South San Francisco Schools Fully Reopen August 11
By Astrid Casimire, Bay City News Foundation
The South San Francisco Unified School District will reopen for traditional, in-class instruction this coming Wednesday, August 11, 2021. Home to one adult school and 15 schools at the elementary, middle and high school levels, SSFUSD serves the communities of Daly City, South San Francisco and San Bruno.
What about the City of San Francisco? Please note this article refers to the South San Francisco School District – The City of San Francisco School District reopens fully on August 16 for in-person learning.
It’s the first time that all students from grades TK through 12 will be able to return to campus since the district moved to distance learning last March.
SSFUSD Superintendent Shawnterra Moore said that while district and school officials are excited to welcome the community back, they will still take extra health and safety precautions.
“That is why we are encouraging our families and employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and updating our policies and procedures in response to changing public health conditions,” Moore said in a statement.
For example, all students and adults are required to wear masks indoors at SSFUSD schools and offices. To optimize air flow, the district has upgraded its heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system. Staff are trained to turn on fans and keep classroom doors and windows open. The district also purchased portable air filters for all classrooms and will provide hand sanitizer.
In March, the district also purchased 30 hospital-grade mobile disinfection units that use ultraviolet rays to disinfect entire rooms. The Arc UV-C machines can destroy 99.9 percent of viruses, like the coronavirus, from the air and surfaces in about seven minutes.
Moore said the district has protocols in place that align with guidance from the state and from the county to help them respond if students or employees contract COVID-19 or have exposure to someone who tested positive.
The superintendent’s message on reopening is available online. The San Mateo County Pandemic Recovery Framework and other school guidance are available online.
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