Beverly Hills Unified School District developed a visual representation using the state and county metrics to help explain when schools could physically reopen this semester.
graphic courtesy of BHUSD
Beverly Hills Unified School District developed a visual representation using the state and county metrics to help explain when schools could physically reopen this semester. (graphic courtesy of BHUSD)

Beverly Hills Unified School District Superintendent Michael Bregy sent his final email of the year to BHUSD families on Dec. 22 giving an update about a potential return to in-person learning.

He said the top three questions he received on a daily basis centered around when students could return to a physical school, what that schedule would be and what the calendar will be for the next three years.

“I want to start by sincerely thanking you for your endless patience and support throughout this ongoing pandemic. We know how hard you have been working at home during the Zoom classes, from managing multiple platforms to navigating technology issues, we understand this has been tough. Whether you are a parent, guardian or student you have all been juggling so many challenges and I can’t begin to imagine how difficult it has been,” he wrote. “Whatever your circumstances, this pandemic has impacted each and every one of you.”

Earlier this month, the BHUSD Board of Education voted unanimously to approve an addendum to the Pandemic Response memorandum of understanding and the collective bargaining agreement (including a three-year calendar) with the Beverly Hills Education Association. Both agreements are pending the approval of BHEA membership.

“We are sharing all of this information with you because it was just approved by the Board of Education,” Bregy wrote. “In no way does the timing of this information have a direct correlation with the timing of the Red Tier metrics which allow the physical return to school. … L.A. County and the state of California will dictate when our schools will allow in-person learning.”

He wrote that the students would begin to transition from distance learning to a hybrid model as conditions improve in the community.

“The important factor to note here is the adjusted case rate,” Bregy wrote. That number can be found by clicking on L.A. County at https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy.

Due to BHUSD being awarded the TK-2 waiver, he said the youngest learners would be the first students to physically return to campus. TK-2 students will return when the county is at an adjusted case rate of 10 or below.

“Although this is still in the Purple Widespread Tier, we are permitted to do this as we were awarded the TK-2 waiver,” Bregy wrote. “While the Red Tier begins to allow students in grades three-12 to return to the classroom, the 6 feet physical distance requirement prevents all students from returning to the classroom at the same time.”

All students returning to the physical classroom will be in a hybrid model as opposed to full-time in-person instruction per the county’s health order.

When allowed to do so, elementary students will transition back to physical school five days a week for instruction in English, math, science and social studies. They will attend physical school with their classroom teacher for two hours and 20 minutes in-person Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and for 90 minutes on Wednesdays. The remainder of the day will be used for independent learning with once a week virtual instruction from physical education, art, MakerSpace, vocal music and science lab teachers.

“We have decided to provide five days of in-person instruction that is 100% focused rather than a Zoom/live stream model where the teacher’s attention would be divided,” Bregy wrote. “Our youngest learners especially need this full-time attention.”

Sixth through 12th grade students will transition back to physical school two days a week in one of two cohorts with both cohorts meeting virtually on Wednesdays to allow for equitable instruction and deep cleaning due to the larger amount of students moving between classrooms.

In order to further answer questions, Bregy said the district was in the process of scheduling multiple town hall meetings via Zoom for early January.

For more information, visit bhusd.org.