Here’s what Modesto-area private schools have planned for fall classes during coronavirus
While Stanislaus County public schools agreed to begin August with remote instruction weeks ago, private school plans vary and continue to change as start dates approach.
The state order preventing schools from reopening until the county stays off the coronavirus watch list for 14 days is looming over privates, prompting some – but not all – to announce distance learning preparations after pushing for on-campus lessons.
As of Monday, Modesto and Ripon Christian Schools are among those preparing for in-person classes without publicized back-up plans for distance learning. Meanwhile, other private school leaders recently decided to begin virtually or have posted extensive plans to begin with distance learning if necessary, then ease into in-person instruction.
“We’re taking the advice of the county health department because I’m not a health expert, but they are,” said Central Catholic High School Principal Bruce Sawyer. “We want to be part of the solution. So, we’re going to open in distance learning if we have to, we’re going to move to a hybrid situation when we can and we’re going to be back on campus fully when we can, but not until we determine with the help of the county that it is safe to do so.”
Stanislaus County has been on California’s watch list since mid-June, when it exceeded the coronavirus test positivity threshold of 8%. The rolling 14-day rate stood at 24.69% on Sunday and the total COVID-19 cases reported by the county has nearly quadrupled in the past month from 2,310 cases July 1 to 9,221 on Sunday.
Modesto Christian, Ripon Christian maintain reopening plans
Modesto Christian School students in kindergarten through 12th grade are scheduled to return to campus for in-person classes on Aug. 13. In a letter posted on the school’s website, the board wrote that students’ mental, social and spiritual health influenced the decision to reopen, and that safety measures will include daily health screenings through an app and temperature checks.
Interim Superintendent Cynthia Jewell did not respond to interview requests, but according to a frequently asked questions section on the website, classes for kindergarten to fifth grade will be limited to 18 students while middle and high school classes will seat a max of 25 students to ensure social distancing.
“Some public school campuses are as much as 10-15 times the size of MC in terms of student body,” one response in the section reads. “The concerns of schools with thousands of students are very different than those of MC. We recognize that ‘one size does not fit all’ in these circumstances.”
But with the county still on the watch list 14 days before the start date, reopening as planned would violate state orders. Modesto Christian could ask the county health officer for a waiver allowing in-person instruction for elementary grades, but there are no exceptions for upper grades.
The board of Ripon Christian Schools similarly decided to proceed with plans to reopen on Aug. 19, despite state rules and county coronavirus trends. Superintendent Eric Segaar declined an interview with The Bee, writing in an email that “In these very unusual circumstances, and with things continuously changing, I don’t feel that I can provide a comment.” Segaar did not answer whether the institution is applying for a waiver for its elementary classes.
Central Valley Christian Academy prepares for distance learning
The board of Central Valley Christian Academy on Thursday voted to start the school year online, Principal Nate Marin said, ending weeks of back-and-forth discussion. The state’s coronavirus watch list, county health department and the Central California Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists influenced the decision, he said.
“We knew that we needed to give an answer to our parents so that they can start planning,” Marin said.
Enrollment for classes beginning Aug. 18 is still open, Marin said, adding staff have seen increased interest as parents call about reopening plans. With 150 students enrolled last year, the CVCA has a teacher-to-student ratio of 1 to 15 in elementary and 1 to 10 in high school, he said.
Staff are still developing safety plans to resume in-person instruction on the 25-acre campus, Marin said, but for now teachers are preparing to teach in empty classrooms with camera and monitor setups. Virtual office hours held at the end of last school year will be expanded, he said, and teachers will communicate with parents through a texting app and other programs. The Ceres private school has also upgraded its internet capacity and stocked cleaning supplies in anticipation of an eventual reopening.
“We’re preparing for what comes next from either the governor, the state or the county to work to provide a safe education for our families,” Marin said.
Big Valley Christian School similarly committed to distance learning in the past week. After Superintendent Michelle Mott previously referenced consulting an attorney about reopening, the school on Monday posted a video explaining how remote classes begin Aug. 12. Staff plan to shift to in-person classes as soon as they are allowed, Mott said in an email, but will offer remote instruction all year for students who cannot return to campus.
Central Catholic, Sacred Heart Turlock ready for remote or in-person
Central Catholic High School plans to begin instruction on Aug. 17 with either distance learning or a hybrid model. In the event of remote instruction, Sawyer said teachers will lead live classes from their classrooms on campus. In addition to lecture, discussion and assignment time, Sawyer said teachers might divide students into virtual study rooms to work together on projects.
“We told the teachers that we’re not expecting them to be on camera for 60 minutes each period,” Sawyer said. “It’s up to them how they want to do that, but we do expect they have live interaction during those classes as much as possible.”
Central Catholic will also offer individual in-person appointments with teachers or the resource specialist for students who need more help, Sawyer said. Those meetings will take place outside if weather permits, Sawyer said, and will follow safety protocols such as keeping six feet apart.
Depending on guidance from county health and the Stockton Diocese, Central Catholic could rotate students between in-person and remote instruction. Staff may divide the about 350 students into two groups depending on their classes, Sawyer said, and cycle them through alternating days on campus.
Sacred Heart School in Turlock is likewise preparing for either in-person or remote classes to begin on Aug. 31, Principal Sara Michelena said in an email. Under the distance learning plan, Michelena said teachers will work in classrooms unless circumstances require them to teach from home. Live instruction will occur daily, but teachers will limit screen time depending on grade level, such as a maximum of one hour and 30 minutes for kindergarten and three hours for eighth grade.
Families can also meet with teachers individually in the week before remote learning begins, Michelena said, to pick up materials and ask questions about procedures. Parents may request virtual meetings, but otherwise they will take place in the shaded yard.
Still, Michelena said staff hope to resume in-person instruction sooner than larger schools. Sacred Heart currently has a wait list for both kindergarten and first grade.
“Our school is ready and able to reopen safely once we are given the go-ahead,” Michelena said in an email. “We have one class per grade level, 11 teachers on campus and a very large outdoor area we can utilize if needed. Until then, we will continue to follow safety measures laid out by the Health Department.”
This story was originally published August 3, 2020 at 9:30 AM.
