On July 14, incoming Superintendent Baker announced LB schools would reopen with online instruction only until at least Oct. 5. Details on how LBUSD staff plans to do so will come to LB's policy setting School Board this morning. In a March voted action, LB's School Board delegated broad authority to its Superintendent (at the time Chris Steinhauser) to take COVID-19 related actions. However as a matter of basic civics, the "buck stops" with LB's elected policy-setting School Board. At this morning's Special Meeting, the public will hear the responses of School Board members it elects to what LBUSD staff proposes. Will the incumbents approve staff's plans as presented or will Boardmembers suggest, recommend or direct changes, tweaks, additional measures? .

Monday morning's Special Meeting agenda indicates the School Board will hear public testimony on agenda items at 9:15 a.m. (previously emailed testimony is read aloud) after which the Board will take up two Special Meeting agenda items:

10:15 a.m. OPENING OF SCHOOL UPDATE

Staff will provide an update on the active preparation taking place for the opening of the 2020-2021 school year. This will include a review of engagement processes, instructional models and the role and selection of a learning management system."

the Board is scheduled to take a break from 11:00 a.m. until 11:15 a.m. at which time the Board will reconvene to discuss its "Budget Engagement Process": "Staff will provide a budget update and provide a framework for gathering community input on budget priorities."

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On July 8, incoming Superintendent Baker announced LBUSD would pursue a hybrid policy on reopening, letting parents/guardians voice their preference on campus activities or online instruction. But on July 14 (one day after CA's two largest school districts (LA and San Diego) announced online only reopenings, Dr. Baker announced LBUSD would do likewise and open online only at least until Oct. 5.

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LBUSD routinely holds morning/midday meetings during the year that it calls "workshops"; they're basically briefings by staff for LBUSD boardmembers (and the public); they're legally agendized LBUSD board meetings (just not the "prime time" evening Boad meetings.).

In a July 17 statement following the Governor'action, LBUSD spokesperson Chris Eftychiou issued the following statement:

Our announcement earlier this week that we are postponing in-person instruction until at least Oct. 5 is in line with the governor’s approach. We’re carefully reviewing the latest guidance from the state to determine next steps.

We’ll continue to work closely with our partners at the local and regional levels, as well as with our teachers’ association and other employee groups, to bring back as many students as we can at the right time, keeping health and safety as our top priorities.

We’re still planning for multiple contingencies down the road. Those plans include in-person learning, online learning, and some combination of the two.

Our first day of school for the fall semester is Sept. 1. In the meantime we’ll communicate updates through various means, including the school district’s website at lbschools.net, individual school websites, email, text, phone messages and social media. The best place for updates is lbschools.net/coronavirus

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