Communication from GGUSD

Weekly Reopening Update – August 7, 2020

Dear Parents, Students and Staff, 

Our schools are hard at work preparing for the 2020-2021 school year which, due to the new state mandate, will begin August 24 in a distance learning format for all schools. Only after our county (Orange) is two weeks off the state watch list can we consider reopening schools for in-person classes.

Starting the school year in an online-format is new for all of us during this unprecedented time in education.  Our dedicated GGUSD school administrators, educators and support staff share a commitment to helping all students succeed and are ready to implement a distance learning program that provides a consistent daily and weekly schedule. By now, parents have received communication from their schools that included a school-specific overview of distance learning and reopening, once approved. Over the next two weeks, schools will share their daily teaching and learning schedules that were developed based on parent survey feedback, staff collaboration and our new Distance Learning Guidelines. 

Across our 67 schools, our new distance learning guidelines mean that All GGUSD students will benefit from:

• A scheduled school day with guaranteed direct instruction and clear classroom expectations
• Interactive teacher-led instruction via video conferencing via Zoom or Google Meets
• Small group instruction with their teacher based on identified needs and progress
• Renewed focus on social-emotional learning with school-wide and teacher-led lessons
• Regular and consistent access to one-on-one support from their teacher
• Attendance will be taken daily
• NEW: interactive, independent learning software provided to ALL students to allow for reinforcement of concepts, intervention and acceleration.
• New this year – free breakfast and lunch for ALL registered GGUSD students at any of 31 Grab and Go Meal sites (more details to follow).

TK-6^th grade students will participate in 110-170 minutes of live interaction with teachers daily, including:

• Daily morning and closure meetings for overview of day and wellness check-ins
• Twice daily lessons led by their teacher with the whole class via video conference
• Weekly small group instruction led by teacher via video conference
• Access to one-on-one support from their teacher during daily office hours
• English Language Learner students will receive English Language Development lessons.
• Daily independent work including 20 minutes of reading, 80-140 minutes of independent and interactive learning using new online learning software including ABC Mouse (PreK-2) or PathBlazer (3-6)
• 20 minutes of exercise/movement
• Interventions or tutoring by aide or specialist based on student need and availability

7-12^th grade students will attend their classes on a block schedule of alternating days (example: periods 1,3,5 on Monday/Thursday, periods 1-6 on Wednesday, periods 2,4,6 Tuesday/Friday – actual block schedule periods/days vary by site), including:

• 3 periods per day of live instruction led by a teacher with the whole class via video conference
• Daily learning including preview, review, break-out and small group instruction
• Access to individual and small group teacher interactions
• Daily independent work using online textbooks or Edgenuity online curriculum

Parents, please take time over the next week to complete enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year. For returning students, visit https://mykids.ggusd.us to complete data confirmation for re-enrollment. New students to GGUSD can enroll online at https://enroll.ggusd.us.  All school offices are open beginning August 10^th and staff are ready and available to help with enrollment questions. Please call your school offices with questions or to make an appointment.

As always, thank you for your patience and support as we work together to help all students succeed!