Dear Members of the Board, Superintendent, and Albany community,
As we move into the tenth week of remote instruction, we wanted to share some thoughts…
First, we want to thank our community for their continued support with remote learning. While we are working extremely hard to provide thoughtful and engaging lessons, troubleshoot problems from afar, and look out for the emotional well-being of our students, you are right there supporting and solving problems in real-time, while also working and providing for your family. We know, especially our teachers with school-age kids, how difficult this can be.
Second, while we know remote learning is far from ideal, we are continuously amazed by the progress and successes many of our students are accomplishing. At the elementary levels, attendance meets or exceeds levels for in-person teaching. There are highlights from TK through 12 grade. These successes, however, do not diminish the real struggles students are having with remote learning.
Lastly, as you know, the Alameda County Reopening guidelines present a myriad of safety issues – from contact tracing and quarantine protocols to sanitizing and ventilation guidelines – that must be solved before the County considers it safe to reopen our schools. As the District’s Health and Safety plan continues to evolve and be worked on, ATA is meeting weekly with the District to move along the negotiations process for the Albany Children’s center preschool program. ATA is committed to the safety of staff, students, and the community.
Sincerely,
Stephen Naiff & Chris Knight
ATA Co-presidents