For the first time in many months, students will be returning to school in SLO County. Both of the elementary schools in Los Osos, Monarch Grove and Baywood, are open for in-person instruction as well as Pacheco in SLO. In Morro Bay, Del Mar Elementary will be opened for “Kinder Students” starting November 12th, and possibly 1st graders additionally in the future.
At Del Mar, Kindergarteners get to go back in either an AM or PMcohort during the week except on Wednesdays, which will be virtual learning days. Naturally, protocols were implemented to keep students and staff safe. In between the morning and afternoon cohorts everyday, the campus will have an hour to be cleaned and sanitized. The two cohorts have entirely different sets of materials to use. They are doing contact tracing and have a policy for notifying parents within 24 hours if there is a case of covid.
Ms. Domenic, who teaches English at MBHS, and who has a child returning to Pacheco in San Luis Obispo, said, “I’m a little nervous only because his elementary schedule might now match mine at the high school level. I want him to be safe at home, but I know he will benefit from being around other kids.” Going back to school comes with its benefits as well as drawbacks. Ms. Domenic said the best thing is that her son will, “probably feel better connected socially to his friends.” Lastly, Ms. Domenic expressed that she expects “clear communication between the schools and parents about the state of health of kids at the schools.”
Almost all elementary students from (K-1) in SLO county have now returned. The SLO County District has not released information on how long the students are staying on the school campus. All in all, students in the second grade and higher still need the approval of going back on school campus. If all goes well, all students from Kindergarten to High School may be back on campus by January 21st.
