Secondary Teachers Return, Reopening Continues

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Hello, Long Beach Unified Community.

After more than a year of distance learning, it has been so refreshing to see many of our elementary students transition to learning in their classrooms. Even with their masks on, I can see students’ smiles through their eyes. I love watching the interaction among students and their teachers – a constant reminder of how much teachers matter in the lives of our students. 

During last week’s spring break, a number of our student athletes played their games or participated in sporting events. I even overheard a parent say that, “there’s nothing like football in April.” While the sports seasons feel very different than in any other year, I am glad that there is a season at all this year. 

It has been a busy week in Long Beach Unified. We were excited to welcome back all of our secondary, or middle and high school, teachers to their classrooms to prepare for many of their students to return to campus on the phasing-in schedule that has been shared over the last few weeks. Our middle and high schools will follow all of the same health and safety protocols that are being used across the district, and each school will continue to provide specific details to their school community. While many students will return to campus over the next two weeks, we know that others have chosen to remain in distance learning for the remainder of this year, and our staff is mindful and responsive to this reality. We encourage you to reach out to your students’ teachers or school administrators as we make this transition together. Transitions and change, even when they are not sudden, can cause stress for those involved, and we want to be supportive of all our students through this time. 

As we work to reopen every campus in 菠菜网lol正规平台, we also have staff preparing for summer learning and for next year’s instructional programs. This summer there will be opportunities for all students to engage in learning, enrichment and support in a way that has never been seen before. And, based on the needs of our students, there will continue to be an intense focus on students’ social emotional well-being, alongside support for academic learning. There will be more information to come in the months ahead. And, as I shared in a previous message, we are planning for a full day of instruction for next year, along with an online academy for those students who choose that option. 

As I continue to reflect on the past and hold hope for the future, I find myself in awe of what our team has achieved over the past year through a global pandemic that has rocked our entire world. And, even with all that has been done, we see clearly, through our data, that the pandemic has exacerbated inequities among our students and laid bare the work that needs to be done to recover from the past year. What I know for sure is that our 菠菜网lol正规平台 staff, along with our community, will continue to place students at the center of our work to build excellence and equity into all that we do. 

Thank you for being a part of this journey. 

Sincerely,

-Jill

Jill Baker, Ed. D.
Superintendent of Schools