May 14, 2020 

Dear SLUSD Community, 

As you may be aware, Governor Newsom released the May Revision to the current California budget today. Alongside every school superintendent in Alameda County, and across California, we have been preparing to translate what a stark financial forecast means for our children. We know that California already ranks among the lowest in educational funding. With the budget reductions shared today, schools are being asked to accomplish an increasingly daunting task, but these numbers are an essential step in reopening our schools. 

The school board and I, with support from district leadership, will drill down to determine what this budget means for San Leandro Unified. Through our contingency planning for next year, we already knew that the social distancing and safety criteria outlined for reopening schools would require substantial additional funding. Coupled with significant budget reductions, I can already tell you that the fall of 2020 will look very different than previous years.  

We plan to host a school board workshop to discuss our proposals to reopen our schools and how this budget will affect those proposals. We will be asking for your input through a variety of formats as we move closer to finalizing our next steps. Our best collective thinking to create the right solution for our community will be critical in the coming weeks.

In SLUSD, I have no doubt that the team we have in place are the right people to do this work. The fundamental question for us all continues to be how will we effectively support student learning and ensure everyone’s safety while staying aligned with the scientific facts regarding COVID-19. As we have since the closure began, we will keep you informed and involved through each step of the process.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mike McLaughlin

SLUSD Superintendent

SLUSD End of School Events Update 

Dear SLUSD Community, 

As I have shared in my previous messages, much uncertainty still remains about what school will be required to look like when we return. The suggestions Governor Newsom recently been put forth, including an earlier start to the school year, demand significantly more funding and resources than public schools are currently allocated. Changes to the school calendar would have to be carefully considered and approved by our key stakeholders, including our staff and our families. These suggestions become even more challenging when we have been told to prepare for possible reductions in funding due to the statewide financial impacts of the pandemic. Nevertheless, we continue to plan and prepare as much as we can. I look forward to sharing detailed answers for next year as soon as we are better able to determine what solution will best ensure safety and health in San Leandro Unified.

In the meantime, we do have some answers about important end-of-year events. Since our closure began, finding ways to recognize our graduating class of 2020 has been a high priority for us. Commencement events are momentous milestones that honor the achievements of our children and the adults who love and support them. But given current public health mandates, coming together in person simply isn’t possible. As much as we would love to plan for a rescheduled date in the future, we have been given no clear indication of when that date could be.

Despite those limitations, our school year is ending and we are planning to recognize our students in the best way we can. We are pleased to announce that we have partnered with a nationwide company that organizes high-quality virtual graduations and school promotions. These events will happen on the originally scheduled dates, with some significant preparation still required, so look for information from your school’s principal for details on how to participate. We are also providing lawn/window signs to our graduates’ families to show their pride for this very significant accomplishment. 

Know that we do not see these virtual ceremonies as true replacements for traditional graduations or promotions. However, we do hope these events will provide a celebratory moment of closure to the school year. We will keep looking for ways to celebrate as a community when we are able to safely do so. 

If any student still needs a computer or is still struggling to connect virtually, please reach out to your school site leaders for immediate assistance. SLUSD has distributed well over 4000 devices to date and will check out a device to any student who needs one. I hope you are safe, well, and staying connected to your schools. Everyone in SLUSD is here and available to support.

Sincerely,

Mike McLaughlin, Ed.D.