Dear WVUSD Families,
On Wednesday, April 1, 2020, California State Governor Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond directed all school districts to close campuses for the remainder of the school year due to the safety concerns surrounding the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). The Walnut Valley Unified School District (WVUSD) is working closely with the California Department of Education (CDE) and Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) to navigate the closure of our school campuses for the remainder of the year.
Let me start by sharing how much sadness I feel for our students, families, and staff throughout our entire School District community. We strive to make “school” the most positive and memorable experience in our students’ lives … and to have that experience shortened has, and will continue to have, an enormous impact on each of them. As a parent and educator, I empathize with the kids who miss “hanging out” with their friends at school, not being able to sit in their favorite teachers’ classrooms, missing the stage or the ballfield … and a multitude of other lost experiences that impact each student in a unique way. During my 26 years in education, I have never experienced such a significant disruption to how we do “school.” I do, however, understand the need and I hope this mandatory closure of all schools in California will provide a healthier and safer environment for everyone.
Perhaps the most impacted group of students, and those that many of us have been thinking about with a heavy heart since I first announced Phase 1 of our school closures, are our high school seniors … the Class of 2020. I am immensely thankful to this amazing group of young people and I am confident of their bright futures and great things ahead for them! I am also truly sorry that, due to this mandated closure of schools and understandably so, their graduation ceremony and related activities will not be held in the traditional manner on May 28 (with a stadium full of family and friends). However, their high school principals and leadership teams are working diligently to create non-traditional experiences that we hope will also be forever memorable and honor them and you (their families) for the many, tremendous accomplishments. Your high schools will provide information soon. In the meantime, thank you for your patience as the planning continues.
Although students will not return to their campuses for the 2019/2020 school year, the District will continue to provide Distance Learning for all grade levels. We are finalizing our Expanded Distance Learning Plan, which will ensure that all teachers will facilitate the education of their assigned students. This means that your child’s teacher and/or teacher(s) will formally begin the process of educating your student in a non-traditional classroom setting. Beginning April 20, each teacher will communicate with students and/or families to present learning in an online format. Just as in a traditional setting, students will be held accountable for participating in online classes, completing assignments, and communicating with his/her teacher. More information will be provided by the District, the school, and the teacher(s). We are also in the process of providing computers to students as needed (based on our previous survey of parents).
As you are aware, next Friday begins our regularly scheduled Spring Break here in WVUSD. Over the next five (5) business days, please continue to have your students receive enrichment lessons, activities, and projects … these can be found on our LEARN website. Teachers and staff continue to prepare digital curriculum, lesson plans, and participate in various professional development opportunities so that our Expanded Distance Learning Program is rigorous, relevant, and appropriate to the level of education expected in Walnut Valley.
I appreciate the commitment of our employees and the support of our families during this unprecedented time. Our PHASE 1 Distance Learning Plan was meant to minimize the learning gaps during the initial school closures and maintain, to the best of our ability, the students’ prior knowledge. Our staff worked diligently over three (3) days to develop the resources intended for 16 instructional days leading up to our Spring Break.
Once the school closures were extended, educators across the District worked collaboratively (and continue to do so) to develop PHASE 2 of our Expanded Distance Learning Program, which will be implemented through the remainder of the school year. I encourage parents (and students) to prepare for a home environment conducive to extended day learning as we prepare for an April 20 start date for Phase 2. Online professional development will be provided over the next couple of weeks for students and families to better prepare for this significant shift in education.
We will continue to share new developments surrounding school and office closures in WVUSD through our regular communication channels, including emails, text messages, and/or phone calls, as well as social media.
In closing, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to thank you and our entire educational community for your ongoing support of our schools, our staff, and our students. During this challenging time, I am especially appreciative of the District’s long-standing focus on “KIDS FIRST – EVERY STUDENT, EVERY DAY!”
Please be safe and stay healthy.
