Recap of COVID-19 Town Hall with BUSD

Below is a summary of the virtual Town Hall that took place on Monday, December 14. You can watch the full video by clicking the image below.

Cases and Vaccine Updates

As of Monday, December 14, there have been 1,534 cases in Berkeley. 638 cases have been reported over the last 30 days, which equates to over 40% of all Berkeley's reported cases happening during that time frame. At least 300 cases are connected to the outbreak at Golden Gate Fields. The seven-day average case rate as of December 8 is 8.5 cases per 100,000 people. There have been nine deaths, which remains unchanged since mid-October. However, hospitalizations continue to break records, with 302 hospitalizations across Alameda County, 88 of which are in ICUs.

Last Friday, the FDA approved usage of the Pfizer vaccine. This vaccine, which is up to 95% effective, will require two jabs over a three-week period. The first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine is now on its way to Alta Bates, with 975 doses expected by the end of the year. The first people to receive the vaccine will be frontline healthcare workers, followed by residents and staff at Berkeley's six skilled nursing facilities. People who are most at risk to COVID-19 will be prioritized, with the general public expected to have access to the vaccine beginning by late March-early April.

City Support for BUSD

The City of Berkeley has prioritized support to the Berkeley Unified School District since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the beginning of the pandemic, the City established a Schools/Child Care Liaison in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to provide policy updates, implementation guidance and training and technical assistance to staff across many levels at BUSD, as well as at private schools, youth services and child care providers. The Liaison and Health Officer meet at least every other week with the Superintendent and BUSD leadership to provide policy updates and analysis, and to keep abreast of progress toward reopening schools. Other areas of support include providing implementation guidance to BUSD on reopening plans, technical assistance on school sites and staff, and supporting out-of-school programming. A COVID-19 toolkit and in-depth training has also been provided to respond to a range of COVID scenarios and are now better equipped to keep the schools healthy and safe.

School Reopening Plan

The original timeline was to have Pre-K through 2nd Grade classes reopen in-person on January 13th and have grades 3-5 begin on January 20th. Middle and High Schools would have to wait longer given the complexities of students having multiple classes and multiple teachers, which would likely reopen when we enter the Orange Tier. However, the original dates for elementary schools will be delayed given the current surges in cases and may need to wait until we enter the Red Tier. Under the current Stay at Home Order that is set to expire on January 4th (contingent on ICU availability in the Bay Area), schools that are currently closed must remain closed but schools that are open can stay open. This is why some neighboring jurisdictions have some school openings but BUSD schools remain closed. When the current Stay at Home Order ends, it will be our priority to reopen schools.

There are over two dozen steps that need to be completed, from facilities preparation to training resources, and testing programs, in order to safely reopen schools. A majority of these steps are completed, and you can see the status in the BUSD’s Reopening Readiness Dashboards. To maintain social distancing, the hybrid model will be used where half of students will go to class and half social distance.

Other BUSD Information

  • The School Board held a meeting this Wednesday at 7pm to discuss reopening.

  • The School Board has asked the State to have teachers be considered essential workers and be towards the beginning of the line for vaccinations - after healthcare workers and high risk individuals are vaccinated first.

  • Parents can go to the Office of Family Engagement and Equity for additional help and resources on a variety of issues that promote equity and access.

  • Resources are available for families who do not have adequate internet access. BUSD has distributed Chromebooks and internet hotspots to students in need with more being ordered. If you need help with technology access, click here.

  • All schools have access to health and counseling services for students who may be struggling with mental health during the pandemic. Additional resources can be found here.

  • Outdoor space for classes is being looked at, with the School Board approving a budget to purchase shade structures and furnishings for outdoor classes for the cohort programs. This is one of many tools we can use to help move to in-person instruction.

  • It is unlikely the academic calendar will be extended due to funding limitations, but it is our hope that BUSD will expand summer programs in 2021.

Jesse Arreguin