Morongo Unified School District will not reopen classrooms to all students this school year and will only begin allowing every student an opportunity to return to campus this summer as part of a voluntary program, the district announced Monday. According to the notice, a limited number of students who have a need for additional services and are having challenges with distance learning during the coronavirus pandemic will be allowed to participate in new pilot programs at Twentynine Palms Junior High School and Yucca Valley Elementary School. The Twentynine Palms program launched March 26 and the Yucca Valley program began Monday. The district also said high school graduations will take place in person this year on the football fields of each high school.
The MUSD notice:
1. Is Morongo Unified School District reopening for the 2020/2021 school year?
The Board of Education voted on December 17, 2020 to close all schools to in-person learning for the remainder of the 2020/2021 school year.
2. Why are other schools reopening and we are not?
Each school district is unique with its own set of challenges. Below are some of the challenges that MUSD currently faces for the remainder of the 2020/2021 school year:
- If MUSD were to return to in-person learning for the remainder of this year, the district could not guarantee that students would keep their current teacher or their current program (ie. independent study or distance learning).
- MUSD does not own their own busses for transportation. It would not be feasible for the district to safely transport ALL children with the current standards set in place by the CDC.
- MUSD would need to hire more teachers, which are not available.
3. What is the MUSD Summer Program?
The intent of this program is to provide academic skill reinforcement, opportunities for socialization and hands on activities to reintegrate students in the classroom setting. The MUSD summer school program will run June 21, 2021 through July 30, 2021. The program will run four days per week, Monday through Thursday, with the exception of the 4th of July week classes. That week, classes will run Tuesday through Friday. Start times at each site will be the school site’s regular year pre-COVID start time.
The program is for students TK-12th grade. Students in TK-6th grade will receive 4 hours of instructional time. 7-12th grade will be 5-hours of instruction. Rising 6th graders will go to the Jr. High School and rising 8th graders will attend the high school. If demand exceeds the number of teachers available to work, priority will be given to English Learner students, special education students, struggling students, students with no internet, students at risk of not passing, foster and homeless students, and economically disadvantaged students.
Students are not required to attend the entire program to be eligible.
4. Is my child required to attend the Summer Program?
Students are not required to attend the summer program. Students can choose to attend certain weeks of the summer program.
5. Will my child be required to wear a face mask?
The Morongo Unified School District is required to follow the standards set forth by the CDC and San Bernardino Department of Public Health.
Those requirements state that both children and adults are required to wear masks at all times in public settings. Masks will be required for transportation to and from schools on busses, in the classroom setting, during outdoor activities, and at all times while on the school campus.
6. Will transportation be available for the summer program?
Transportation will be available to eligible students.
Eligibility is determined by several factors that include grade level, distance from the school and information in a student’s IEP. Additional information regarding transportation eligibility will be available soon.
7. Will lunches still be served to families for pickup during the summer?
Yes. More information will follow.
8. What are the plans for graduation this year?
High school graduations will take place in person this year on the football fields of each high school. Parents and students have been involved with the planning of graduations.
The intent of MUSD is to make graduations as traditional as possible this year. Please reach out to your high school for more details.
9. Will there be an independent study program for the 2021/2022 school year?
The independent study program through ICE/SAC, along with the application process, will continue as it did pre-COVID. There will be a cap on enrollment.
The expanded program that was offered out of necessity during the pandemic will not continue.
10. Will fully remote learning be offered for the 2021/2022 school year?
There is a 100% remote Virtual Academy that will be begin in the 2021/2022 school year. The application process and details regarding the instructional program will be available in the upcoming months.
