The prospect of students returning to their classrooms is getting closer to reality as the coronavirus situation in Ventura County starts to improve. Before schools are allowed to reopen to all students, Ventura County must move off the most restrictive level – the purple tier – on the state’s coronavirus watch list and stay off of it for two weeks.

RELATED: Schools Will Consider Reopening Dates as Ventura County Coronavirus Status Improves (Oct. 6, 2020)

Once that happens, schools are ready to begin implementing detailed plans they have prepared to bring students back to class. Because of the need to maximize safety and minimize the spread of the virus, it won’t be a complete return to normal. To allow for social distancing, most students will return to class part-time and continue distance learning the rest of the time. Masks will be required for most students and encouraged for all, more learning will happen outdoors, and sports and extracurricular activities will be limited. 

Still, it will be a major first step toward resuming the regular operations of our schools. Even a partial return to in-class learning will let students experience social and emotional connections that can’t be duplicated on Zoom. It will give parents a much-needed break and let teachers do what they do best in their classrooms. 

In this edition of Focus on Education, we take a closer look at how the rest of the school year is likely to unfold. We also introduce you to local educators who are going above and beyond to ensure students keep learning while campuses have been closed. I hope you’ll be as inspired as I am by the way Ventura County educators are stepping up to face the challenges of the pandemic for the good of our kids and our community.

Stan Mantooth
Ventura County Superintendent of Schools