The Cypress School District will be returning to full-time instruction at their six elementary schools, Superintendent Anne Silavs announced this week in a letter to parents.
Silavs, who is the current Orange County Supt. of the Year, is proud that CSD did not close during the pandemic, even if they altered routines and protocols to adhere to the California Department of Health’s COVID protocols since the onset of the pandemic.
In the letter, Silavs said the district polled parents in March “regarding preferences to the 2021-2022 school year in the event that schools would still be required to comply with COVID-19 safety requirements, particularly those concerning physical distancing.”
Nearly 1,600 parents responded, said Silavs, indicating that 75 percent of them indicated a preference for a regular, full-time schedule.
Since then, Silavs said there “have been many positive developments in the fight against COVID-19, including increased access to vaccines for those 16 and older, and declining case rates.” Her letter also noted that the state has signaled that it will move beyond its “Blueprint for a Safer Economy” on June 15 if positive trends continue.In addition, she said state laws that enable school districts to offer alternative school schedules will expire, “and it doesn’t appear they will be extended, based on current publich health conditions.”
“In light of this information, the district is planning a full return to our regular school schedule for all students when the 2021-22 school year begins on August 19,” the superintendent told the parents. She said the Cypress School District Board of Trustees had approved a “traditional” school schedule for an additional year.
“We know how incredibly challenging the last 14 months has been for our entire school community, and we are thrilled at the prospect of restoring our school program to include many of the student experiences we highly value as part of a well-rounded public education.”
In addition, the Anaheim Union High School District, to which Cypress School District feeds its elementary graduates, also announced its intention “to safely transition to an in-classroom instructional model five days a week when the 2021-22 school year begins in August.”
“There may [also] be unique circumstances where students are better served with one of our independent studies models (Cambridge Virtual Academy, Polaris Independent Study, or Katella/Kennedy Independent Study Programs),” said a letter to parents.
Although a variety of factors will determine what the 2021-22 school year will look like, including following all CDC, California Department of Public Health, and Orange County Health Care Agency guidelines to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and families, the District is determined to ensure a sense of normalcy for our students in the Fall, the district letter noted.