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View Winners → Monrovia Unified Schools Will Remain Closed This School Year
Education Apr 02, 2020
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During an emergency meeting on Wednesday, the Monrovia Board of Education determined to extend student dismissal until the end of the school year. Although students will not be returning to school campuses, instruction will continue. This decision aligns with a recommendation from Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools Debra Duardo that schools remain physically closed for the remainder of the academic year.
That recommendation came as Governor Gavin Newsom, at Wednesday’s press conference, said he expected that “schools will not reopen.” State Superintendent Tony Thurmond noted, “It currently appears that our students will not be able to return to school campuses before the end of the school year.” State health officials have made it clear that the safest place to be is home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Monrovia Superintendent Katherine Thorossian said, “We understand that this decision will pose hardships for our students, families, and our District team. It is not an ideal situation, nor is it one we would have wanted for our students who, we believe, are best served in the classroom. But we also believe it is the best option for slowing the spread of COVID-19, as public health workers scramble to provide medical care for the mounting number of patients.”
In the meantime, the district will strengthen instruction delivery through distance learning and ensuring continuity through remote tools. Teachers and educational staff are revising lesson plans for remote instruction.
Thorossian also offered a message of optimism. “During these unsettling times, in addition to the teaching of curriculum and standards, we are teaching the children of Monrovia something far more important: the power of community in a crisis. This community has coalesced into a tangible force upon which they can depend. This is the message that will continue to be reinforced in the weeks to come, as we act together to provide support, nourishment, and encouragement. This is the message that will shape their character as they mature into adulthood.”
According to the superintendent, the district is doing everything it can to ensure the Class of 2020 gets the recognition it deserves as their high school journey comes to a close; the Class of 2020 will have a graduation
The Board of Education will continue to meet using remote tools.
The district website will have all the latest information. Pre-recorded messages are regularly updated at (626) 471-2084.
