In a letter dated March 31, Windsor Unified School District (WUSD) Superintendent Jeremy Decker told families that while state distancing guidelines have changed, it may take a bit for the district to catch up and make the necessary changes to its opening plans to reflect those changes.
“Recently, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) updated the K–12 school guidance to reflect the latest science on physical distance between students in classrooms. CDC now recommends that, with universal masking, students should maintain a distance of at least three feet in classroom settings in elementary schools regardless of transmission levels,” Decker’s letter said. “For middle and high schools, CDC also recommends students should be at least three feet apart in classrooms where mask use is universal and in communities where transmission is low, moderate, or substantial. In case transmission becomes high, these older students should stay at least 6 feet apart. The agency still recommends students keep 6 feet away from one another at sporting events, assemblies, lunch and chorus practice.”
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) adopted these guidelines on March 20, which was after WUSD had completed, submitted and had approval for their COVID Safety Plans (CSP) for all of the schools.
“In consequence, we will be assessing the implications of these revised rules and regulations over the next couple of weeks to apply them in the safest way possible. This process would include feedback from our staff so we can all work together safely,” Decker said in his letter.
As it stands now, to be able to adopt the new standards, the CSP would have to be revamped and re-approved and then it is required to be posted on the district’s website for five days before it can be implemented.
The letter ends with a notice of a community meeting on, April 1. Though details are not yet released publicly, the letter states it will be “an online gathering through Zoom to discuss our Safety Plans and gather questions, comments and suggestions from all of you.”
WUSD will welcome back students in a hybrid learning model on April 5.
