September 21, 2024 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Message from CCUSD Superintendent Following Week of Canceled Classes

The following is a January 24 message from Culver City Unified School District Superintendent Quoc Tran in relation to schools returning to session after being closed for a week due to surging COVID-19 cases.

Dear CCUSD Community,

I want to thank you for your understanding, patience and cooperation as we made the difficult decision to cancel school for the remainder of this week. We realize that having your children home from school so unexpectedly undoubtedly caused hardship for many families. However, given the rapid rise in positive Covid-19 cases in Los Angeles County, and among our students, faculty and staff, we believe this short-term closure was the most prudent thing to do. 

CCUSD’s top priority remains the same as it has been since the beginning of the school year in August 2021: To create and maintain a safe in-person learning and teaching environment for all.There was some urgency behind our decision:   

  • Prior to winter break, CCUSD averaged .36 new Covid-19 cases each calendar day (i.e., a new case was confirmed every three days);
  • As schools resumed after winter break, CCUSD’s daily average accelerated to 52+ new confirmed Covid-19 cases each day, an increase of 144 times over the pre-holiday rate.

We continued to receive new positive case results with every testing day. For the most current breakdown of positive cases by school site, check the CCUSD COVID-19 Dashboard.
CCUSD chose to address the fast-rising caseload by:

  • Increasing pupil-free time by extending the number of days away from school to include this Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (01/19-01/21/2022), in addition to the previously scheduled days off of Monday and Tuesday (01/17 and 01/18). This allowed for all staff and students, regardless of vaccination status, to get tested before returning to school. Testing is conducted via LFN drive-through events and at-home testing kits provided to students and staff;
  • Requiring a negative Covid-19 test result from each individual student and staff member before they return to school on Monday, January 24, 2022. 
  • Requiring that students who are not yet registered for testing get registered. If your child is not signed up for weekly testing, please do so ASAP here.
  • Pursuing 100% weekly district-wide Covid-19 testing, once school resumes in person.

We also continue to subscribe fervently to the belief that learning in-person is the best option for the majority of our students, both from a social-emotional as well as an educational perspective. To reiterate, our top priority is to create and maintain a safe in-person learning and teaching environment for all.
When school does resume in person on Monday, we will continue with the following safety protocols:

  • Weekly testing. We may increase this to bi-weekly as testing capacity allows.
  • Wearing medical grade masks (KF94/N95) for everyone at every school site, except when actively eating or drinking.
  • Mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for all staff and students (ages 12 and above), including recommending booster shots for everyone who is age-eligible. We also HIGHLY recommend that students age 5-11 also get vaccinated, now that they are eligible.

As I shared above, a negative test result will be mandatory before each student and staff member can return to in–person instruction on Monday, January 24. We held drive-thru testing events this week. If you were not able to get tested then, you can submit results of at-home test kits taken within 24 hours of January 24, or test results from another provider such as a healthcare clinic, also taken within 24 hours of January 24, 2022. Submit the results to your school site.
If you chose to use an at-home Covid-19 test kit or get tested at a healthcare clinic not affiliated with CCUSD, please email your child’s test results to your school site:

CCUSD will continue to provide you with frequent updates on CCUSD’s testing schedules, Covid-19 case numbers, and the logistics for returning to and maintaining in-person schooling as safely as possible. We will share information on the district website, via social media, through the weekly Culver Pride e-newsletter, and through additional emails dedicated to the district’s Covid-19 status.

Thank you again for your understanding, cooperation and patience. We will continue to monitor, manage and mitigate Covid-19 within our school community. Stay healthy and safe. We will get through this together.
Once again, if your child is not yet registered for the weekly testing, please enroll them ASAP via CCUSD COVID-19 Test Registration (https://hipaa.jotform.com/LivingFit/CCUSD). Weekly testing is required in order for your child to remain in school.

Respectfully,
Quoc Tran, Superintendent

Related Posts

West Hollywood Detectives Seek Help Identifying Suspect in Several Violent Assaults

September 20, 2024

September 20, 2024

Suspect Allegedly Committed Five Unprovoked Assaults on Santa Monica Boulevard Detectives from the West Hollywood Station are seeking the public’s...

