The William S. Hart Union High School District Governing Board directed district staff to further explore what reopening schools in the district in the fall would look like after being presented two options for a “blended” system during a special meeting Tuesday morning.

On Tuesday morning, Hart District Superintendent Mike Kuhlman presented the Governing Board with two options for a “blended” return to campuses in the fall.

“What we are sharing today are concepts, not detailed plans,” Kuhlman said.

Under the first proposed blended model, students would be divided into two groups, or “cohorts.” One cohort would physically attend school on Monday’s and Tuesday’s, while the other would physically attend school on Thursdays and Fridays.

Additionally, the two cohorts would alternate attendance on Wednesdays, which would function as a “minimum day.” On holidays that fall on Mondays, the first cohort would attend on Wednesdays.

Every day of physical attendance would be a block schedule of three classes, and every weekday that was not spent physically in a classroom would be used for distance learning.

Meanwhile, under the second proposal, students would still be divided into two cohorts, but they would be divided into mornings and afternoons. One cohort would attend in the morning, and the other would attend in the afternoon. 

All students would physically attend school on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Wednesdays would be used for distance learning, as well as an instructional day in the event that a holiday falls on a Monday.

On top of that, parents would also have the option to opt-in to an entirely online model for their students, according to Kuhlman.

Board members ultimately motioned for district staff to further explore the first blended option, in addition to working out the details of the “online-only” option. They also asked staff to provide adequate training for faculty to prepare them for the new instruction model in the fall.

When Kuhlman and Hart District officials went to design the plan proposed during Tuesday’s meeting, they did so with three requirements in mind:

1. Comply with L.A. County Health Order requirements as a means to keep students, staff, and families safe and to minimize the transmission of the COVID-19 virus.
2. Provide options for parents (either online or blended models of instruction).
3. Bring students back to campus as quickly as it is deemed safe to do so.

Regardless of which option parents choose, any students, faculty or staff that would physically come onto campus during the school year would be required to wear a facial covering, according to Kuhlman.

“The mask rule is clear,” Kuhlman said. “Maks or shields for both teachers and students would be required unless there is some medical reason for which it would not be appropriate.”

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Additionally, officials would enforce a requirement for six feet of social distancing while physically on campus, as well as require a barrier between students and staff where social distancing is not possible.

“This is a new reality that we are going to have to embrace in the Hart District,” Kuhlman said.

While the board has the authority to authorize these plans for the incoming school year, officials clarified that the “scope of the decisions the Board can make is limited by local and state health orders.”

The Hart District ultimately falls under the jurisdiction of both the Los Angeles County Department of Health and the California Department of Public Health. 

As of Tuesday, June 30, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has not approved the “full reopening” of schools within the county, despite the state health department’s approval to begin doing so in other regions of California.

“The Hart District Governing Board does not have the authority to ignore the County Health Order,” the agenda for Tuesday’s special meeting reads.

On June 24, the board was presented the results of a survey of over 7,500 parents within the Hart District regarding what they would like the district to do to reopen.

Photo courtesy of the William S. Hart Union High School District.

Out of those who responded, 52 percent indicated that they would prefer their children to resume classes entirely on-campus, 34 percent of parents preferring a blended model, and 14 percent preferring an entirely online learning experience for their children.

“As we stand right now, a full return to school in the fall is ‘not in the cards’ for the Hart District,” Kuhlman said. 

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Two days after that special meeting, district officials took part in a conference call with individuals that Kuhlman referred to as the “heavy hitters in the COVID-19 discussion.” This included all of the elementary school superintendents, Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Los Angeles County Superintendent Dr. Debra Duardo and L.A. County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer.

“We brought to them a series of questions that seemed to be themes that are carried through the communication with parents,” Kuhlman said.

Kuhlman went on to say that an “addendum” to the current Public Health Order that specifically addresses reopening for schools within the county was “extremely close” to coming to fruition, with officials expecting it to be announced within the week.

To watch Tuesday’s special meeting, check out the video above, or click here.

Ed. Note: Devon Miller and Jade Aubuchon contributed to this article.

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