STOCKTON, Calif. — The Stockton Unified School District will be welcoming their more than 50,000 students back to campus on Monday.
It's back-to-school experience different than what students might have seen in previous semesters during the pandemic. Starting Monday, students are back in the classroom for full time in-person learning.
"This is exciting, because students really haven't been able to come together all together like this. So, we have been preparing for quite some time to make sure this is a safe welcome for our students here in Stockton (Unified) School District," said Melinda Meza, spokesperson for the district.
Speaking with ABC10, Meza explains what students and parents should know heading into the new semester.
What should students expect this semester?
“Students and teachers will wear masks while indoors while inside the classrooms. However, outdoors mask are optional. All the classrooms have been prepared and sanitized, and there'll be cleaned daily and sanitized daily as well. And there's hand sanitizer in each classroom plus their stations all across the campus.”
"Drinking fountains are open for the students. We do, however, encourage them to bring their refillable water bottles."
What does it mean to have the classroom "prepared?"
“Well, the classrooms are prepared. They're cleaned and sanitized and ready for the students. They've also been prepared where they're ready for students to be able to learn in the classrooms. Last April, when they came back to school, the desks were six feet apart. And students were on a different schedule where only half the students could come back each day. This year, we're welcoming all students back to in person learning. And we're following guidelines from the California Department of Public Health where the desks don't need to be six feet apart anymore. The thought is, if you have a mask on, you're protected. And so again, all teachers all staff, all students will be required to wear a mask while in the classroom while inside any building in on campus. However, outdoors masks are optional.”
What if a student forgets their mask at home?
“All of our buses, all of our classrooms do have masks because these are students and kids and teenagers do forget things. I'm a mother and I know that firsthand, so we do have masks available, we do have hand sanitizer available, (and) we have these things available to keep the students safe. Now, we do encourage them to bring their own masks. But we again, we have masks available. We want to make sure we're following the guidelines and so students can focus on learning and not worried about if they have their mask on or things like that.”
What do you say to parents who don't approve of having their kid go to school in a mask?
“We have to follow the guidelines and the California Department of Public Health. It's not just a guideline, actually, it's a mandate when it comes to mass on school campuses, and on the school buses on transportation, and of course, airports and, and health care. So, we fall under that mandate. So indoors, teachers and staff and students must wear a mask. Outdoors is optional. Now if a student can't wear a mask indoors, we'd have offered other ways of learning, there's a distance learning model through a virtual academy. And that enrollment is still open. It's at https://www.stocktonusd.net/virtualacademy. So there's been some interest in that because, you know, some students have health needs and health issues that it would be a better fit for them. But we are offering options."
What should people expect regarding enforcement?
“There have been several meetings and such to address these kinds of situations. We know all students aren't comfortable wearing a mask. But we do have to follow the guidelines from California Department of Public Health because our goal is to provide options and a safe learning environment for all students. And that means all students, but we are offering other models like a Virtual Learning Academy where they continue on distance learning. We don't want to discipline students for not wanting to mask. We just want to give them the options, and we want to make it safe for everyone. So we are working on that and some of it will be a case by case basis. But we do want to welcome the students back. We are we are excited. We are looking forward to the students being able to be in school or being able to be in a distance learning model where they're back to learning.”
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