Oliver Galvan Mauricio, Staff Reporter
March 11, 2021
During the time of this pandemic, various counties and districts across the nation have worked on plans for reopening schools. And Los Banos is no different. In the past months, the school district has presented a hybrid model and anticipates plans for a gradual reopening for certain cohort groups of students. These plans were in the works back in November, but due to an increase in cases around that month, only a few cohort groups actually returned to in-person instruction.
However, the district has updated the plans for reopening with an updated plan.
Updated Plan
The LBHS school district sent a letter home explaining the updates for in-person instruction with dates provided.
As explained in the letter, due to improvements in a decrease of covid cases, it appears that the implementation of a hybrid in-person instruction model is likely. The district will decide which model would serve best for the remainder of the school year. The dates mentioned are March 8 for grades TK-1st, March 15 for grades 2nd-6th and mid-to-late April for the remaining grades of 7th-12th.
Los Banos Unified School District has confirmed that returning to in-person hybrid instruction is optional and students have the choice to remain in online learning for the remainder of the school year. The administration is calling home to parents asking which option they would like their child to be enrolled in.
The administration team has made changes to campus as well. Classroom will be equipped with individual student screens on desks which will be spaced 6 feet apart, sanitizer machines, and masks. A plan for students entering and exiting campus are in the works too in order to limit large groups of students traveling together. Classes will be twice a week for each cohort group and Wednesdays will be for student check-ins, work day, or tutoring time. Students attending classes on campus will come to school in the mornings, and students staying online will have classes in the afternoons.
Procedures are still being determined at this time, and changes may be implemented to ensure student and staff safety.
Student Thoughts
Even if school reopens in a hybrid model, many students believe that even partial reopening should wait for the next school year. Karla Talamantes (11) stated, “I don’t think it’s super safe to reopen right now. I feel like opening in August would be a bit more safer.”
Various students believe the same, one pointing out believing “that it’s too soon to have kids going back to school because not much is changing.”
Junior Agustin Perez expressed, “I don’t know yet if I’d go back but that’s because I’m doing rather well with distance learning and like being able to work from home.”
Other students have made similar comments, as they feel comfortable with online learning and believe the schedule adjusting to hybrid may be complicated. Some have decided to remain in online learning due to having relatives and family members with critical health and do not want to risk exposure of the virus to them.
