This Changes Everything #3: Back to School

California Groundbreakers

When kids go back to in-person learning, what will that be like? How will the classroom be set up? How will school administrators handle the needs of their students, parents and teachers? And how will California’s public schools be different, for better or for worse, when the new school year begins? We’re asking these questions to David Miyashiro, superintendent of the Cajon Valley Union School District. His was one of the few in California, and the nation, to keep schools open for in-person learning during the pandemic. And unlike many other districts in the state, Cajon Valley got cooperation from its teachers, parents and school boards to allow students back to the classroom. PODCAST PLAY BY PLAY * 0 to 4:20 min - Intro to this episode and why we're talking with David Miyashiro * 4:20 min - Miyashiro explains his decision process when the shutdown started, and why he decided to reopen his schools when others were not * 7:25 - How Miyashiro planned in advance for remote learning and using technology outside the classroom * 9:10 min - Setting up the in-person classroom for a new school year * 12:05 min - Biggest lessons learned over the past 12 months * 14:20 min - Handling students' mental health needs * 15:25 min - How Miyashiro worked with his teachers and the school boards to open up the classrooms * 19:40 min - There are warning signs of a shortage of public school teachers, and more parents taking their kids out of public schools -- how is Miyashiro handling those issues? * 23;45 min - What the new school year starting in August will look like in Cajon Valley Unified, and Miyashiro's advice for state officials on what they need to do long-term for public schools RESOURCE GUIDE * New York Times story with more info on Miyashiro's decision to reopen Cajon Valley School District for the 2020-2021 school year - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/21/us/cajon-valley-school-reopening.html Photo Caption: Sandy Huffaker for the New York Times