Dear BUSD Community,
In alignment with the recent guidance from Governor Newsom, State Superintendent of Instruction Tony Thurman, and supported by the Solano County Health Department, the Benicia Unified School District will continue with the distance learning model we started on March 18, 2020, for the duration of this school year. Learning will continue but unfortunately, students and staff will not be returning to campuses during this school year.
We are living in unprecedented and anxious times. With that being said, we want to do everything we can as a school district to protect our students and staff as we fully participate in the effort, of which we are now enlisted, to help flatten the curve of COVID-19. We are deeply appreciative, inspired, and strengthened by the impressive efforts of all staff members in our amazing school district. I want to thank our parent community for their continued support, generosity of spirit and understanding, knowing they are making sacrifices in their daily lives as they balance their many roles.
I also want to acknowledge our brilliant and talented student body. As your superintendent, I’m so sorry to let you know we are closing schools for the remainder of the year. I know you miss your friends, teachers and staff members. We miss you too! Teachers are doing their very best to stay in close contact with you and assure your learning and development continues. We care for you deeply.
As the remainder of the year progresses, we will undoubtedly need to work through challenges as they present themselves. We are enthusiastic about our progress to date and confident our amazing teaching and support staff will continue to engage our students to support their ongoing learning and development.
We recognize that with school closure through the end of the school year many of our most special traditions and memorable events are affected. Student athletics and performing arts will not be held for the remainder of the school year. We also understand this greatly affects our Seniors, the Class of 2020, who have been looking forward to events such as prom and graduation. Please know we are working on alternate plans for the senior activities as well as the transition events for our fifth and eighth graders and will get those details to you in the coming weeks.
We are providing Additional Resources for Home that you can choose to use with your students. Please know the activities on the additional resources document will not be assigned, collected, or graded by teachers, but are optional opportunities. We will continue to update this document as we gather more resources.
Our Food Service Department will continue to provide meals to students, at the same locations and designated times found here until the end of the school year, including Spring Break.
In closing, I sincerely hope all is well in your households. Although this whole experience seems so surreal and trying, I have an overwhelming feeling we are going to get through this united as a society. For me, I know I will have, and already do, an even deeper sense of gratitude and appreciation for all of the many blessings in my life, including getting to serve and work with all of you.
Please be well and know we will continue to update you regularly.
Sincerely,
Dr. Charles Young
Superintendent
March 27, 2020
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