April 12th Reopening - Hybrid/On-Site Learners

April 12th Reopening - Hybrid/On-Site Learners
Posted on 04/05/2021

Dear Marauder Families,

On behalf of our outstanding educators, incredible support staff, and our administrative team, I am thrilled to share with you the details of our planning for the classroom reopening on April 12th. I am equally proud of the work our team has done to maintain a robust online option for families who have chosen that option. No matter the model, we are determined to help each and every student finish the academic year feeling strong and excited about their future.

We recognize the weeks ahead will be both exciting and challenging. Despite all our planning over the past year, there will be surprises no one anticipated, and we will need the goodwill and support of everyone to get through these challenges together. Most of all, we recognize students may be facing complex emotions, as they prepare to re-engage with friends they have not seen in months. Counselors have been specially trained to help students cope, and they will have plenty of tools to help students work through their feelings and learn to love school again.

April 5-9
As a reminder, all students will spend this week, from April 5-9,  preparing for the end of the school year. We have modified the schedule, only for this week, to allow students, parents, and staff the time they need to become comfortable with a new structure and atmosphere of learning.

This week, the school day will include 240 instructional minutes with 120 minutes of live instruction and 120 minutes of independent assignments. Teachers may choose to offer additional minutes of live instruction based on curriculum and student instructional needs.  With that being said, we hope you and your family will take time to prepare for a safe classroom reopening.

Here are 7 things you can do to prepare:
1. Have an age-appropriate conversation with your student about why your family chose the hybrid model or the online option. Students may have friends who made a different decision, and it is important for students to understand every choice deserves to be respected.

2. Practice proper hygiene. Remind students to thoroughly wash their hands for enough time to kill all germs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends scrubbing your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds. 

3. Practice wearing a mask. Masks will be required when students return to campus, and they are still recommended every time you leave the house. Students should practice covering both their nose and mouth with a snug but comfortable mask.

4. Review the rules on physical distancing. As much as friends may wish to greet each other warmly on campus next week, everyone must keep a respectful distance between themselves and other students. Remind your students about these rules for everyone’s safety.

5. Help your student prepare for the new school lunch program. For the remainder of the school year, meals will be provided to all students at no cost but students will not be able to sit together to eat unless they are able to maintain 6 feet of distance. Explain this to your students and practice a few times to make them feel comfortable.

6. Take time to learn the new entry points for school. These entry points are in place to minimize traffic which could lead to the spread of Covid-19. 

7. Check in with your students to measure their emotional health. Returning to the classroom after a year can be as emotionally difficult as starting school all over again for the first time. Counselors will be available to help, but you can make things easier by talking with your students about their feelings.

April 12 through April 16
To ensure safety and help our students acclimate to our new protocols and procedures we will be opening with a 2-day a week in person schedule for the week of April 12th only. Students with the last names A-L will be on campus Monday and Tuesday and students with the last name beginning with M-Z will be on site Wednesday and Thursday. Due to the number of missing surveys, during the first week back we will be looking at the physical numbers in each class to ensure that we can transition to four days a week for all students. We plan to shift to four days a week beginning on April 18, numbers permitting. 

April 18 through June 15 (numbers permitting) 
We are hopeful that the numbers in each classroom will allow us to move to a 4 day per week model for all families who selected the on site model, but we need to be sure that it can be done safely before we can transition to 4 days a week for all students. 

We are looking forward to an exciting and productive end of the school year for all our students, and we look forward to seeing everyone soon.

Fridays Beginning April 12 
Fridays will be asynchronous for all students with the exception of a 30 minute check in with their period 1 class. The check-in will be from 8:30am-9:00am. All other work for the day will be done asynchronously. 

Informational Zoom Meetings (Optional) 
If you would like to attend the optional return to campus meeting, we are hosting two different nights to accommodate all families. 

Students with the last name A-L (Wednesday 4/7 at 5:00pm) 
Join Zoom Meeting
https://sandiegounified.zoom.us/j/86702949284
Meeting ID: 867 0294 9284
Dial by your location
+1 669 219 2599 US (San Jose)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 867 0294 9284
Find your local number: https://sandiegounified.zoom.us/u/kbXdjoHgfA

Students with the last name M-Z (Thursday 4/8 at 5:00) 
Join Zoom Meeting
https://sandiegounified.zoom.us/j/88245458146
Meeting ID: 882 4545 8146
Dial by your location
+1 669 219 2599 US (San Jose)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 882 4545 8146
Find your local number: https://sandiegounified.zoom.us/u/kelgfnoS60

Sincerely,
Jeff Sabins 
Principal 
Mira Mesa High School 

Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2024 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.