DAILY UPDATE #172 -- 12/07/2020
 

  • NEW ITEMS
     
  • DUE TO INCREASE IN COVID NUMBERS, LOS ANGELES UNIFIED CANCELS ALL APPOINTMENT-BASED INSTRUCTION AND CHILDCARE ON SITES – ALL LAUSD EMPLOYEES DIRECTED TO WORK REMOTELY ONLY
    LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner made this announcement this morning at 8:00 AM.  See link below for specifics.  AASD shared the information with District executive leadership who replied they were discussing the LAUSD announcement this morning.
    https://achieve.lausd.net/latestnews 
     
  • COVID TESTING VIA 2-1-1
    AASD’s understanding from local news stations is that in order to test via the County of San Diego locations, you must now have an appointment at a testing center.  Very few testing centers are accepting walk-ins.  Visit the 2-1-1 website for additional information or call 2-1-1.
     
  • DISTRICT COMMUNICATIONS

    The following communication was sent to principals on December 4:
     
  • STAY-AT-HOME ORDER: CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR NEWSOM 
    • California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s regional stay-at-home order announced on Thursday, December 3, 2020, will allow school districts that are already open to keep their campuses open for all students.    
    • What that means for San Diego Unified is that if we fall into the stay-at-home threshold, we can continue with Phase One appointment-based learning for students and secondary schools can begin Phase One learning as well.   
      • Currently Southern California is not yet in the threshold that would put us in the new stay-at-home category.
         
  • CLEARPASS USE FOR ALL SAN DIEGO UNIFIED EMPLOYEES 
    • During onsite appointment-based learning, all staff is required to complete a Daily Symptom Questionnaire at home before coming to work in order to adhere to the most current Health & Safety requirements. 
      • Every day at home before coming to work, employees are to complete the symptom screening via ClearPass Online Application, either via cell phone or computer.  Staff only comes to work if cleared by Clearpass App.  If staff need to stay home, please call the direct supervisor.  
      • Upon arrival at the work site, employees must check in to the site and show proof of clearance from ClearPass using the site check in procedure.  
      • Daily Temperature screenings on site are no longer required.
    • For additional information please see the document included here or for additional questions, please contact the Nursing & Wellness Department at Sdusdnursing@sandi.net. 
       
  • LCFF UPDATE
    • Please read this memo with LCFF Update impacting all schools.
       
  • POWERSCHOOL UPDATE
    • The ‘Overdue IEP Dates by Location’ report was added to the ‘My Homepage’ for Admins to view overdue IEPs at a site and by case manager at a site.
  • FOOD SERVICES: FOOD BOXES AT SELECT CURBSIDE GRAB N’ GO MEAL LOCATIONS 
    • Here is this week’s Extra Grocery Items Schedule for Week of 12/7-12/11 from Feeding San Diego, the San Diego Food Bank and the USDA that contains shelf-stable grocery items, or fresh produce, or a mix of both.
    • Please share this information with your school families. Boxes are limited in quantity and families are encouraged to arrive early in the distribution time (12p.m.-2p.m). 
       
  • SECONDARY UPDATES
    8th Grade Science Teachers Needed
    • We are looking for 8th grade science teachers to participate in an NSF Funded Grant Opportunity for the next 3 years. Teachers will be paid approximately 15 hours between January 2021 and June 2021 to work with Stanford, University of Florida, Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon and the Learning Policy Institute, to develop, implement NGSS aligned instructionally embedded assessments. 
    • Detailed information can be found here. 
    • Interested teachers, please complete this form.
    • For questions contact Michael Goodbody (mgoodbody@sandi.net).
       
  • The following communication was posted on the San Diego Unified Facebook Page today:

    During the Senate battle over the 1964 civil rights act, Minority Leader Everett Dirksen, argued for passage¹, saying, nothing is so powerful as an idea whose time has come. The original line from Victor Hugo was, “Stronger than all the armies, is an idea whose time has come.” Most Americans believe the time has long since come for racial justice. Just as most of the world was rightfully horrified by the murder of George Floyd on Memorial Day. This weekend, we were sadly reminded that most does not mean all.
     
    As part of our preparation to return to school this fall, we committed to a full week of professional development for our teachers. The idea was to equip them to address the challenges of teaching online during a global pandemic - and to help them engage students in the racial awakening prompted by Floyd’s murder. As a majority-minority school system, with an overwhelmingly white teaching staff, addressing racial justice with understanding and grace is an important competency for our educators.
     
    Educators had a choice of which sessions to participate in, and it is a credit to their commitment to our diverse student population that so many teachers chose to take part in a session examining the persistence of racism. The course was based on the Racial Healing Handbook² by A.A. Singh³. It also featured work by New York Times best-selling author, Ibram X. Kendi, and Robin DiAngelo. Multiple perspectives were presented.

