From classrooms to computers
Faulconer was joined by Cindy Marten, San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) superintendent; and Sam Attisha, senior vice president and Regional Manager for Cox Communications.
“It’s hard to be a student right now, and I want San Diego’s kids and teenagers to know you’re not alone. Your friends, teachers, coaches, librarians, school district and City have your back,” Faulconer said. “Students hear all the time that they are the leaders of tomorrow, but they are showing leadership right now in how they are adapting to this new reality. They’re smart, they’re skilled and they’re going to finish this school year strong.”
To help San Diego families and students transition to remote learning, the San Diego Public Library provides many of its services online including access to 50 research databases, 98,000 eBooks/eAudiobooks, and Stay-in Storytime videos. San Diegans can access online library resources with online library cards: https://www.sandiego.gov/blog/digital-library-card
To protect the health and safety of San Diegan students, SDUSD closed its roughly 180 schools on March 13, transitioning to online learning before closing for spring break for two weeks. Now SDUSD is implementing its Distance Learning Plan beginning Monday, April 27, in which students will resume graded work from home.
The school district has made its 50,000 Chromebook computers available for students to take home to continue learning ahead of the formal launch of the Distance Learning Plan. Any student in grades TK-12 who did not have a computer or tablet device at home had the opportunity to be issued a laptop between April 6 and April 24 at a school near their home.
“On behalf of the thousands of professional educators, principals and others at San Diego Unified, I would like to let every family in the city know we are ready to welcome you back to your school year on Monday morning,” said Marten of San Diego Unified School District. “The thousands of hours our students and teachers have already spent working together during the soft launch period, along with the logistical challenges we have met, including the distribution of nearly 50,000 Chromebooks to families, makes us more confident than ever that our schools are ready to help our students succeed.”