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  • Elementary Reopening for In-Person Learning Starts W...

    Dear Elementary LBUSD families and staff, At this evening’s Board of Education meeting, the Board approved the staggered re-opening of in-person learning for elementary schools, grades TK-5, and self-contained programs for students with disabilities programs districtwide.   Families of students in grades TK-2 who selected the hybrid in-person model will begin in-person instruction on Monday, October 5, and those students in grades 3 through 5 will begin on Wednesday, October 7.  The staggered start will allow us to make any necessary adjustments to the logistics of student movement around the campus before all students return. Elementary families should watch for important communication from their site principals next week, including information about screening procedures, arrival and dropoff, and a parent webinar that will be scheduled for Wednesday, September 30.  Families of students in self-contained programs will also receive communication from the special education department. We look forward to the safe return of our elementary students to our school sites! Sincerely, Jason Viloria, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools

    Saturday, Sep 26 2020

  • IMPORTANT: Special Board Meeting (Reopening Dates)

    This Friday, September 25 at 5 p.m. the LBUSD Board of Education will hold a special meeting to consider approval of the reopening of elementary schools for in-person learning . The meeting will be held via Zoom and broadcast live on the District website at www.lbusd.org/liveboardmeeting . View the agenda: Special Meeting of the Board of Education - Friday, September 25, 2020 Submit an electronic public comment prior to the meeting: Public Comment Request Form *Public comment must be submitted no later than Friday, September 25, 2020, by 12:00 p.m. LIVE public comment: Each agenda item will have a designated time for public comment. You can use one of the following two methods to comment live. The time for public comment is limited, so prepare your remarks accordingly. Via Zoom on a computer or smartphone   Dial-in and wait for instructions Phone number: (669) 900-6833 Webinar ID: 972 4421 3108 Press *9 to let us know you want to comment  on an item and *6 to un-mute your phone You will hear "your phone is un-muted" when it is time for you to speak

    Thursday, Sep 24 2020

  • Update: Re-Opening of Schools for In-Person Instruction

    Dear LBUSD families and staff, We wanted to provide you an update on the re-opening of our school campuses for in-person learning. On September 16, 2020, the Orange County Health Care Agency approved the Laguna Beach Unified School District's elementary waiver application for in-person re-opening. At last night's meeting of the Board of Education, through consensus, the Board directed staff to schedule a special meeting next week to consider action on a staff recommendation for a date to commence the staggered re-opening of in-person learning for elementary schools, grades TK-5. We will notify you of the special meeting once scheduled. The Board also requested that staff recommend an action plan for their consideration at the special meeting to re-open self-contained K-12 programs for students with disabilities. At the July 31 Special Meeting of the Board of Education, the Board voted to approve distance learning for secondary schools through November 20, the end of the first trimester. The Board reached a consensus at the September 17 meeting to further discuss the re-opening of secondary school sites for in-person instruction at the October 22 regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Education. You can view the updated LBUSD Playbook , with updates recommended by the Orange County Health Care Agency found in the appendices, at www.lbusd.org/covid19 . If you missed the Back-to-School During a Pandemic: How to Support the Mental Health and Wellness of the Whole Family webinar , a recording is available online. We appreciate your continued support and will share information for the upcoming meeting as soon as possible. Sincerely, Jason Viloria, Ed.D.

    Friday, Sep 18 2020

  • Elementary Waiver and Reopening Update

    Dear LBUSD Community: I want to thank you for your patience and support during this challenging time as we work to identify when we may return to on-campus learning. At last night’s Board of Education meeting, the Board discussed the implementation of Phase II of our reopening plan, once permitted to do so under the new color-coded system outlined by Governor Newsom last week.  On August 31, the Orange County Health Officer received confirmation from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) that Orange County is on track to enter into the Red Tier on September 8. Providing the county meets the Red Tier metrics at that time, there will be a 14-day wait for all TK-12 schools to be eligible for reopening, which could occur on September 22.  At the meeting, the Board took action to: Commence in-person services for the special education preschool program following  CDPH Guidance for Small Groups Stagger the reopening of school campuses during the transition to Phase II (Campuses Open with Modifications) for grades TK-8 on a date still to be determined, using  California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidance Direct staff to apply for a waiver to the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) to determine whether LBUSD elementary schools can reopen on or before September 22 Direct staff to survey middle and high school students on their opinions on whether to reopen school campuses when Orange County is permitted to do so or at the end of the first trimester and to report the results to the school board for further direction  The transition to Phase II will include a staggered return of students to school campuses by grade level spanning over several weeks beginning with grades TK-2. The staggered reopening would allow staff to establish routines with small student numbers and address any issues that arise before introducing students in the next grade levels. Student schedules in Phase II can be found beginning on page 15 in the  2020-2021 LBUSD Playbook .  The Board directed staff to convene a Board meeting once the District receives notice of whether or not the waiver is approved to determine an in-person start date.  We will keep you apprised of the waiver status and the scheduling of the upcoming Board meeting. Sincerely, Jason Viloria, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools

