While describing the many positive events involved in the reopening of schools, the superintendent of the Los Alamitos Unified School District said a Los Angeles television station video misrepresented the system during a report.
“Some of you know that last Friday, KTLA news gave a really poor representation of what our school opening looked like,” Dr. Andrew Pulver told the LAUSD board during his monthly report.
Pulver said the station, after visiting the campus for interviews, apparently used some b-roll footage “completely unrelated to our school district.”
The superintendent said he immediately spoke to the station and the notified them of what happened, and he told the board that they retracted the part of the report that was being misrepresented.
Pulver said Friday that the classrooms shown did not reflect the enormous effort Los Al staff and teachers had taken to create a protective environment. The classrooms shown were not from LAUSD, he said, but said the station did resond.
On a more positive note, Pulver gave another quick overview of the district’s ongoing reopening process, complimenting the students themselves, and their parents, for being so helpful to each other and otherwise well behaved.
“I’m pleased to report that our students were all wearing their face masks as they were coming on to the campus and just really following the guidance in the procedures,” he said.
Pulver also showed photos of the many creative ways teachers across the district have created their own ad-hoc safety protocols for a variety of classes. Also, he congratulated teachers who had literally set up classrooms outside to teach.
“Our teachers are being really thoughtful and creative,” he said, and the PTA did a “fantastic” job, getting out to the schools early to erect signs and other messaging to welcome back students.
The superintendent also briefly commented on the district’s new COVID dashboard, explaining how administrators declined to follow the Irvine model because it was too “cumbersome” and had indeed created their own content.
The district has thus far had three confirmed cases of COVID-19, one administrator at Hopkinson Elementary and two students, both from the same family, said Pulver.
He introduced Assistant Supt. Dr. Joe Fraser, who explained the online dashboard in greater detail, including all of the metrics available to parents and concerned members of the community.
Keri Ravelo, a veteran teacher with 27 years of experience, who currently teaches at McAuliffe Middle School, was the only teacher to speak at the meeting. She repeatedly thanked the board and the administration for preparing the schools so thoroughly for a safe and smooth reopening.
“I have heard only exemplary comments from my colleagues on how well the district has handled this trying time; we feel so safe and appreciate the opportunity to do what we do best, teaching in person,” she said.
She said the “district has bent over backwards to provide a safe environment for all of us,” adding that another teacher said it best a few meetings ago: “I feel safer in my classroom than shopping at Target or Vons.”
Assistant Supt. for Business Services, Dr. Nancy Nien, explained the various COVID funding sources from which LAUSD has received $4.7 million in various relief funds.
Nien explained how the money has been or will be used in purchasing software, computers, desk shields and other necessities required to adapt to the safety protocols implemented by the district.
Board President Meg Cutuli presented a report to the board on the North Orange County Regional Occupational Program, a board on which she serves as part of the board president’s adjunct role.
She reported that the program is changing rapidly and working with community colleges and others to provide career technical education to a diverse mix of students seeking careers in public services and other fields.
Fraser told the board they had negotiated a 1% off-salary adjustment for both classified and certificated staff, retroactive from July of 2019. He asked the board to consider adding the same for administrative and supervisory staff.
The board agreed and amended each contract separately.
They voted 5-0 to approve the off-salary adjustment, meaning it is only a one-time supplement.
Courtesy photo