This archive report was first published on 6 August 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to shift to online learning, one school district in Southern California took a unique approach to prepare for the challenges ahead. In the spring of 2020, David Miyashiro, the superintendent of Cajon Valley Union School District, held weekly Zoom meetings with P.T.A. heads and school staff to check in on their well-being and design a reopening plan together for the fall.
"It was almost like a therapy group for parents to vent and to have someone who is caring listen," Miyashiro said, highlighting the importance of empathy and communication in navigating the crisis.
When Governor Gavin Newsom announced in July 2020 that most California schools would be remote-only, Cajon Valley was prepared for all possibilities. The district had been actively engaging with its community, gathering valuable insights and feedback that informed their decision-making.
By focusing on the issues that mattered most to parents, including live teacher-led instruction, personalized lessons, and regular feedback on student progress, Cajon Valley created a distance learning plan that prioritized student needs and well-being.
As Learning Heroes' 2018 study noted, 71 percent of teachers fear speaking with parents about their children's learning due to fear of blame, and 51 percent fear that parents will not believe them. By acknowledging the challenges faced by both teachers and parents, Cajon Valley's approach offers a powerful model for building trust and collaboration in the face of adversity.
