Q&A With Dr. Michelle Rodriguez, Superintendent, Pajaro Valley Unified School District
During the Threat Assessment training for staff a SAVRY tool was mentioned. Do we use this model?
We do not use this exact model because we use the evidence-based model and threat response protocols developed for all Santa Cruz County Schools through the collaborative effort of law enforcement and school district communities.
This model is also included in our Comprehensive School Safety plan.
What is the difference between shelter in place, a lockdown and when we use the ALICE training? It doesn’t make sense to me.
A Shelter in Place is called when there is a perceived threat that needs to be investigated. When there is a known threat, lockdown and/or ALICE procedures are initiated.
Purpose of Shelter in Place: The alert will be given to shelter-in-place when there is an emergency due to hazardous materials that may have been released into the atmosphere, when there is police activity in the surrounding area and/or when a perceived threat is reported on campus.
Specific Steps to Shelter-in-Place at School:
- Activate the school’s emergency plan. Follow reverse evacuation procedures to bring students, faculty and staff indoors. Once indoors, close and lock classrooms, bathroom, gym and office doors.
- If there are visitors in the building, provide for their safety by asking them to stay — not leave. When authorities provide directions to shelter-in-place, they want everyone to take those steps immediately, where they are, and not drive or walk outdoors.
- Provide for answering telephone inquiries from concerned parents by having at least one telephone with the school’s listed telephone number available in the room selected to provide shelter for the school secretary, or person designated to answer these calls.
- Make announcements over the school-wide public address system from the room where the top school official takes shelter.
- If children have cell phones, allow them to use them to call a parent or guardian to let them know that they have been asked to remain in school until further notice, and that they are safe.
- Provide directions to close and lock all windows, exterior doors and any other openings to the outside.
- Gather essential disaster supplies, such as nonperishable food, bottled water, battery-powered radios, first aid supplies, flashlights, batteries, duct tape, plastic sheeting and plastic garbage bags.
- Bring everyone into the room. Shut and lock the door and continue teaching.
- Listen for an official announcement from school officials via the public address system, and stay where you are until you are told all is safe or you are told to evacuate. Local officials may call for evacuation in specific areas at greatest risk in the community.
Purpose of ALICE: Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate (Critical Incident): To be initiated in the event of a hostile intruder, suspicious intruder, weapons, or hostage situation
Immediate Action by School Staff:
- ALERT: Notify school office staff and/or administration if anything seems out of ordinary or any potential emergency condition could arise (i.e. Hostage, Hostile Intruder, Suspicious Intruder, Weapons).
- State your name & location. Do not disconnect. Remain on telephone contact with the school office if it is safe to do so.
- INFORM: Use plain language in description. Provide pertinent information on what you are observing or experiencing. Location, description of person(s) involved, conditions of visibility, what you are hearing, or any other information that could assist responders.
- Decision: Based on the information above, and working within the ALICE Protocols, initiate a response appropriate to the situation. Lockdown/Counter or Evacuate to Safety. As the conditions or information changes, re-evaluate your response. Your response may include; Lockdown, Counter, or Evacuate.
Immediate action by Site Administration & Officer Personnel:
- ALERT: Take all notifications reported seriously. Anything that seems out of the ordinary or any potential emergency condition should be immediately investigated (i.e. Hostage, Hostile Intruder, Suspicious Intruder, Weapons). Report to Law Enforcement once identified as a threat.
- INFORM: Call 911 and indicate you have an Active Shooter or Critical Incident happening and you need assistance immediately. Use clear and plain language. Provide pertinent information concerning what you are observing or experiencing. Location of the event, description of person(s) involved, conditions of visibility, what you are hearing, or any other information that could assist responders.
- INFORM: Using clear and plain language on the PA System to inform all there is an active situation on campus and to use ALICE Protocols. Share pertinent information regarding location, type of weapon, and description of individuals so they can make an informed response. If possible, remind staff that options could include: Lockdown, Counter, or Evacuate.
- INFORM: District Office of the Active Situation and that you are currently in ALICE Protocols.
Following up on a question, why do unvaccinated teachers still need to test for COVID given the CDC’s new stance that the vaccinated and unvaccinated should be treated the same? We all now know the vaccine does not prevent infection nor transmission.
All employers, including school districts, are required to follow California Division of Occupational Safety and Health in California which currently requires all unvaccinated workers to test weekly.
If CalOHSA aligns their requirements to CDC and removes the testing requirement, PVUSD will also shift requirements to align with the new law. Until that time, PVUSD will follow CalOSHA requirements and test unvaccinated workers.
