San Mateo County school districts prepare to welcome students

School-age children, many too young to access COVID-19 vaccines, will be walking the halls this school semester within days, a return for which education leaders have been preparing. Students and staff can expect strict indoor masking requirements, according to return plans released by districts across the county. 

While outdoor masking is not required by the state, San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District will require adults to wear face coverings outdoors when students are present. Redwood City Elementary will not require outdoor masking unless in crowded spaces while the San Carlos Elementary School District stressed outdoor masking when in constant close contact with another person. 

Each elementary school district noted masks would be made available to any student or staff member who may have forgotten theirs and face shields would be required for those who are medically exempt from wearing mouth covers. Masking will also be required by all passengers on buses, according to distinct plans. 

“BRSSD is prepared to fully reopen and support in person learning for our students in alignment with the California Department of Public Health and the San Mateo Pandemic Recovery Framework. We believe we can provide a safe and supportive learning environment for our students and families,” Dan Dequara, superintendent of Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary School District, said in an email. 

HVAC systems and self screenings

Districts have worked to either improve heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems by upgrading filters. Burlingame School District has also listed measures like keeping doors and windows open within its plan while SCSD has deployed air purifiers to each class. 

Self screening measures will also be implemented across some districts. Parents of RCSD students will be expected to complete a daily wellness survey including a temperature check through the parent portal on PowerSchool and paper surveys will be available on campus. 

Burlingame Elementary School District will require screenings for students and staff including temperature checks. Anyone with a temperature greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit will be sent home, according to the plan. 

Other districts like SM-FCSD will not require daily screenings but each district emphasized the importance of students and staff staying home if any symptoms are identified.

Districts are also required to offer families an independent study option for families with health concerns. At BRSSD, TK-3 grade students will receive 45 minutes to an hour of daily synchronous instruction while those in fourth to eighth grade will get daily live or asynchronous instruction. 

While Millbrae Elementary School District has a similar plan in place, it also seeks to offer students in fourth to eight grade independent study synchronous instruction at least weekly.  

“We have been busy planning mitigation strategies like masking, hygiene, ventilation, testing, et cetera as well as an independent study option for families that request that program. We are looking forward to welcoming our students back to our schools,” San Bruno Park Elementary School District Superintendent Jose Espinoza said in an email.  

Initial hopes for a safe campus return have been hampered by a surge in COVID-19 cases due to the more contagious delta variant. County Health officials have claimed children still have a low risk of contracting the virus but San Mateo County Superintendent Nancy Magee recently said school leadership will have to split its attention between educating and safety. 

While SM-FCSD will be welcoming students to campuses starting Thursday, Aug. 12, RCSD and SCSD will reopen on Wednesday, Aug. 18 with Millbrae Elementary School District returning on Thursday Aug. 19. Burlingame and Belmont-Redwood Shores elementary school districts will be returning on Wednesday, Aug. 25, and San Bruno Park will welcome students on Thursday, Aug. 26. 

More state rules

Additional state guidance was released mid-Wednesday, just ahead of the local return, requiring teachers and school staff to either get vaccinated or to access COVID-19 testing at least once a week. Schools will be responsible for implementing a system for verifying employee vaccination status by Oct. 15. Records will need to be submitted to County Health for case investigation, according to a press release from the county Office of Education. 

Students are not required to be vaccinated with doses only available for those ages 12 and older. Health officials believe eligibility may be extended to younger children in the early fall with full federal approval potentially coming early next year.

State Sen. Josh Becker, D-San Mateo, lauded the order in a press release, having called for such a move last week and advocating for teachers and school staff to be prioritized during initial vaccine efforts. 

“Vaccinations are our best weapon to beat COVID-19. The governor’s move today ensures that everyone — our kids, teachers and all school staff — are better protected as California comes back to school with in-person learning,” Becker said. “As a parent of two teens, I thank the governor, teachers, school workers and our school districts for coming together on this issue. Together, we’re building a wall of safety around our kids.”

Magee responded to the order in a press release Wednesday by noting the county has already implemented or is in the process of implementing many of the safety measures in the order. 

In an interview last week, Magee shared concern for the summer surge but doubled down on her stance that schools should be reopened for in-person instruction. She shared further confidence in the steps the county has made to ensure campus safety for school communities in the press release. 

“We have been diligent and proactive in order to ensure that in-person instruction for all students and staff is conducted with the highest levels of health and safety precautions in place,” Magee said. “We are not only willing to do what it takes to get students back on campus, but are committed to keeping students in school as well.” 

sierra@smdailyjournal.com 

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