In a school-wide email sent Sept. 25, principal Greg Louie said that the district is planning for the Phase 2A pilot of their four-phased plan outlined by district superintendent Michael Grove at the end of July. Any transitioning between phases is contingent on public health and county and state guidelines.

The state created a tiered system of COVID-19 restrictions that all counties in California must follow on Aug. 28, according to sccgov.org. The tiers are based on the daily new case rate and the positivity rate of a county and provide guidelines for what public places can begin opening and how to do so. 

Santa Clara County has been in the state watchlist’s red zone, representing four to seven daily new cases per 100k people and a 5-8 percent test positivity rate, for 26 days as of Oct. 2. The county will stay in the red zone until community health conditions bring it either to the third, less restrictive zone (orange) or back to the first and most restrictive zone (purple).

Phase 2A plans include a system of bringing 3-5 small, stable cohorts back on campus, each with 14 students and one to two supervisors. Students and staff can volunteer to participate in this pilot, although students with disabilities will be prioritized by the district for receiving specialized and/or support services. In addition, English learners and at-risk students will also be prioritized when deciding which students should participate in the pilot.

Students and staff will  also follow health guidelines consistent with guidance from the Santa Clara County Public Health orders. Everyone on campus must wear a mask at all times and will participate in daily health screenings, and staff must complete a daily health questionnaire. Classrooms will be disinfected once a day and desks will be placed 6 feet apart to ensure social distancing.  

Further information on Phase 2A can be found here. For more information on the state watchlist, visit the California Department of Public Health’s website.