School fall reopenings: The latest on masks, hybrid learning at Sacramento-area districts

Students have zipped their backpacks shut for the last time after a challenging school year marked by Zoom calls, hybrid schedules and time spent away from teachers and friends.

And while summer plans may still be uncertain for some families as COVID-19 restrictions are being lifted, most local districts have announced schools will largely be back on full, in-person schedules in the fall.

That’s in line with the state’s announcement that 99% of public school districts plan on fully reopening for in-person instruction in fall 2021.

“A restorative summer filled with reconnection, enrichment and joy, followed by a return to full in-person instruction, is what’s best for our students,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said. “We still have a long way to go in our recovery but providing our students with more support and opportunities is exactly how we bring California roaring back.”

Many large school districts in the Sacramento region – including Elk Grove Unified, San Juan Unified, Folsom Cordova Unified, Natomas Unified, Rocklin Unified and Davis Joint Unified – confirmed that they will offer in-person instruction on full-time schedules five days a week in the 2021-2022 school year.

Sacramento City Unified adopted a resolution on April 22 to “express its commitment to resume traditional, in-person instruction” in the fall.

“With increasing vaccination rates, ongoing availability of COVID-19 testing, and the health and safety measures being implemented at all school sites, we want our families to know that at this time we are planning to safely resume full in-person teaching and learning,” read a statement from the district.

Public schools and the Catholic Diocese private schools will also offer virtual learning academies for K-12 students who choose to remain on distance learning for the coming school year.

Will masks be mandatory on school campus?

Many families are hopeful that state officials will loosen mask requirements at K-12 schools before the fall.

Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s Health and Human Services Secretary, announced on June 9 that the state will follow CDC masking guidelines when California reopens, and that as of now masks are still required inside K-12 schools.

Jonathan Zachreson, a parent in Roseville and founder of the Reopen California Schools group, said he is waiting for the California Department of Health to update their school guidance. If masks are still required for students, Reopen California Schools, Let Them Breathe and other parent organizations plan to file a lawsuit against the state.

Some groups have raised close to $35,000 in total as they plan to move forward with the lawsuit.

“We hope we don’t have to sue, but we will if next year’s guidance includes quarantining, masking, or testing of healthy kids,” Zachreson said. “None of those measures for healthy or otherwise asymptomatic kids have been shown to be effective in a school setting, but they have led to depriving kids a proper education. Factor in the incredibly low COVID rates and current vaccine availability, and there is no reason why school should not be completely normal next school year.”

What will happen to hybrid teaching?

Some education experts believe hybrid teaching is here to stay. Schools heavily invested in new technology as students and teachers transitioned to distance learning, making technology and online applications and educational portals an essential part of learning.

About 81% of educators believe that technology will become increasingly important in teaching and learning moving forward, despite the return to campus, according to a nationwide study by the education technology company Instructure. Parents are more likely than teachers to prefer online learning, according to the study.

But concurrent learning, where teachers instruct students in-person and online at the same time, proved to be challenging to many educators.

Jeanine Rupert, a sixth grade teacher at Phoebe Hearst Elementary, said concurrent learning was stressful for both teachers and students.

“It wasn’t enjoyable for them,” Rupert said. “Children can return to being in plays, collaborating and building relationships. That’s what school is about.”

Julie Ketchel, a Sacramento City Unified teacher, had almost 85% of her students return for in-person learning. She said that her students were much more engaged when they were in the classroom.

“Concurrent is not something I want to do again,” Ketchel said. “It was so much easier to reach them in person: easier to redirect when needed, easier to see their work and make suggestions (and) guide their learning.”