This Weekend: Free Simulcast of LA Opera’s Madame Butterfly at Santa Monica Pier

September 20, 2024

September 20, 2024

Experience Puccini’s Classic With Live Performances, Family-Friendly Activities LA Opera is bringing the beloved opera Madame Butterfly to the Santa...

Culver City Police Arrest Multiple Suspects in Busy Week of Traffic Stops and Crime Investigations

September 19, 2024

September 19, 2024

Traffic Stops Lead to Arrests for Drug Sales, Stolen Vehicles, and Illegal Firearms The Culver City Police Department has issued...

Film Review: The Substance

September 19, 2024

September 19, 2024

By Dolores Quintana I saw The Substance and I was stunned. Coralie Fargeat’s second feature film felt like filmmaking as...

(Video) H. Savinar Luggage Co.: Offering Brand-Name Luggage and Briefcases For Over a Century

September 19, 2024

September 19, 2024

Open Since 1916, the Company Moved to Culver City About a Year Ago @culvercitywlanews H. Savinar, open since 1916, moved...

Popular Vietnamese Sandwich Pop-up Returns for One Last Event, Offering Pork and Mushroom Bánh Mì

September 18, 2024

September 18, 2024

Final Chance to Taste Tra An’s Traditional Bánh Mì at September 22 Pop-Up at Cardinale Du Vin Tra An’s bánh...

Sunset Strip Restaurant Pink Taco Closes Its Doors After 12 Years in West Hollywood

September 18, 2024

September 18, 2024

Restaurant Abruptly Shuts Down, Leaving Loyal Customers in the Dark Pink Taco, a well-known Mexican restaurant on the Sunset Strip,...

Quick Bites: Deals, Specials and Celebrations at Local Restaurants on the Westside

September 18, 2024

September 18, 2024

Go Go Bird’s New Mid-Day Happy Hour, Sidecar Donuts Lets Fans Choose New Flavor Go Go Bird, known for its...

CDC Investigates Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Eggs Which Have Sickened 65 People

September 18, 2024

September 18, 2024

Cases Reported in California; Eggs Recalled as Officials Warn of Serious Health Risks Federal health officials are investigating a multistate...

‘A Must-See’: Light in the Piazza Comes to Broad Stage for One Night Musical

September 18, 2024

September 18, 2024

By Susan Payne An intimate story of contemporary and timeless romance produced by the Musical Theatre Guild is coming to...

Sean “Diddy” Combs Arrested on Racketeering, Sex Trafficking Charges Amidst $61.5 Million Mansion Sale

September 17, 2024

September 17, 2024

Federal Agents Seized Weapons and Disturbing Evidence From Combs’ Homes Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested on charges of racketeering conspiracy,...

Celebrate With Creative Cocktails and Wine Wednesday at Two of the Westside’s Most Cozy Restaurants

September 17, 2024

September 17, 2024

Enjoy Ronan Restaurant’s Negroni-inspired drinks and Quaff Fine Wine at Hank’s  Ronan, a restaurant located at 7315 Melrose Ave, is...

Event Update: Pups Without Borders Hosts Dog Adoption Event in Brentwood This Saturday

September 17, 2024

September 17, 2024

Olympians Anita Alvarez, Daniella Ramires, and Nick Itkin to Participate in Adoption Event Pups Without Borders, a dog rescue organization,...

West Hollywood Valet in Critical Condition After Brutal Attack, Suspect Identified

September 17, 2024

September 17, 2024

Kindly Barney’s Beanery Valet Attacked; LASD Seeks Community Assistance A longtime valet at a popular West Hollywood restaurant is in...

Fitness Influencer Critically Injured in Bel Air Shooting During Attempted Robbery

September 17, 2024

September 17, 2024

Four Suspects Remain at Large After Victim Was Shot Multiple Times  A 43-year-old man is in critical condition after being...