    Last week, a conservative blogger⁴ posted an inaccurate story on our racial justice work. Without contacting the school district, he “reported”⁵ the training sessions were mandatory for all teachers, that all teachers were called racists, and that he obtained this “scoop” through “leaked” documents. 𝗡𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁.
     
    By the weekend, the story had been reposted repeatedly and last night, a senior member of our staff received death threats, and our superintendent began receiving emails filled with vile language.
     
    In a nation as divided as ours, no opportunity for dialogue should ever be ignored. Just as we worked to train our teachers on talking to students about race, we have provided materials for parents to do the same. We’d like to take this opportunity to once again share these⁶ with the public in the hope of moving our city and our country forward.
     
    - Board of Education Vice President Barrera
     
    Links:
    1.    https://www.senate.gov/.../res.../pdf/DirksenCivilRights.pdf
    2.https://www.amazon.com/Racial-Healing.../dp/1684032709
    3.https://news.tulane.edu/.../anneliese-singh-named-tulane...
    4.https://www.city-journal.org/trump-war-against-critical...
    5.https://twitter.com/realchrisrufo/status/1334607313441714176
    6.https://www.nbcsandiego.com/.../sdusd-creates.../2435490/
     
  • OTHER NEWS
    User's Guide to State Regional Stay-at-Home Order (SD Union Tribune, December 5)
    https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/story/2020-12-04/a-users-guide-to-navigating-the-states-regional-stay-at-home-order?fbclid=IwAR3tLLReSzfyMD3fMCpGNTGCz4IL-JycN8MbyF_dRu_xYeI8djWX0YrM3-Y 
     
    With Nearly 20,000 Dead and Economy Hit by Lockdown, California Faces Treacherous Phase of Pandemic (SD Union Tribune, December 7)
    https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/california/story/2020-12-07/los-angeles-county-coronavirus-california-stay-at-home-order 
     
    For Many Teachers Distance Learning is a Constant Fight to Get Students to Engage (SD Union Tribune, December 6)
    https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2020-12-06/for-many-teachers-distance-learning-is-a-constant-fight-to-get-students-to-participate 

     
  • REMINDERS
     
  • AASD/DISTRICT "HOTLINE" INFORMATION
    The hotline established with the District is available to AASD unit members and other management who are charged with enforcing the health and safety policies and procedures.  Call the hotline when you need immediate assistance when conflicts arise, clarification is needed, or decisions must be made regarding health and safety matters. 

    This hotline is for ALL AASD represented members, both classified and certificated.  The hotline phone number is     (619) 981-0760.  The hotline is available on all District workdays, Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  In the rare event that a message must be left, all calls will be returned promptly, within the same day.
     
  • SPECIAL GRATITUDE
    If an AASD member has a department or individual that deserves special recognition during this time of crisis, please use the link below for reporting issues/questions/concerns/gratitude to show your gratitude for the department or individual.  AASD will publish that special thanks in our next Daily Update.
     
  • AASD OFFICE CLOSURE 
    AASD will be sending out a Daily Update, Monday-Friday, throughout the return to instruction/school reopening period.  The Weekly Update will continue as usual on Thursdays with the typical news and information for AASD members.  The AASD Office continues to remain closed.  AASD staff are working remotely and can be reached via the contact information at the end of this Update.

    AASD has created a Google Form for AASD Members to report issues, questions or concerns regarding work-related issues, COVID-19, return to instruction and school reopening.  AASD will provide answers to issues, questions or concerns submitted as answers become available.  You may also share your gratitude for another AASD member, district personnel, etc., via the same link.

    The link to share issues/questions/concerns/gratitude is:
    https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeVSsqBQSHboCdgqbnpaucUY--DHKjosG8MAmRuCxawzB4blg/viewform?usp=sf_link
     
    Please do not share this link outside of AASD membership (classified and certificated management/supervisors).  The link will be active until this crisis is over. 
     
    NOTE:  All previous AASD Daily Updates and Weekly Updates are located on the AASD Website     www.aasdcs.org if you need to refer back to them for information.
     
  • DISTRICT WEBSITE
    For your convenience, the District has created a list of Frequently Asked Questions.  To access that list, click the link     https://sites.google.com/sandi.net/covid19/staff-info
     
  • AASD CONTACT INFORMATION
    Executive Director, Donis Coronel --     donis@aasdcs.org   619-813-8792
    Office Manager, Linda Crout-Hamel --     linda@aasdcs.org   619-861-2701
    Office Clerk, Jim Costello --     jim@aasdcs.org 
     
    Please keep informed via the District’s website     www.sandi.net, Daily Updates from AASD and via the AASD Website www.aasdcs.org.
     
  • CONTACTS
    AASD Board of Directors - http://aasdcs.org/board-of-directors/
    AASD Office Staff - http://aasdcs.org/staff/
     
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