As the 2020-2021 school year approaches, school districts nationwide continue to face the daunting task of continuing student education while ensuring the safety of students, staff, and faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic. Morongo Unified School District Superintendent Tom Baumgarten and Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services Amy Woods appeared on the Z107.7 Up-close Show on Friday, July 24, to discuss the school district’s progress in planning the upcoming school year for Morongo Basin students. Reporter Andrew Dieleman has the details…
Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services Amy Woods stated that MUSD schools will begin the school year via distance learning.
“Because we (San Bernardino County) are on the watch list with elevated coronavirus transmissions, both public and private schools must remain closed until the county has remained off the watch list for 14 days.”
Superintendent Tom Baumgarten stated that the school district may be able to apply for an in-person education waiver from the County Health Department.
In the meantime, the school district is prepared to provide education to students however mandated by the state.
“We [MUSD] have prepared an online program, an independent study program, an in-classroom hybrid model, we’ve prepared 6 or 7 [education] models.”
Baumgarten went on to say that there are many details still to be worked out as the school district complies with the state’s constantly-changing education laws, but promised, “There will be education….
Our goal is to do the best we can for kids and deliver the best curriculum however we do it.”
Woods and Baumgarten went on to answer many more questions during the program, including that MUSD will be complying with the recent CIF calendar change that will push the beginning of Fall sports programs to December 2021, that the school district will continue to create specialized education plans for special education students, that grab-and-go meal programs will be continuing (more information to come), and that the first day of school for MUSD is scheduled for August 24.
To hear the full one-hour presentation of this Up-Close show, visit: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id386367587
