Superintendent Of Manhattan Beach Public Schools Pens Update

This is an email from Mike Matthews, superintendent of the Manhattan Beach Unified School District.

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA —

September 30, 2020

Dear MBUSD Community,

In August, MBUSD adopted a 5-phase plan to move from distance learning to the return of everyone back on campus depending upon state and county allowance. On September 14, we brought 200 students back to school when we began our child care program. Two weeks later, on September 29, we started our athletic training program based on the county guidance provided on August 6. On September 4, the state announced that districts could bring back students with intensive needs. Now, we are actively preparing to bring back our students with intensive needs who most require in-school special education assessments and/or in-class learning opportunities. We have engaged in productive conversations with our special education teachers, as well as our unions, and continue to construct plans and procedures that will ensure maximized safety for everyone. We anticipate sharing details of our plans to start this program at the October 7 Board Meeting and submitting our K-12 Specialized Services Notification form to the county prior to that meeting.

Yesterday, the County Board of Supervisors directed the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to start granting 30 waiver applications a week, for student in grades TK-2 only, prioritizing the issuance of waivers to schools with higher percentages of students who qualify for free/reduced meals. No L.A. County schools have submitted the waiver application because it is not yet available. We will hear details on how this process will work later this week, and we will begin preparing the application as soon as it becomes available. While working on the waiver application, our primary focus will remain on bringing back our high needs students as soon as possible. Then we will prioritize bringing back the TK-2 students. I am optimistic about our progress, I am grateful to all of the employees who have helped us to get to this point, and I look forward to seeing more and more students and employees on our campuses in the weeks to come.

Thanks and stay safe,

Mike Matthews, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Manhattan Beach Unified School District
325 S. Peck Avenue
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310)318-7345, x5900