Dear Los Altos School District families, 
We’ve been hearing the word “unprecedented” a lot lately. Every time I hear the word, I reflect more deeply on the times we're facing and consider how I can rise up to the challenge.

What I find most unsettling about the COVID-19 crisis is that we have no experiences to draw upon and find our way. None of us has experienced social distancing or school closures of this magnitude before. Our lives have been upended, we fear for our loved ones and we feel uncertain. I find myself reaching out even more frequently for that social interaction we all miss, making time for additional calls to friends, family and neighbors.

Without experience to guide us, I’ve found a sense of purpose in the core values that I believe we all share as a school district community:

• The well-being and success of all learners
• Critical thinking, discovery and engaged learning
• Equity, diversity and inclusion
• Creativity and collaboration
• Excellence, continuous improvement and accountability
• Healthy, safe and civil communities
• A sense of citizenship and drive to improve our community, the nation, and the world

I see these values in action around me every day, in my neighborhood, in the news and -  most importantly to me - in our school community. 

We know that this pandemic will not impact all people in the world to the same extent. It, unfortunately, has heightened xenophobia. We also know the disease and resulting economic impacts will strike harder at those who lack financial security or reliable health care. This is where I believe our LASD core values point us towards the innovative and collective spirit that is required to get through this crisis as a stronger, better community.

I am proud that our LASD team of teachers and staff have pulled together with amazing speed, collaboration, creativity, and persistence to kick off our Virtual School and ensure that all students have access to our program. Our IT Department has worked tirelessly to provide devices and wifi access for those who need it. We are working with our partner school districts to ensure lunch is available to our students in need. We are constantly leveraging new ideas -- and coming up with our own -- to help healthcare workers and first responders get the childcare they need to focus on their life-saving work.

We will continue to draw upon the values we share to constantly improve our work with you and your children to ensure they continue to excel. 

Thank you to all of the families who’ve expressed their gratitude as we all struggle together through this unprecedented public health care crisis. It is this spirit of partnership that will help us find and truly live by the values we cherish most. We will continue to keep you updated as best we can.

LASD’s Virtual School 
By now, your children will have experienced their first full day of our Virtual School.  Thank you for your patience as we took deliberately slow steps to launching our school.  We believe that this helped prepare us for a very successful first day.  

We know that this is all new and that there will be some frustration along the way.  We also feel very confident that your child will continue to experience key and peak learning moments in our Virtual School.  

If you do experience any problems with technology or other aspects of online learning, please let us know and we will work with you to resolve them or point you to the necessary resources.

Tips to Stay Healthy (and Sane) During Sheltering In Place
The natural reaction to the order to “Shelter in Place” would be to worry, feel vulnerable and maybe even a little helpless. While following the advice and orders of the Public Health Shelter in Place order, you might find the below tips to help you practice self-care during this time: ​

1. Healthy habits. While this may seem simple, health care providers will tell you that getting good sleep, eating healthy, drinking plenty of water and exercising regularly can help boost your immune system. Consider practicing social distancing while taking care of your physical and mental health. 
2. Digital detox. Continuous watching or listening to media reports, reading online news or social media can lead to unintended fear and anxiety. Try to limit your intake of news to a couple of key reliable sources and remember to check the Public Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites for key COVID-19 updates.  
3. Mindfulness. Being present and living in the moment can help you reduce anxiety.  If you need help calming your mind, try listening to mindfulness apps or listening to visualization resources. And, remember to access your health plan’s mental health and behavioral health services if you start to feel overwhelmed. Mental health and behavioral health providers are essential services. 
4. Hand awareness. In addition to frequent proper handwashing, be aware of what you touch and clean and disinfect throughout the day since your hands are a key way germs get into our body.  
5. Normalize new salutations. Elbow bumps, a head nod, a virtual high five or a nice smile are the new ways to greet others without having to shake hands. Give it a try and others will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

While this is not meant to be an all-inclusive list, these tips will hopefully provide some actions you can control during this time.​

The State of the State and the District
We’re all probably still reeling from Governor Newsom’s statement during his latest press conference that he didn’t know if schools could reopen before the end of this school year.  While this is a very sobering thought, it’s important to remember that this was not an official order, but rather, the retelling of a conversation he had with his young child.

We’re Prepared 
That said, should our schools remain closed through the end of the school year, the Los Altos School District is prepared.  We created our Virtual School Plan to prepare for any duration of school closure.  Our team will continue to work together and collaborate with our families throughout the school closure to ensure that every single one of our students continues to achieve to the highest standards. 

CAASPP Testing Suspended
In a related matter, the Governor has also waived the CAASPP testing for all California for the 2019-20 school year based on the impact of COVID-19.  This will allow our teachers and students to focus on innovating in our Virtual School and align these lessons to state standards for student success, rather than focusing on test preparation and administration.

State of the District
While our schools and District Office are currently closed to students and the public, our staff is hard at work to ensure that we protect vital services for our students and our community.  We’re delivering lunch, making sure families have the tools they need for virtual school and keeping all functions of the District fully operational--almost entirely from our home offices.  We appreciate your cooperation as we work through these new challenges together.  Please let us know if we can help you.