SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With backpacks and masks in hand, students in the Sacramento City Unified School District went back to school for in-person learning on Thursday morning.
According to the district website, as of Thursday afternoon, there were 12 active coronavirus cases and 13 people in quarantine.
Anayeli Rubio, a parent at Baker Elementary School, is sending her oldest child to Kindergarten for his first day of school.
"The risk is like everywhere so yeah I'm fine," she said. "With the computer, they don’t learn too much and they don’t stay focused."
Superintendent Jorge Aguilar says the district has set up a laundry list of protocols to not only keep everyone safe this year but to ensure in-person learning can continue.
"Our number one concern is to make sure that our students can continue to access in-person instruction with their teachers," Aguilar said.
It starts with requiring masks both indoors and outdoors, even on the playground. They’re also offering free testing at every school for staff, students and their families.
“We know that that may result in more identification of cases, but the reality is that is our commitment... to make sure that we can intervene as quickly as possible to keep all of us safe and healthy," Aguilar said.
But that brought up another concern.
“Why on earth would the district think it’s a good idea to allow school sites to provide testing sites on campus for parents/guardians?" said Josh Eining, a parent of a 1st grader said on Facebook. "Instructions are for the individual to check in at the office and then proceed to the on-site testing location. At this point, you’re jeopardizing staff and students."
ABC10 took those concerns to Superintendent Aguilar who said every family member, student and staff member will face the same screening questions before being allowed on any school campus to get tested.
“Many of our families will find it much more convenient. It’ll be much easier for them in most cases... it’s a quick drive, it’s a walk to their neighborhood school and it’s something that we’re very committed to continuing in Sac City Unified," he said.
And in the event someone does get sick, they developed what they’re calling a “decision tree” with Sacramento County public health officials, which has a variety of scenarios to decide if someone should be quarantining and if so, for how long. If a student is sent home, Aguilar says they will placed on a short-term independent study program.
“Sometimes, it might be that you’re isolating, sometimes it might be a modified quarantine, where if you’re not showing symptoms and you’re masked and you’re vaccinated, you’re still allowed to be in space in our facilities," he said.
The Sacramento City Unified School District will be offering another vaccination clinic on Sept. 8 at the Serna Center from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
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