By Allen Payton

Due to the current shelter in place order, the Antioch Unified School District Board of Trustees will hold its regular Board of Education meeting of April 8, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. online via teleconference.

There are no items for information, discussion or action on the agenda. Only essential items will be placed on the agenda until the shelter in place is lifted.

But there is one resolution for immediate action on the agenda. Although the board didn’t have to vote to close the schools, since the superintendent already has that authority form previous board policy, the trustees will discuss and decide how to vote on “Resolution No. 2019-20-38 Designating Certain District Construction Projects as an Essential Governmental Function and Delegating Authority for the Superintendent or her Designee to Make Such Determinations on Such Construction Projects as are Necessary to Comply with State and Local Health & Safety Orders Issued in Response to COVID-19.”

Before the regular board meeting, they will hold a closed session to discuss the discipline, dismissal or release of a public employee. Because it’s a personnel matter details are not available to the public.

The board will also discuss and decide on a variety of Consent calendar items, including:

1. Award of Bid and Contract for Wide Area Network Services
2. Award of Bid and Contract to Company for Wide Area Network Services (Month-to-Month)
3. Award of Bid and Contract for New Wireless Network Controllers
4. Notice of Completion with S+B James Construction Management Company for the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Replacement Project at Mission Elementary School
5. Services Agreement with Learned and Associates
6. Addendum to Services Agreement with Marzano Resources
7. Contra Costa County Office of Education Medi-Cal Administrative Claiming Agreement
8. Master Contract with Cinnamon Hills Youth Crisis Center
9. Services Agreement with California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF)

You may refer to the district’s website  http://www.boarddocs.com/ca/ausd/Board.nsf/Public to view the Board agenda in its entirety. Or view it, here:

This meeting can be viewed on livestream video on the district’s YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/GLTJ1Hx9vHI.

Following the announcement by Governor Newsom on Wednesday that schools will not reopen this session, Antioch Superintendent of Schools, Stephanie Anello sent this letter to parents:

INFORMATION FOR GRADUATING SENIORS AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Good afternoon again families. We know the announcement of school closing until the end of the school year is very difficult for all families and in particular for our graduating seniors. Please know:

-Any student who was on track to graduate will graduate and receive their diploma.

-Graduations will be held at a later date, but your child will be celebrated!

-UC, CSU, and most private colleges just announced that students will be held harmless for this quarter up until the year 2023 so even freshman, sophomores, and juniors will not be affected.

-Seniors and other high school students will receive a grade of Pass or No Mark. No Mark does not affect a student’s GPA.

Again, please know that we will do everything to help you through this difficult time that we can possibly do. Additionally, we know that this has provided a lot of stress for our students. As a result, our counselors will provide a way for your children to participate in online counseling beginning next week if they would like someone to talk to regarding their feelings, etc.

Please take care and be kind to one another. This is a difficult time for so many in our community and your kindness may be the very thing that gives them strength. Together we will get through this.

Sincerely,
Stephanie Anello

Superintendent

Watch for updates on our website at www.antiochschools.net or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ausd.k12

IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM SUPERINTENDENT STEPHANIE ANELLO RELATED TO COVID-19 AND SCHOOL CLOSURES

The following autodialer went out on Wednesday,  March 25:

“Good morning, this is Stephanie Anello, Superintendent of the Antioch Unified School District with an important announcement related to COVID-19 and school closures. At this time, AUSD schools will be closed until May 1st. We will continue to provide meals and our current online learning platforms and packets until April 6th. On April 7th, we hope to have additional opportunities for online learning as well as opportunities for obtaining technology resources. Thank you all for the tremendous outpouring of support, understanding, and patience you have shown during this difficult time. As always, please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions or concerns. Thank you.”

3/19/20 UPDATE ON EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS

Thank you for your patience while we worked to assemble resources to meet the needs of all students, both those with or without internet access. These resources are intended to provide a maintenance of learning, which is optional and voluntary, while we work on a long-term plan should it be needed.

Starting Friday, March 20th, when you visit the AUSD webpage you will be able to access a link that will direct you to a page containing educational resources. The resources will include online learning options and packets of materials for students K-12, including Special Education students and students who speak a language other than English in the home.

For families that are unable to get online or print the packets, printed packets will be available for pickup at the Grab and Go locations Monday-Friday from 10:00 am-12:00 pm at Deer Valley High School or Marsh Elementary School and in the afternoon on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:00 pm-6:00 pm at Deer Valley High School.

Should schools need to remain closed for a longer period of time, we will expand our resources and share our longer-range plan.

Our goal is to be as supportive as possible during this unprecedented time. We understand that there are many questions out there so we will include a link on our website for families to share them with us. We will generate a Frequently Asked Questions list and include it on the AUSD webpage. We will update the webpage as information and resources change and grow.

Thank you as always for your continued support, patience, and understanding.

By Timothy Leong, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa Community College District

The Governing Board of the Contra Costa Community College District (District) has paused the search for the next Chancellor for 30 days due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impact on the ability to serve students quality and affordable higher education.

“The selection of the Chancellor is one of the Board’s most important jobs,” says Governing Board President Rebecca Barrett. “I join my fellow trustees in deciding to pause our search for 30 days. We need to give our District leadership, staff and students time to focus on the COVID-19 crisis as we transition our classes and support services to a mobile format as a result of restrictions resulting from efforts to minimize the rapid spread of the Coronavirus.”

Assisting the District in the Chancellor search is Collaborative Brain Trust and Dr. Brice Harris, a longtime California community college educator and Chancellor Emeritus of the California Community Colleges. The goal remains to complete the search process and selection by the beginning of May 2020, with a start date of July 1, 2020.

For more details about this search, contact Dr. Brice Harris at harrisbrice@att.net or cell phone at (916) 715-7272. Progress reports and updates will be posted on the District website at www.4cd.edu.

From the Antioch Unified School District Facebook page

UPDATE FROM SUPERINTENDENT, STEPHANIE ANELLO RELATED TO COVID-19 (MARCH 16 @ 9:47 AM)

Good morning,

As information continues to evolve surrounding COVID-19, we have made the decision to extend our Spring Break another week. At this time, AUSD will be closed until April 6th. We understand this may negatively impact our families, but we take seriously our obligation to keep our students and staff as safe as possible.

In the next week, staff will be working on a plan to provide at-home learning. Please continue to check back on our website and social media platforms for information. If you are interested in learning opportunities in the meantime, here are a list of resources:
http://www.amazingeducationalresources.com/

You can also join the “Amazing Educational Resources” open Facebook Page that will provide ongoing updates for learning.

Finally, please visit our website or Facebook page for information about our ‘grab and go’ feeding program.

Thank you again for your continued patience, understanding, and support as we work to keep our students and staff as safe and healthy as possible.

Thank you,

Stephanie Anello

Superintendent

By Timothy Leong, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa Community College District

In response to the emergency declarations from the State of California and Contra Costa County, the Contra Costa Community College District (District) and its colleges – Contra Costa College, Diablo Valley College-Pleasant Hill and San Ramon Campus, and Los Medanos College Pittsburg Campus and Brentwood Center – have suspended all face-to-face classes and face-to-face student interactions beginning Monday, March 16, 2020. All campus locations will be closed to students to minimize the spread of the coronavirus until further notice.

Over the next few days, faculty and staff will develop and implement transition plans for a remote format delivery of classes and student support services. Beginning Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the colleges will start the process to deliver classes and student support services remotely.

This revised course of action will assist the colleges in fulfilling our mission to our students during this difficult time while minimizing the coronavirus impact to our community. The District appreciates the community’s patience and understanding during this unprecedented time.