Sacramento City Unified announces target dates to reopen schools

Sawsan Morrar
·2 min read

The Sacramento City Unified School District announced students could be back on campus in early April.

The district announced it was working on a phased in-person return plan:

  • Students in pre-kindergarten through third grade, and K-6 special day classes could return April 8.

  • Students in grades four through six could return on April 15.

  • Middle and high school students could return to campus May 6 if Sacramento County is in the state’s red tier for coronavirus spread risk.

The school year ends on June 17.

Under the reopening plan, students will be grouped in cohorts, allowing only 50% of students back on a campus at a time. Students will attend school in-person two days a week while still doing distance learning three days a week. Students also have the option to be in full remote learning.

The district is negotiating some of the reopening elements with its labor unions.

The school district shares how it plans to safely bring staff and students back on campus through its reopening dashboard. Students will be physically distanced, plexiglass barriers have been installed at the library and meal counters, and improved ventilation is being installed.

Medical professionals, including some school district nurses, began vaccinating Sacramento City Unified School District teachers on Friday in partnership with Dignity Health. More than 1,000 district employees were vaccinated on the first day.

“Our Nutrition Services staff, Youth Development, IT Staff, Learning Hub Staff, Facilities and Operation staff, K-3 teachers and staff providing elementary special education services such as teachers, aides, administration and office staff were prioritized for the first round of vaccinations provided at this clinic,” read an email from the district. “We will continue to offer the vaccination to staff, with the goal of offering every SCUSD employee the vaccination by early March.”

The district expects to offer a vaccine to all employees within one month, starting with those working on-site, including workers in food and nutrition services. Several district teachers told The Sacramento Bee they still have not received their invitation to make an appointment.

Schools are nearing the one year mark since campuses shut their doors in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.