Many students in the Morongo Basin are preparing to begin the 2020-21 school year via distance learning through Morongo Unified School District. Under guidelines from Governor Newsom, starting the school year via distance learning is mandated, especially in counties on the COVID monitoring list, which does include San Bernardino County. But in person classes may still be happening in the Morongo Basin. Reporter Cassidy Zimarik dives deeper…
In a move that seems to go against what every other school in the Morongo Basin is doing, Joshua Springs Christian Schools announced on Facebook on July 23 that it will begin the 2020-21 academic year, live and in-person, with classes five days a week. However, that is essentially all the information that was provided and that can be found. School employees did not return numerous phone calls left by a Z107.7 News reporter.
While the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools sent out an update on August 8 stating that elementary schools within counties on the state monitoring list may submit waiver applications to local health jurisdictions, that comes much later than Joshua Springs’ announcement and only mentions the waivers being for grades TK-6, while Joshua Springs announced enrollment for grades K-12.
Furthermore, it is unknown if Joshua Springs has a waiver to reopen, or what protocols school officials will implement to prevent the spread of COVID-19. If the school does have a waiver, it would have to meet a long list of guidelines provided by the state.
Joshua Springs school officials did not respond to multiple phone calls from Z107.7 News.
The school is not part of Morongo Unified School District.
Statement from the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools:
Gov. Newsom’s updated framework for K-12 schools issued on July 17 indicated that all K-12 schools (public, charter and private) in the state in counties that are on the state COVID-19 monitoring list begin the school year with distance learning.
The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health Elementary waiver packet did indicate that schools in San Bernardino County currently did not meet the criteria to apply, however, schools with “unique circumstance in our very large and diverse county” could still submit the waiver application.
The County Superintendent does not have authority over private school providers.
The CA Dept. of Public Health posted a FAQ on their website:
Which schools are subject to CDPH’s guidance?
The guidance applies to all public and private schools operating in California. This is a public health directive and the Governor has ordered, in multiple executive orders, that all California residents heed the guidance and directives of the state public health officer.
