Three-Fourths of Manhattan Beach Parents Prefer Hybrid To Distance Learning
Oct 22, 2020 10:20AM ● By Jeanne Fratello
A brief survey conducted by the Manhattan Beach Unified School District this week revealed that more than three-fourths of all parents would choose a hybrid format over 100% distance learning.
Although the schools do not yet have approval from Los Angeles County to open up to all students, the district conducted the survey as a means of "taking the pulse" of the community as it prepares schools and staff for an eventual reopening.
The survey results, unveiled at Wednesday night's school board meeting, revealed that 75% of TK-5 parents, 78% of middle school parents, and 77% of high school students would choose the hybrid format (part time in-person, part time distance learning) over entirely distance learning.
The numbers were further broken down by student grade level as follows:
TK (transitional kindergarten): 71% (of parents would choose a hybrid format over entirely distance learning)
1st grade: 76%
2nd grade: 72%
3rd grade: 78%
4th grade: 75%
5th grade: 80%
6th grade: 79%
7th grade: 79%
8th grade: 77%
9th grade: 82%
10th grade: 71%
11th grade: 76%
12th grade: 80%
When the schools do open eventually, administrators will still need to provide some form of distance learning for those students who have special health needs or other factors that would preclude them from returning to school.
Re-Opening and K-2 Waivers
MBUSD is currently finalizing its application for a waiver from Los Angeles County to open grades K-2. However, those waivers will be extremely limited. Additionally, when a school submits a completed application, the review process takes about two to three weeks.
Los Angeles County announced on Wednesday that the first four (private) schools (out of more than 1,300 elementary schools in L.A. County) had been approved to open K-2 classrooms through this waiver process.
A more likely scenario for reopening will occur when L.A. County moves from the Purple Tier to the Red Tier (staying below
7.0
cases per 100,000 for at least four weeks). When that threshold is met, it is expected that the
county will open up elementary schools for hybrid in-person learning.
School officials had been guardedly optimistic that Los Angeles County might meet the Red Tier milestone at some point in early November. Yet while the number had been at 7.3 cases per 100,000, it crept back up to 7.6 over the last two weeks.
Manhattan Beach has nevertheless been preparing its schools for reopening by posting signage, placing directional signs in hallways, reducing the number of chairs in each classroom, removing rugs and porous furniture such as bean bags, equipping classrooms with soap and hand sanitizer, and maximizing ventilation while upgrading HVAC filters.
Special Needs Hybrids
At the same time, the Manhattan Beach elementary schools have slowly opened up high-needs hybrid programs for special needs and hearing impaired students.
"I’m actually not sure about who was more excited, the parents, the students, or the staff," Pacific Elementary Principal Rhonda Steinberg told the board about her high-needs students returning to school.
Photos from the new high-needs hybrid give a glimpse into what a typical day will look like for a child returning to school - desks spaced far apart, children entering a classroom one by one, markings on the ground for social distancing.
Matthews acknowledged parent frustration about schools not being fully open yet, but noted that the school had to operate within the restrictions mandated by L.A. County.
"A common question I get is, 'Why aren’t we bringing everybody back?'" he said. "We all want to bring everybody back. But that’s not even on the table of options right now. It’s all about small cohorts and safety and social distancing."
Steinberg added that she knew that parents were frustrated about not being able to send all kids back to school. However, she said, the school wanted to take the care and the time to do the reopening safely so that they didn't have to close again after reopening.
"We all want to be at school - that’s where we belong," she said. "We just want to do it the right way."
