CARLSBAD, Calif — Elementary students in the Carlsbad Unified School District will return to in-person learning by the end of the month.
In the special board of trustees meeting Friday on Zoom, the Carlsbad school board voted 5-0 to return students in TK through grade five to in-person learning by September 28 and October 5. Grades 6-12 will continue distance learning until at least October 8.
"While not perfect I believe this option moves us in the right direction without creating the chaos that would have resulted in the high flex option," said Trustee Elisa Williamson.
On Wednesday, the board approved a plan that would give parents options to send their kids back to school for a certain number of days, they would not have the same teacher and new classmates. That didn't sit well with parents who wrote the board.
"All summer and this is where are at. You have to understand that this is extremely disappointing. I'm at a loss for a lack of leadership and how unprepared we are," said one parent.
Staff read two dozen letters written to the trustees on the plan pleading to rescind it.
"We need to have options for parents who are not independently wealthy and I don't think it's right or fair for families of essential workers who have to be out of the house to be treated as equals as parents who have a non-working parent," wrote a parent.
The board and superintendent listened. Trustees approved a hybrid learning environment for elementary students called an A/B hybrid schedule, where half of the students will learn on campus on Monday and Tuesday and the other half of the students will learn on campus on Thursday and Friday for three hours a day.
Staff says that current class rosters will be maintained.
"Equitable access to education to all students and the social and emotional benefits of maintaining the important teacher, student and classmate relationships already developed," said Superintendent Benjamin Churchill, Ed.D.
The first day of school started on August 25 with distance learning. Parents are mixed about working full time and the need to get children back to school full-time. They also expressed concerns about safety measures to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak.
"Why are we moving forward with putting students and staff in harm's way? Why not err on the side of caution and health and reevaluate in the spring," said a parent.
The district gave parents the option to put their child in virtual learning for the entire year.
Grades TK through second will start on September 25 and grades three to five will start the week of October 5. It has not been decided when middle and high school students will return to campus.
Special education and preschool students in all grades will learn in-person, on-campus five days a week.