As COVID-19 transmission and hospitalization numbers continue to improve in San Diego County, more schools are expanding their reopening plans.
On Thursday night, Poway Unified School District Board of Education members voted 6-0 in favor of increasing the number of days and hours students are on campus.
The plan was already implemented this week, with high school students back on campus four-days a week.
“Totals this week have ranged from 500 to 950 students on campus each day,” explained Carol Osborne, Associate Superintendent of Learning Support Services.
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
Osborne said Middle schools will follow suit beginning April 19 and will have an additional lunch period added to the schedule to guarantee physical distance between students.
“We will be recommending that our elementary schools will move to a four and 10-minute day,” said Osborne, adding elementary AM/PM cohorts will be combined since the CDC and CDPH now recommend three feet distance between students instead of six.
Local
Some parents who participated in public comment were encouraged by the news while also disappointed the expansion wasn’t implemented sooner.
As the school year comes to an end in June, board members explained promotion ceremonies are encouraged on campus, in-person, while following public health recommendations. High school graduations are already being planned for June 18, outdoors, at school stadiums, according to the district.
In addition to the reopening expansion, PUSD board members said temperature checks are no longer required on campus. Parents are being asked to check their child’s temperature before leaving for school.
Meanwhile, other San Diego County school districts are preparing to welcome students back over the next few weeks. The Chula Vista Elementary School District and San Diego Unified are welcoming students back to the classroom Monday.
