We are winding up our eighth day of Distance Learning and want to express our gratitude to all our families, students and staff for your flexibility, adaptability and patience. Our staff has worked very hard to be forerunners in getting Distance Learning up and going for our students. We will continue to refine our instruction during our extended school closure through May 1, 2020.
As we continue to learn about and work in this new learning dimension, we are trying to use reasonableness as a barometer for what we are asking our students and families and staff to do. Throughout the closure, our goal is to reinforce and practice key State Content Standards and concepts taught to this point in our school year. We have asked staff that any new content taught should be viewed through the lens of being critical and essential for students in their grade level, or subject area class. We are being mindful of the amount of content and time we are asking kids and families to work as many of you are juggling working from home, parenting, and now supporting your child’s learning.
To support our families and staff as we enter an extended Distance Learning timeframe we are:
Dedicating Wednesday, April 1 as a Professional Planning Day for teachers to determine the key concepts/standards and pacing that students must learn through the end of this year. Your children can continue to work on schoolwork, but teachers will not be available that day.
Strongly encouraging all families and staff to unplug and take a true break during April 6 – 10: Spring Break.
Dedicating Monday, April 13 as a Non-student day to provide an additional day of Professional Planning for teachers.
Resuming Distance Learning for students Tuesday, April 14.
Dedicating Each Friday after break (April 17, 24 & May 1) as Professional Planning Days for staff to support planning and collaboration. Your children can continue to work on schoolwork, but teachers will not be available these days.
We greatly appreciate your partnership knowing this is a challenging time for our society. I sincerely hope all is well in each and everyone of your households.
REVISED FOR NEW PICK-UP TIMES AND EXTENDED SERVICE DATE
Dear Parent(s) or Guardian(s),
This memo has been revised with the NEW PICK-UP TIMES AND EXTENDED SERVICE DATE listed below. You are receiving this letter to inform you that during the school closures, the Food and Nutrition Services Department will be serving free student meals for all of our students.
Parents or students may drive or walk up to any of the locations listed below to pick-up breakfast and lunch for their students. Each student will receive a lunch for the day and a breakfast for the next day. They will be put together in a grab-and-go bag for your convenience.
Student Meal Pick-Up Procedures:
New Extended Date: Monday March 30 through Friday May 1 (served Monday through Friday)
Locations:
Robert Semple Elementary School
2015 E 3rd St, Benicia, CA 94510
*Entrance of the Staff Parking Lot
Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Benicia High School
1101 Military W, Benicia, CA 94510
*Turn into Plaza de Oro and keep right pass the gates until you see us
Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
91 Riverview Terrance Complex
*Look for the Benicia USD Van
New Time: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, (starting March 30)
If you have previously signed up for these student meals, there is no need to reply to this email.
If you have not signed up for these student meals, please reply to this email: tcourtney@beniciaunified.org and let us know if your child(ren) will pick up a free student meal and which Pick-Up Location will be used. Please include the student name(s), so we can anticipate how many student meals to prepare.
Sincerely,
Tania P. Courtney
Director of Nutrition & Food Services Department
Benicia Unified School District
1101 Military West, Benicia, CA 94510
Phone: (707) 748-2758
E-mail: tcourtney@beniciaunified.org
Fecha: 27 de marzo de 2020
REVISADO PARA NUEVOS HORARIOS DE RECOGIDA Y FECHA DE SERVICIO EXTENDIDO
Estimado padre (s) o tutor (es),
Este memo ha sido revisado con NUEVOS TIEMPOS DE RECOGIDA Y FECHA DE SERVICIO EXTENDIDO que se enumeran a continuación. Recibirá esta carta para informarle que durante el cierre de la escuela, el Departamento de Servicios de Alimentos y Nutrición estará sirviendo comidas gratis para todos nuestros estudiantes.
Los padres y los estudiantes pueden conducir o caminar hasta cualquiera de los lugares enumerados a continuación para recoger el desayuno y el almuerzo para sus estudiantes. Cada estudiante recibirá un almuerzo para el día y un desayuno para el día siguiente. Se colocarán en una bolsa para llevar para su conveniencia.
