Schools Overcoming the Pandemic Challenge

On May 11th, Rio Vista citizens joined River Delta Unified School District (RDUSD) Superintendent Kathy Wright online for a highly informative RioVision Town Hall. Kathy addressed a Town Hall in person when she first came into her role last summer. Now, online, she chronicled the journey of the District since the COVID-19 closure of schools, shared plans for honoring students in transition this spring, and talked about teacher/staff recruitment and retention.

Kathy took us through the updates since the March 13th closure including the governor’s executive orders to remain closed for this school year, provide distance learning and meals for students. The District is anticipating changes and challenges for possible re-opening at the end of the summer with expected budget cuts and new requirements to maintain social distancing. Planning is difficult with so many unknowns and moving targets. Support infrastructures must also be taken into account like childcare and transportation.

An impressive level of commitment and collaboration has been required to meet the plethora of challenges to offer fair and accessible distance learning, and meals to students spread all over the delta. Administrators, staff, teachers, parents, students, community organizations, and service businesses (e.g. phone companies) have been “building the plane in flight” together.

Distance learning requires a whole new design and support structure for instruction and assignments on-line. Affordable accessibility for all students, of all ages, required researching compatible age-appropriate platforms, availability of suitable devices and internet access in homes, creating Wi-Fi hot spots that allow for social distancing, getting people connected and supported, and borrowing resources from other districts and communities. Provisions needed to be made for students who cannot get online. The RDUSD webpage was updated to provide additional support, answering questions and providing social and emotional resources. Teachers needed to be good learners, too, as they became familiar with new platforms and applications to provide instruction, check assignments, and meet remotely to plan and brainstorm together.

Personal contact is being made with students to assure their safety and health as #1priority.

 Food prep staff, many of them over 65, have been “on the job” daily preparing bagged meals for lunch and breakfast. While initially set up for pick up at the schools, some meals are now being delivered to homes by principals and administrators ,including Superintendent Wright, especially in more remote areas, serving up to 600 students.

The District continues to find creative ways to celebrate students and make connections. A teacher/ staff auto parade through town allowed heartfelt face to face “distance contact”. A photo mural of graduating seniors is on display at the western entrance to town. Rio Vista High School will provide drive through yearbook pick up, and the annual awards ceremony sponsored by the local Soroptimists will be held on May 29th on the football field with parents and family in cars around the track with groups of 10 students at a time coming onto the field to pick up their awards. Graduation will be held in a similar format on June 12th. Beginning in June, students will be allowed to maintain the tradition of painting the street outside the entrance to RVHS in groups of 10 maintaining social distance. River Delta and Mokelumne High Schools will have a car parade ceremony on the field on June 2nd at RVHS. On June 4th, eighth grade students at Riverview Middle School will have an online ceremony via Zoom link where awards will be virtually presented. The school’s website will feature a slide show of the kids as well as posting a recording of the ceremony. The district is looking to find some substitute for the elementary school Open House that usually opens up class rooms displaying the work of young children. Other surprises honoring students are in the works which Kathy chose not to “give away.”

Kathy also summarized some of the new teacher recruitment challenges given shelter-in-place. The district is examining why teachers leave the district (and often come back). One thing they identified is long commutes and the availability of affordable house options locally, including low rent housing, to eliminate commute barriers for new teachers. One of the biggest retention factors is the district’s cooperative, open family atmosphere and a good mentorship program at RVHS.

What can you do to support RDUSD? Please write to our legislators in support of our schools and urge them to keep budgets intact. Show your appreciation for workers and the work being done here whenever you have the opportunity. Our students and their families, and gratitude for one another, are at the heart of all that the district does.

And as local businesses gradually re-open in whatever capacity is allowed by the State and County, your support is appreciated.