The schools of Santa Cruz County will be implementing the guidelines recently published by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Santa Cruz County Public Health (SCCPH).
In order to keep our schools open and students healthy, school districts have implemented a wide range of mitigation strategies to minimize risks at our schools, including ongoing testing for COVID-19. We recognize the importance of sports, athletics, music and other extracurricular ideas for students and are
hoping these requirements will allow students to participate fully and safely.
Dear Families of Santa Cruz County,
Today we are heartbroken. We grieve with the Aptos High School community following yesterday’s tragic loss of a 17-year-old student. Our hearts are with the student’s family, friends, the Aptos High School community, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD), and all of those impacted by this
unprecedented and devastating event.
Thank you for your ongoing diligence and dedication to our students and schools. Embarking into an in-person school year during a variant-driven surge in COVID-19 cases in our community has no doubt been a challenge. Students, families, educators and support staff have our enduring support and appreciation for navigating this moment with such grace.
At its regularly scheduled Bonny Doon Union Elementary School District Board of Trustees meeting on August 19, the Board passed a resolution opposing the placement of a violent sex offended in the Bonny Doon community. Please read the attached resolution.
A new school year is upon us, and it is with excitement that we welcome students back to classrooms across the schools of Santa Cruz County this and next week. Offering full-time, in-person instruction during the 2021-22 school year is a foundational priority, and our schools are ready to support students in myriad ways, from curriculum, to nutrition, to socio-emotional health.
If you were unable to attend last night's town hall, the slides are available for your reference. We look forward to seeing you and your student(s) Wednesday morning.
Welcome to a new school year! We are excited for the first day of school, Wednesday, August 11. The teachers have been working hard and are ready to provide a fun and challenging year for your children, and we are excited to begin the year. We have many new students and families joining us this year, and we’ll probably enroll more before the first day of school!
Dear Families of Santa Cruz County,
We are in an exciting moment for all of our schools as this summer draws to close. Every Santa Cruz County school is opening for full-time in-person learning this fall thanks to a heroic effort on the part of educators, support staff, students and their families. It’s a milestone that should bring us all joy after the past year and a half.
As the start of the 2021-2022 school year is approaching, we want to share a few very brief updates:
• The first day of school is Wednesday, August 11. This, like all Wednesdays, will be a restructured day with school starting at 8:30 and ending at 12:30 for all students. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday are full school days (Kinder out at 1:15, Grades 1-3 out at 2:30, Grades 4-6 out at 3:00)
• Masks/face coverings will be required by all individuals on-campus, regardless of vaccination status
• Our after care program is open for registration by visiting https://www.discoverchampions.com/
• Bus service will not be available at the beginning of the year, so please consider carpooling. We are in the final stages of obtaining a new electric bus and completing the necessary infrastructure for it
Please contact the office as soon as possible of there are any enrollment changes for your student(s). Finally, we will be hosting a Zoom Town Hall on Thursday, August 5th at 5:30PM; this will be a brief opportunity to connect, share updates, and hear questions. We will be sending additional information in the days leading up to school opening.
The Bonny Doon School staff is excited to welcome your students back to our classrooms.
Sincerely,
Mike Heffner
The schools of Santa Cruz County are proud to partner with Dominican Hospital, Safeway, Salud Para la Gente, Santa Cruz County Public Health, and other medical providers to increase access to vaccination for students and families. Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine under an emergency use authorization (EUA) for children ages 12 to 15 years old . Santa Cruz County schools are offering vaccination clinics at school sites countywide through the end of the school year for students ages 12+ with parental
consent. COVID-19 vaccination represents a key part of the strategy that has dramatically reduced the number of positive cases in our community.