The lawmakers go on to point out in the letter that there are currently nearly ten million fewer jobs in the U.S. than before the pandemic, and that case numbers and hospitalizations continue to drop countrywide.
“By allowing our nation’s schools to remain shuttered, you are depriving these children of the people and support systems they depend on,” the lawmakers wrote. “In addition to the impact of the youth mental health crisis, school closures are increasing education inequality in the United States.”
Santa Clarita has made its first steps in an attempt to reopen schools, beginning with the Castaic Union School District (CUSD), which voted to reopen their in-person classes after both state and county health orders allowed it Thursday.
Castaic Union School District To Discuss In-Person Learning For TK-2 Students
The Castaic Union School District (CUSD), is set to discuss returning Transitional Kindergarten through second-grade students back to in-person learning at their next board meeting next week.
CUSD is targeting Monday, Feb. 22 as the return date to allow TK-2 students to return to in-person learning, said Steve Doyle, the superintendent for the District.
“At the Jan. 14th meeting of the Board of Trustees, it was approved that Monday, Feb. 22nd was the planned target date for the return of our TK-2 students in the hybrid model,” Doyle said in a letter sent to Castaic parents last week.
Los Angeles County Public Health on Friday confirmed 374 new deaths and 692 new cases of COVID-19 countywide, with 27,284 total cases in the Santa Clarita Valley. In addition, Public Health announced an update to the Los Angeles County Health Officer Order which will reflect newly permitted activities allowed in the orange tier.
With vaccination rates increasing and the state’s COVID-19 test positivity rate near a record low, the California Department of Public Health on Friday released updates to the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy reopening framework allowing additional activities to resume with modifications to reduce risk effective April 15.
The Castaic Union School District governing board appointed a new president during its annual organizational board meeting last month.
The board voted to appoint Mayreen Burk, representative for Trustee Area E, as CUSD board president for the 2021 year, which was previously held by Fred Malcomb, representative for Trustee Area C.
“I look forward to working as a board to focus on student achievement. I know we all look forward to having all of our students back on campus as soon as it is safe to do so,” Burk said. “We will also be focused on providing the social and emotional support our students and staff will need this year as we continue with distance learning and when we are able bring all students back on campus. This has been an extraordinarily tough year, and we want to make sure everyone gets the support they need.”