staff and our broader community,” the statement read.

Additional recommendations

Schools may implement screening measures to prevent ill students from attending classes, but health officials acknowledge that could be challenging at larger schools. Officials recommend families take their children’s temperatures each morning prior to attending class, according to the document. Staff, middle school and high school students may be asked to wear masks when social distancing on campus, and that schools provide masks to students who cannot provide their own.

The county public health department is not recommending masks for elementary school students because of breathing restrictions and concerns that young children will not wear them properly.

While the state will provide Personal Protective Equipment to non-healthcare businesses, it is unclear if that will include schools.

Students who take the bus to school will be seated one person per every other row, according to the guidelines, meaning additional routes and cost will be needed.

Gordon said busing may pose a significant problem in more rural areas where families rely on school buses to send their children to school.

The SCPH says it’s monitoring the situation locally. Local colleges and universities announced that fall courses will be delivered on-line, and an effective vaccine is unlikely to be administered by the fall. County officials said it is difficult to know what the situation will look like three to four months from now because of the virus and because of proposed budget cuts in education.

Newsom is proposing a $5 billion cut in funding to California’s K-12 schools. That could translate to increasing class sizes by nearly 20 percent, cutting more than $20,000 per classroom and laying off thousands of teachers throughout the state, according to the California Teachers Association.

The changes schools need to make to protect students will require additional funding, superintendents and teachers union officials said.

Koligian said districts are asking for more state support and flexibility to the budget.

If there is a resurgence of infections over the summer, districts may not be able to open campuses at all in the fall.

Kasirye said that if schools reopen and some coronavirus cases occur, procedures for closures could look different than they did in the spring.

School officials throughout the Sacramento region acknowledged in recent weeks that changes in the fall were inevitable so schools can successfully reopen. Some schools in Elk Grove Unified will start on July 16, based on the current year-round school calendar.

Several school districts are considering implementing a hybrid model with students and families physically in class and online.

A recent national poll found that if schools reopen in the fall, nearly 60 percent of families will likely continue distance learning at home. One in five teachers said they are unlikely to go back if their schools reopen.

Gordon said SCOE is hearing from parents who are uncomfortable with the idea of sending their children back to school and would appreciate the option to continue distance learning. SCOE cannot mandate that all 13 of its school districts implement continued distance learning programs, but it seems likely that most – if not all – will have it available in the fall.

“The key point is that distance learning is here to stay,” Gordon said.

The California Department of Education is expected to release state guidelines for reopening schools in coming days of weeks, according to State Superintendent Tony Thurmond.

This story was originally published June 2, 2020 at 1:31 PM.