Yesterday and today, evacuation orders were issued for several areas in our County due to anticipated debris flow in the areas impacted by the CZU Lightning Complex Fire and surrounding areas. The impending weather front
expected to reach our community later this evening could lead to a debris flow event where loose mud, sand, soil, rock, and water can move down the slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains endangering the lives of residents. School districts across the county and the County Office of Education are working closely with the Office of Emergency Services to provide communication, evacuation, and sheltering resources for impacted residents.
Please use the 2021-22 School Calendar to plan your vacations during school holidays. Research has clearly shown that students are more likely to succeed when they attend school consistently.
Please also note that the calendar assumes that school can resume more or less normally by August. If that is not the case, changes may have to be made.
I think we can all agree, 2021 has most certainly gotten off to an interesting start. While our shared hope of an expansion of in-person learning this month may have been dashed by COVID-19 health conditions and renewed Stay-At-Home orders, there are reasons to be optimistic. I’m pleased to be able to share those with you.
Yesterday, we watched in horror and outrage as a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in a deadly effort to disrupt the certification of the election victory of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. It also left us with questions as educators and parents as to how we would help our youth and children make sense of this assault on our democracy.
The Vision: This winter, the people of Bonny Doon — you and your neighbors — will plant daffodil bulbs in every corner of our mountain community. Come spring, the vibrant golden blooms of hundreds of thousands of daffodils will appear amid the fire-scarred landscape of Bonny Doon. Once established, the flowers will return every spring thereafter in greater profusion, on roadsides and hillsides, in public and private spaces, all over Ben Lomond Mountain. If we plant 100,000+ bulbs they will multiply in place over a few years to become over 1,000,000 blooms for Bonny Doon!
With the surge in COVID-19 cases in the area and new State health guidelines and restrictions, I want to provide an update on what this means for Bonny Doon School. Attached is information on the results of the recent parent survey as well as details of current in-person learning cohorts on the school campus, and how any expansion is being impacted by County health conditions, plus an outline of next steps.
The order would prohibit private gatherings of any size, closes certain sector operaons except for critical infrastructure and retail, and requires 100% masking and physical distancing in all other sectors. However, this order does not impact or modify the state’s prior guidance on school reopening processes. Schools that are offering in-person services will be able to continue to provide them, but schools are not permitted to begin implementaon of hybrid instructional models while our county remains in the Widespread (purple) county risk level in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy monitoring system.
We would like to express our deep appreciation and gratitude for our community of students, parents, school personnel, and board members. Thank you for your flexibility, patience, and perseverance as we continue to navigate the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis. Our community’s ability to adapt, change, and support each other in times of crisis is truly remarkable.
As you know, we have implemented multiple health and safety protocols including cleaning, face covering, and social-distancing measures during COVID-19. We are also committed to informing you of any potential health risks.
We therefore want to notify you that a person associated with our school has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Governor Newsom has announced that Santa Cruz County is one of many counties to move to the Widespread (Purple) Tier within the California Blueprint for a Safer Economy . This announcement immediately increases restrictions for a range of economic activities, including prohibiting schools from expanding to a hybrid schedule. Santa Cruz County
Districts and Charter Schools are now reviewing the impact of this announcement on our timelines for expansion of in-person instruction.