Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner said Monday about 26,000 students graduated amid the coronavirus pandemic, two-thirds of whom will enroll directly into college.
He acknowledged that the pandemic made celebrating culminations a little tricky, but that students and their families found a way to commemorate their accomplishments.
“While we wish everyone – students, their families and staff – could all gather together
and celebrate, unfortunately, we can’t right now. But each of our school communities is
finding a way to recognize something special in every student,” Beutner said during his weekly briefing Monday. “The Class of 2020, led by Student Board Member Frances Suavillo, used their creative energy and held a virtual prom. Students from schools across Los Angeles Unified dressed up for the occasion, listened to music, chatted with their friends, and shared photos and memories. Magic Johnson even stopped by to share his support.”
Nearly all students have been connected for online learning amid the pandemic and more than 80,000 students are enrolled in summer school, which begins on June 24. This year is the first time summer school is being offered to all students, Beutner has said.
Much of the briefing was focused on the different ways students and educators are communicating online during the pandemic and Beutner continued to highlight their successful efforts in making sure 100% of students are connected.
The superintendent also highlighted another milestone in the district’s meal program, noting that it will soon pass 30 million meals.
Beutner said officials will be assessing real estate held by the district and will be working out ways on how 3,000 employees who work in LAUSD’s headquarters can best work to serve students and the community.
With 78 million square feet of facilities and 10 square miles of land, Beutner said LAUSD is “far and away” the largest landlord in the state. He explained that a review of that real estate will be guided by serving the education needs of students, supporting the community and making sure the land is used effectively.
The district is partnering with Urban Land Institute to help with the endeavor.
“Like many employers in this pandemic we’re doing things differently, for both health and safety and operational reasons,” Beutner said. “On any given day, fewer than 200 people are now working at the headquarters facility on Beaudry Avenue. As we rethink school needs, one can imagine a much smaller footprint for a future headquarters operation.”
Reopening schools
The California Department of Education on Monday issued its own guidelines on reopening schools, just days after the state’s Department of Public Health released much-anticipated guidance.
In addition to requirements for physical distancing, the state plans to supply every school and child care center with no-touch thermometers, hand sanitizer, face shields for every teacher, cloth face coverings for staff and students, and tight-fitting N95 masks for health care professionals in schools.
The state cannot order schools to close, but it can offer recommendations for districts to follow on reopening.
Health officials also suggest staggering arrival times to minimize contact between students, staff and families, and serving meals in classrooms or outdoors rather than in cafeterias. Health officials’ guidance calls for intensified cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces on school buses and in buildings, such as door handles, light switches, student desks and chairs.
Los Angeles County education officials late last month offered their own framework for the coming school year, and Beutner said last week that reopening schools in his district will be risky without a vaccine.
In response to Department of Education’s guidelines Monday, Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools Debra Duardo said many of the state’s considerations are also in the county’s framework.
“Both sets of guidelines recognize that the health and safety of students, staff and families must always come first,” Durado said. “They are built on the directives of public health authorities and are subject to change as the health crisis evolves.
