En Español

May 22, 2020

Dear WCCUSD Families,

Today is the last day of school for students who attend Middle College High School and the traditional start of the graduation season. Due to all of the uncertainty due to the COVID-19 crisis, we have had to adjust and adapt to an entirely new set of circumstances. As I wrote earlier this week, we will be able to honor the Class of 2020 with car-based ceremonies and special videos that commemorate their graduation from high school. 

This is not the celebration any of us would have imagined when school opened in August. Despite these unique circumstances, the accomplishments of the Class of 2020 are no less worthy of acknowledgement and celebration. So as we enjoy this holiday weekend, please take time to acknowledge the graduating seniors as they end their high school careers and transition into the world of higher education, the military or the workforce.

As we say goodbye to this school year, we are already beginning preparations for 2020-21. Unfortunately, there are a lot of unknowns about what education and schools will look like come August. Will our school buildings be opened to students? Will students continue learning and educators keep teaching from home? Will we need to plan for a hybrid model? The honest answer is that we don’t know. Everyone is waiting to hear more news from health experts and government leaders who will give us guidance and make choices about the resources that schools will receive to provide instruction for the next school year.

Despite this uncertainty, we know that students will need to learn and that we will need to offer services to support them and their families. So we are planning for next year. We have cross-departmental teams collaborating to imagine how instruction will be delivered under several different scenarios. One of the many things I am excited about for next year, is the virtual school that will make its debut in the fall. 

For the last 12 to 18 months, Vista High School Principal Edith Jordan-McCormick, who runs our independent study program, has been creating a virtual school to serve students who may need the flexibility of an online education. It is our belief that after experiencing this public health crisis, many additional students and families may prefer virtual instruction rather than a brick-and-mortar school experience. If you are not familiar with Vista, I encourage you to visit the school website to see some of the amazing experiences the students there receive.

The school will offer services for students at all grade levels. If you or anyone you know is interested in exploring this option, please sign up to receive more information.

If a purely virtual school isn’t your first choice, the district has several other educational options for students, including our expanding Dual Language Immersion schools that are still accepting applications from interested students and families. You can get more information about the DLI program from Multilingual and Multicultural Services by visiting the website or calling (510) 307-4662.

Finally, I would like to invite you to the next Community Conversation, which will take place on Thursday, May 28 at 5 p.m. You can join via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/95388886989.

Thank you, again, for your continued support. Have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend.

In community,

Matthew Duffy
Superintendent