    Friday, Sep 04 2020

  • Reopening Update

    Dear LBUSD Community: As you may have heard in the Governor’s press conference today,  a new color-coded system for monitoring COVID-19 progress by county was released, which includes revised criteria for easing and tightening restrictions on businesses, activities, and schools.  You can read more about this system  here . Orange County begins in the most restrictive purple category, reserved for counties with more than 7 daily new cases per 100,000 residents and a testing positivity rate higher than 8 percent. However, county health officials have confirmed that as long as Orange County continues to make progress in reducing risk, K-12 schools will be in a position to consider in-person reopening next month without the need to apply for a waiver.  This consideration should include preparation to keep students and staff safe, adherence to the CDPH guidelines including a signed attestation document, as well as local epidemiological data.  On July 31, the Board directed staff to reopen schools in distance learning through the end of the first trimester, which will end in mid-November.  Now that Orange County is tracking to be able to move to a level with fewer restrictions, staff will request direction from the Board of Education at the next meeting on September 3 regarding the possibility of reopening earlier than the end of the first trimester.  More information about this Board meeting will be issued early next week. Sincerely, Jason Viloria, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools

    Saturday, Aug 29 2020

  • 2020-2021 School Year - Special Board Meeting

    The Special School Board Meeting regarding the 2020-2021 school year will be held via Zoom and broadcast live on the District website at www.lbusd.org/liveboardmeeting .  The agenda can be found here , which includes the report staff will present to the Board . Public Comment may be submitted electronically prior to the meeting no later than 10:00 a.m., Monday, July 27, 2020, using the LBUSD Board of Education Comment Card .

    Friday, Jul 24 2020

  • Board Meeting Information: July 23 (Regular Business...

    The regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Education on Thursday, July 23 at 6 p.m. will be held via Zoom and broadcast live on the District website at www.lbusd.org/liveboardmeeting .   The agenda has been posted here . Public Comment may be submitted electronically prior to the meeting no later than 6:00 p.m., Thursday, July 23, 2020, using the LBUSD Board of Education Comment Card . To note, the Board will receive information from staff regarding plans for the 2020-2021 school year at a special Board meeting on Monday, July 27 at 10:30 a.m. The meeting will be held virtually and streamed at www.lbusd.org/liveboardmeeting . Public comments relating to the reopening of schools may be submitted HERE  no later than Monday, July 27 at 10 a.m.

    Tuesday, Jul 21 2020

  • School Reopening Update

    Dear LBUSD Community, As you may be aware, Governor Newsom held a press conference a short while ago, where he outlined specific requirements for the reopening of schools. In contrast to previous guidelines and recommendations that left reopening plans up to the discretion of individual school districts, today’s announcement requires us to comply with the outlined directives and requirements. Specifically, this California Department of Public Health (CDPH)  order calls for schools located in counties on the state monitoring list to provide distance learning instruction for students until the county has been off the monitoring list for 14 consecutive days.  As of today, Orange County is on the state monitoring list. If Orange County remains on the monitoring list on August 10, LBUSD will be required to commence instruction on August 24 via full distance learning.   We continue to assess these new directives and their impact on how instruction will resume on August 24. Our staff has spent the summer preparing contingency plans for various reopening scenarios based on a framework of three phases: In two weeks we plan to review the recommended options for Phases I and II addressing the new CDPH Guidance provided today with the school board for their approval. We will send you more information about that virtual meeting as it is formalized. I am appreciative of our teachers, administrators, and staff who have spent countless hours on developing reopening plans and who will continue to adjust and refine those plans as we prepare for August 24. We are committed to: Every Student, Every Day Providing healthy and safe school facilities  Continuing to offer grab and go meal distribution Relationships Matter Providing a climate of care and connection Supporting students’ mental, social, and emotional health Continuous Improvement New learning management systems at both the elementary and secondary levels to streamline communication and provide clear expectations for students and families Professional learning opportunities for staff covering multiple aspects of instructional delivery Structured daily schedules to avoid conflicts and provide predictability I am also grateful for our students and families who have demonstrated patience and understanding as we continue to navigate these changing conditions. We know you will continue to have questions in the days to come, and we will continue to keep you updated. Sincerely, Jason Viloria, Ed.D. Superintendent

    Saturday, Jul 18 2020

  • Reopening and OC Board of Education Vote

    Dear LBUSD Community, As you may have heard, at a Board meeting last evening, the Orange County Board of Education held a special meeting to vote on their recommendations for opening schools, which was approved by a 4-1 vote.  The Orange County Board of Education's recommendations call for a full reopening of school without recommended safety protections, such as face coverings or physical distancing, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These recommendations do not align with the official guidance by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), California Department of Education (CDE),  or the “ Orange County Together ” guidance issued by the Orange County Department of Education and Orange County Health Care Agency.   The Orange County Board of Education does not have jurisdictional governing authority to direct school district action, including reopening and health/safety measures. Health mandates and guidance for safe school reopening are issued by the California Department of Public Health and Orange County Health Care Agency, and the Laguna Beach Unified School District will follow this guidance in planning for reopening of schools. Later this month at a special Board meeting, the LBUSD Board of Education will consider approval of a plan specific to our school community. We will share more information with you about the details soon. Sincerely, Jason Viloria, Ed.D. Superintendent

    Tuesday, Jul 14 2020

  • Schools Reopening: Q&A Webinar with Superintendent J...

    Don't miss a live 'Schools Reopening Q&A' webinar hosted by Laguna Beach Unified Council PTA, LBUSD Superintendent Dr. Jason Viloria, and PTA Presidents at El Morro Elementary, Top of the World Elementary, Thurston Middle School, and Laguna Beach High School. During the session, Dr. Viloria will answer dozens of parent questions and provide an update on plans for the reopening of schools. There is no cost to participate. WHEN Wednesday, July 8, 2020, from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. HOW TO JOIN Advance Registration Required: Reopening of Schools Webinar After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

    Tuesday, Jul 07 2020