Procedimientos de recogida de comidas del estudiante:
Fechas: martes 30 de marzo a viernes 1 de mayo (servido de lunes a viernes)
Ubicaciones:
Robert Semple Elementary School
2015 E 3rd St, Benicia, CA 94510
Entrada del estacionamiento del personal
Hora: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Benicia High School
1101 Military W, Benicia, CA 94510
Gire a la Plaza de Oro y manténgase a la derecha pasando las puertas hasta que nos vea
Hora: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
91 Riverview Terrance Complex (a partir del 30 de marzo)
Busque la furgoneta Benicia USD
Hora: 11:30 AM-12: 30 PM
Si se ha inscrito previamente para estas comidas de estudiantes, no es necesario que responda a este correo electrónico. Si no se ha inscrito para estas comidas estudiantiles, responda a este correo electrónico: tcourtney@beniciaunified.org e infórmenos si su hijo (a) recogerá una comida estudiantil gratuita y qué lugar de recogida se utilizará. Incluya los nombres de los estudiantes para que podamos anticipar cuántas comidas de estudiantes preparar.
Sinceramente,
Tania P. Courtney
Director del Departamento de Nutrición y Servicios Alimenticios
Distrito escolar unificado de Benicia
1101 Military West, Benicia, CA 94510
Teléfono: (707) 748-2758
Correo electrónico: tcourtney@beniciaunified.org
Editor – Covering coronavirus these past weeks, I’ve often been startled to think of previously unthinkable implications. This morning’s news brought firsthand stories of bereaved families who could not be with their loved ones in the ICU as decline set in. My heart is heavy thinking of so many going through the worst of this pandemic. – R.S.
DEATH AT A DISTANCE
A coronavirus death,
Sudden and quick,
Unexpected, viral, wheezingly thorough,
And alone.
A social distance death,
A solo death,
Boxed and caged and tubed
To oblivion.
No distancing the grim reaper.
A family apart,
Set off and away,
A family in tears, light-tears apart,
Love without incarnation,
Loveloss torn asunder.
Are we to hold a Zoom funeral?
A flat-faced, big screen memorial?
Will Facetime be our only solace?
Heather Cox Richardson, American historian and Professor of History at Boston College and Author, Letters from an American
The United States now leads the world in confirmed coronavirus cases. At least 83,377 people have tested positive for the virus, a leap of 17,166 cases. At least 1,295 have died. As nurses and doctors struggle on the front lines of this pandemic, Trump and his supporters insist that fears of the disease are overblown. In Louisiana, a pastor of a Baton Rouge megachurch is continuing to hold services in defiance of orders from Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards against large gatherings. Pastor Tony Spell of Life Tabernacle Church says he is not worried about Covid-19. “The virus, we believe, is politically motivated. We hold our religious rights dear and we are going to assemble no matter what someone says.”
The United States now leads the world in confirmed coronavirus cases. At least 83,377 people have tested positive for the virus, a leap of 17,166 cases. At least 1,295 have died. As nurses and doctors struggle on the front lines of this pandemic, Trump and his supporters insist that fears of the disease are overblown. In Louisiana, a pastor of a Baton Rouge megachurch is continuing to hold services in defiance of orders from Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards against large gatherings. Pastor Tony Spell of Life Tabernacle Church says he is not worried about Covid-19. “The virus, we believe, is politically motivated. We hold our religious rights dear and we are going to assemble no matter what someone says.”
The Labor Department reported last week’s unemployment claims, and they are higher by far than expected. More than 3.28 million workers filed unemployment claims, and the system is so backlogged many cannot get through. The unemployment rate jumped to 5.5 from last month’s 3.5%.
Despite the jobs numbers, investors regained faith in the markets. On Thursday, the stock market rose again for the third day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished up 1,351 points, or about 6.38%. With an all-over rise of more than 20% since Monday, the market is out of the bear territory it had entered with the falls of recent weeks.
Investors might have been cheerful about the market in part because the Trump administration has drastically rolled back rules for polluters in this crisis. Companies can now monitor themselves during the outbreak. The Environmental Protection Agency will not issue fines for breaking certain laws for reporting violations of air, water, or hazardous waste violations. The new order asks companies to “act responsibly.” Compliance is retroactive to March 13.
This EPA order dovetails with other regulatory rollbacks taking place while we are focused on the deadly pandemic. The administration is rushing through regulations to weaken environmental laws since Congress can overturn a regulation or federal rule within 60 days of it being finalized, and Republicans are increasingly concerned that voters will turn against them in the 2020 election. So they are in a hurry to get their rollbacks on the books before the 60 day mark.
The House of Representatives is set to take up the Senate’s $2 trillion emergency relief bill. The House is not currently in session, so House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy agreed to a voice vote, which would not require all 430 members of the House to return to Washington. But at least one representative, Thomas Massie (R-KY), is considering opposing the bill out of concerns about its cost, which would require the presence of all the representatives for a roll call vote.
All eyes are on the coronavirus as we become the nation hardest hit by it.
March 27, 2020
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