Sunnyvale School District reopens for in-person instruction

The Sunnyvale School District welcomed students back to campus for in-person instruction this Thursday, March 18.

Since August, the District has been working on a reopening plan that included the formation of a Reopening Advisory Committee, staff and community forums, the launching of smaller Supervised Learning Groups at all 10 schools, and regular board meeting updates.

Through these conversations, the District decided in February to use a hybrid model for in-person instruction for elementary, special education, preschool and sixth grade classrooms. The hybrid model allows the Sunnyvale School District to reduce the number of students on campus at one given time while providing high quality teaching and learning.

Over the past several weeks, principals and school teams from campuses across the district have been confirming classroom placements, starting with kindergarten and first grade, and working their way up the grade levels.

“We are attempting to meet family requests for in-person instruction as much as possible, often employing creative problem-solving,” Superintendent Michael Gallagher said. “As a result of this process, schools are continuing to increase the number of in-person classrooms that will begin to open this week.”

There are currently 65 preschool through fifth-grade classrooms open for in-person instruction.

“The return of students and teachers to campuses beginning this week is an important step toward a full reopening of our campuses next school year,” Gallagher added. “We are confident our safety protocols, the hard work of teachers and staff this spring, and our full, in-person summer school in July will prepare us for a full return on August 18.”

According to the District, classroom capacity and cohort size restrictions from the County and State are the only constraint preventing a full return of in-person instruction to the classrooms. The District expects these restrictions to be eased as COVID conditions continue to improve and the science about the safety of in-person instruction becomes clearer.

Santa Clara County is on track to reach the Orange Tier next week which will could allow schools to reopen fully for in-person instruction.

The timeline of the Sunnyvale School District “phased reopening” for in-person instruction by grade level can be found below:

  • SDC* K-8 March 18 (a few recently created sections will start March 22)
  • Kinder/1st March 18 (a few recently created sections will start a week later)
  • Preschool March 22
  • 2nd and 3rd April 1
  • Sixth Grade April 1 or April 5
  • 4th and 5th April 8
  • 7th and 8th Week of April 19

For more information on the Sunnyvale School District reopening plan, click here.