Superintendent shares next steps to MUSD Phasing In 2020-21 Plan

Superintendent Cheryl Jordan shared the next steps in the Milpitas Unified School District’s Phasing In 2020-21 Plan, as well as experiences with the ongoing, in-person support learning labs at various school sites, in her COVID-19 Report on November 10.

“Our team members are really concerned about safety for all and safety for themselves. It’s imperative for all of us to ensure that safety protocols and measures are in place, internalized, and practiced,” Superintendent Jordan said. “In order for us to launch Phase 3, we have to be assured that people are practicing safety measures.”

Phase 4, which advances the hybrid instruction to include middle school and high school students, depends on what tier the County is designated within the Blueprint For A Safer Economy, as well as the capacity of MUSD classrooms to allow for social distancing.

Daily health screenings for all students and staff, maintaining social distancing, wearing face coverings, and frequently washing hands, along with safety audits for all MUSD schools and classrooms, must be followed at all times.

“It takes every single one of us,” Superintendent Jordan said. “Milpitas is a special place. It’s special because there are so many of us that really hold Milpitas in our hearts and really have an open mind about living and learning with each other.”

Currently, 203 MUSD teachers and paraprofessionals, which makes up about ⅓ of the teaching staff, are using their classrooms as teaching studios. Of those, 35 educators are providing some form of in-person support to 204 learners on school campuses.

“Since Phase 2 in the beginning of October, we have had no COVID cases amongst that group,” said Superintendent Jordan, who wants to double the number of staff utilizing classrooms for teaching studios. “This COVID data lets us see what’s happening as we have been working to provide some personal touch that is in-person as well as distance learning.”

In addition, 16 team members have supervised 54 preschool students at the Rose and Sunnyhills Child Development Centers since March, with no COVID cases. At Randall and Rose elementary schools, where the district partners with the YMCA, there have been zero cases amongst 60 learners, with six YMCA staff on site.

In October, MUSD launched learning pods at Calaveras Hills High School for elementary school students and at the San Jose City College-Milpitas Extension for secondary students. At CHHS, 20 learners guided by five team members have experienced one COVID case that required the pod to be shut down for quarantine purposes per Santa Clara County Public Health Department Exposure Guidelines. It has since reopened with no further issues. At SJCC Extension, 33 learners with four team members providing in-person support have endured a single COVID case that did not require a shutdown per SCCPHD. Additionally, two COVID cases were reported among MUSD staff not working directly with students.

“What we’re focusing on now is inviting more of our team members to use their classrooms as teaching studios without any students in them,” explained Superintendent Jordan, whose goal is to have every MUSD student engaged in learning each school day.

MUSD plans to reconvene its COVID-19 Advisory Task Force Subcommittees to revisit and revise hybrid in-person instruction plans as the phasing in moves forward based on the conditions in the county.

“Like our (military) veterans who dedicate a good part of their lives to serving our country, our teachers, classified team members and all that make up the MUSD Team also dedicates a tremendous part of their lives to serving our community by educating our students,” said Superintendent Jordan, who will share another COVID-19 update at the November 24 meeting. “We must think about safety and we must think about keeping the virus suppressed.”