Sincerely,
Bob
Robert P. Taylor, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Walnut Valley Unified School District
敬爱的核桃学区家庭们，
2020年4月1日星期三, 因新型冠状病毒（COVID-19）引起的安全考量，加州州长Gavin Newsom 和州公共教育总监Tony Thurmond 指示学校继续关闭直到本学年结束。 核桃谷联合学区（WVUSD）与加州教育部（CDE）和洛杉矶县教育局（LACOE）密切合作，共同策划有关校园关闭至学年结束事宜。
首先，请全学区社区的学生，家庭们和教职员们允许我分享我的感伤。 我们致力于让"学校" 成为学生生活中最正面，最难忘的经历……然而， 这不得已的中断，已经并会继续对他们每个人带来巨大的冲击。 身为父母和教育者，我很能感受那些错过在学校与朋友们一起 "聊天"，无法在自己喜欢的老师教室内听课，错过舞台或球场……以及许多其他失落的经历以不同的方式影响每个孩子。 在我26年的教育生涯中，我从未经历过对传统
"学校" 如此重大的冲击。 但是，我的确能了解此需求是应对目前的疫情情况 ，我希望加州所有学校的强制性关闭将为每个人带来一个更健康，更安全的环境。
自从我宣布第一阶段学校关闭以来, 也许受影响最大也是我们一直怀着沉重心情想着的那一群学生就是我们高中12年级生…2020年毕业生。 对这一群了不起的年轻人，我怀着无比感激之心， 对他们的美好前景和未来也充满信心！，我感到遗憾，由于学校被迫关闭，而顺理的，他们的毕业典礼和相关活动也必然不可能以传统的方式在5月28日（在一个充满家人和朋友的体育馆内）举行。但是，他们的高中校长和领导团队正努力营造一个非传统的，永远铭记在心的经历，也让他们和您（他们的家人）为他们获得的许多成就引以为傲。您的高中学校将很快提供信息，同时也感谢您在计划进行过程中的耐心配合。 虽然
尽管学生在2019/2020学年不会返回校园，学区还是会继续为所有年级提供远程学习。 我们已经快要完成远程学习的扩展计划，好确定所有老师可以帮助教导属于他们的学生。 这表示您孩子的老师和/或多个老师将正式开始以非传统教室环境对学生进行教学。 从4月20日开始，每位老师将与学生和/或家庭沟通，说明线上学习的方式。 就像在传统课室内一样，学生有责任自己参与在线课程，完成作业以及与他/她的老师交流。 学区，学校和老师们将会提供更多信息。根据需要( 之前对家长的问卷表）我们也正在进行提供学生电脑的程序。
如您所知，下星期五将开始WVUSD如期安排的春假。 在接下来的五（5）个工作日内，请继续让您的学生接受强化课程，活动和项目……这些都可以在我们的LEARN网站上找到。 老师和教职员们继续准备数位课程，教案，并参加各种讲习培训机会，以使我们的扩展远程学习计划更严紧，有相关性且适合于核桃学区的预期水平。
在此挑战的时段内，我感谢教职员的奉献精神和家长们的支持。 我们第一阶段的远程学习计划用意在减少最初学校关闭期间的学习差距，并尽我们所能保持学生已学过的知识。 我们的教职员们经过三（3）天的辛勤工作，为春假前的16个教学日发展出最大的教学资源。
学校关闭时日一延长，全学区的教育工作者共同努力（并继续这样做），以开发我们第二阶段的扩展远程学习计划，一直實行到本学年结束。在我们为4月20日开始的第二阶段做准备的同时，我也鼓励家长（和学生）准备一个有助于延长日间学习的家庭环境，在接下来的几周内, 我们将为学生和家庭们提供在线专业发展，以便为此教学的重大转变作更好的准备。
我们将继续通过常用的沟通渠道，包括电子电邮，短信和/或电话，以及社交媒体，分享有关WVUSD学校和办公室关闭的新动态。
最后，我谨代表董事会感谢您和我们整个教育社区对我们学校，教职员工和学生的持续支持。 在这个充满挑战的时期，我特别讚赏本学区长期以来对 "孩子们–每个学生，每一天！"的关注。
请注意安全并保持健康。
此致,
Bob
Robert P. Taylor, 教育博士.
总监
核桃谷联合学区