Teachers relieved to hear CCSD distance learning recommendation

Instead of going back to the classroom next month, it’s looking like students will once again be learning from home.

The CCSD Board of Trustees is meeting discussing the possibility of full-time distance education for the start of the school year.

Jeremy Chen reports.

AGAIN BE LEARNING FROM HOME.THANKS FOR JOINING US..I'M TODD QUINONES.TRICIA HAS THE NIGHT OFF.THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ISMEETING RIGHT NOW...THEY ARE CONSIDERING THEPOSSIBILITY OF FULL-TIMEDISTANCE EDUCATION FOR THESTART SCHOOL.IF APPROVED...THIS WOULD SCRAPTHE DISTRICT'S INITIAL HYBRIDREOPENING PLAN.13 ACTION NEWS REPORTER JEREMYCHEN SPOKE WITH TEACHERS...AND IS LIVE WITH THEIR THOUGHTSON THE CHANGE.THE MEETING IS UNDERWAY RIGHTNOW...((AD-LIB)) THIS DISCUSSION IS AMOVE FROM THE PREVIOUS HYBRIDREOPENING PLAN- BRINGING A SIGHOF RELIEF FROM SOME TEACHERS.NO KIDS ON CAMPUS-AND A HUNDREDPERCENT DISTANCE LEARNING TOSTARTTHE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.THAT'S THE LATESTRECOMMENDATION FROMC-C-S-D STAFF TO THE BOARD OFTRUSTEES- "THEY'RE DOING WHATMANY CONSIDER THE RESPONSIBLETHING AND EVEN THERE'S A LOT OFDISSENT, I THINK THIS IS THERIGHT AT THIS TIME." JEREMIAHREISENBECK IS A TEACHER ATCENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL.HE SAYS SAFETY WAS ON HIS MINDWHEN THE PREVIOUSLY PROPOSEDHYBRID PLAN WAS BEING PUSHEDFORWARD."JUST WITH MYSELF, I HAVE MANYUNDERLYING CONDITIONS AND IKNOW MANY OF MY FELLOWCOLLEAGUES, THEY'RE NOT YOUNG."A POLL CONDUCTED BY THE CLARKCOUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATIONSHOWS ABOUT 74 PERCENT OF ITSMEMBERS BELIEVE THE DISTRICTSHOULD START WITH ONLY DISTANCELEARNING.EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOHNVELLARDITA SAYS SAFETY WAS THEUNION'S NUMBER ONE CONCERN.HE BELIEVES HOW THE VIRUS ISCONTAINED DICTATES ANYDISCUSSION OF RETURNING TO THECLASSROOM."I THINK WITH THE ESCALATION OFCOVID- 19, THAT'S WHAT'SDETERMINING THE COURSE OFDIRECTION THAT WE'RE ALL GOINGIN RIGHT NOW." IN A STATEMENTC-C-S-D STAFF CHOSE TO MOVE TODISTANCE LEARNING SAYING INPART: "AS THE HEALTH AND SAFETYOF OUR STUDENTS, FAMILIES ANDSTAFF REMAINS OUR TOP PRIORITY,AND DUE TO THE CONTINUOUSINCREASES OF COVID-19 POSITIVECASES, THE DISTANCE EDUCATIONOPTION IS CURRENTLY THE MOSTRESPONSIBLE COURSE OF ACTION."FOOTHILL HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERJENN ICE SUPPORTS STARTINGWITH DISTANCE EDUCATION.SHE DOES HOWEVER UNDERSTAND THE"WE'RE GOING TO NEED AS MUCHPARENTAL INVOLVEMENT ASPOSSIBLE TO WORK AS A TEAM TOFIND THAT BALANCE" ICE SAYS SHEWANTS TO EVENTUALLY SEECLASSROOM INSTRUCTION-BUT SAYSDISTANCE EDUCATION IS THE BESTCHOICE FOR EVERYONE UNTIL THEVIRUS CAN BE CONTROLLEDLOCALLY."I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO GOWITH THE FLOW AND DO THE BESTTHAT WE CAN WITH THESITUATION."CURRENTLY-TEACHERS AND STAFFWILL REPORT FOR THE NEXT SCHOOLYEAR ON AUGUST 10TH FORTRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT-ANDSTUDENTS WILL BEGIN CLASSES TWOWEEKS LATER ON THE 24TH.I'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THISSCHOOL BOARD MEETING AND GIVEYOU AN UPDATE AT SIX.JEREMY CHEN 13 ACTION NEWS.SEVERAL PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THEVALLEY WILL WELCOME STUDENTSBACK TO THE