I would like to ask when unvaccinated parents will be allowed to return to sites & volunteer in classrooms and field trips? Are there any options for those opting out of vaccinations to be allowed to be involved in their children’s school/education? Perhaps testing prior to volunteering or going on a field trip? Is the protocol for parents who are PVUSD employees and parents who are not different?
PVUSD sees the benefit and impact that parent volunteers have on the classroom setting and their children. As noted above, CalOHSA requires all employers to test their unvaccinated workers weekly.
We have a system in place, through Inspire Diagnostic, to be able to easily test hundreds of students, staff and families each day. For our unvaccinated staff, we work within CalOSHA requirements to monitor, engage, and at times discipline staff if they are not complying with the law.
This is a time-consuming process for our site administrators & Human Resources Department. That is why, while we have the capacity to test everyone, we do not have the capacity to track hundreds of additional unvaccinated volunteers. As a county and as a District we are following the August 2021 State Public Health Order which is still in effect. The State Public Health Order states that volunteers are considered workers.
Here is the excerpt:
“Worker” refers to all paid and unpaid adults serving in the school settings described in Section I. Workers include, but are not limited to, certificated and classified staff, analogous staff working in private school settings, and volunteers who are on-site at a school campus supporting school functions.
As we have shifted guidelines in other areas (such as masking and physical distancing) as the guidelines change, we will change this policy as soon as CalOSHA no longer requires us to test staff.
Is there a possibility that every school site can have a delivery of brand new quality headphones for each student at the start of every school year?
PVUSD is committed to providing students with up-to-date high spec dependable devices. The resources available are currently dedicated to ensuring a regular repair and replacement cycle for Chromebooks for all students.
The process to continually repair and replace outdated student devices takes an enormous amount of work and coordination.
Unfortunately, providing an annual refresh for student headphones is not something that PVUSD is able to currently manage without reducing other necessary student technology needs. However, headphones have been and are available to school sites for the purchase at a very reasonable price to provide to students for testing and/or daily use. We have found many students have their own wireless or wired headphones they use with their Chromebooks.
Why did SELPA not provide home testing kits prior to school starting to the post-secondary students? Many of the young adults are of high-risk situations, and the Covid risks are greater than the general population. There was no communication to the students/families on where or how to obtain the testing kits.
The District provided COVID home test kits for all students, including our 0-3 population and Post-Secondary students prior to the start of the 2022-2023 school year.
Special Services in collaboration with the Post-Secondary Teachers provided information to the adult students and parents of conserved students regarding test kit pick-up options.
Test kits were and continue to be available at the student’s classroom location and at the SELPA office, which is located in the district office. If you did not receive the notification of test kit availability, and still would like to receive a test kit, please contact the student’s case manager so they may send home the kit with the student.
Or you may come to the SELPA office Monday-Friday between 8-4:30 to pick up a test kit.
Does the District use something like Here Comes the Bus to track where the bus is and if your child got on it? If not, would they consider it?
PVUSD does not currently use Here Comes the Bus but we are in the process of acquiring a useful tool called Stopfinder.
This is an addition to our current system, Transfinder, that will be an application-based tool for parents to track when the bus will be arriving at their students stop.
With the application, we will also be able to notify parents when their child’s bus is within a certain proximity to the bus stop.
Do you sell ASB cards for students and if so where does my son buy it?
Aptos High School, Pajaro Valley High School and Watsonville High School do not sell ASB Cards.
Students may use their Synergy or School ID to receive discounts as available for school events.
I have heard of the Affordable Connectivity Program. Do PVUSD families qualify?
The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps ensure households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more.
The benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands.
Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price. The APC is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.
All families of PVUSD students are automatically eligible with the exception of Navigator, Ceiba, and Virtual Academy. Students’ families who attend those schools (Navigator, Ceiba, and Virtual Academy) may be eligible if they qualify for free or reduced lunch, or other qualifying programs.
Most families that attend PVUSD preschool programs also qualify. For help applying or to confirm you qualify for the program, go to www.fcc.gov/acp or call the ACP Support Center at (877) 384-2575.
For the past few years, and in commitment to support the whole child, whole family, and whole community, PVUSD has had an ongoing partnership with Cruzio and their Equal Access Santa Cruz program to provide free and low-cost high speed dependable internet access to our students and families.
With PVUSD’s support, Cruzio has been expanding their infrastructure across the Watsonville and Pajaro area to be able to support more families. To find out if your home is able to receive Cruzio Internet service for 12 months free and then for a very reduced price, go to https://www.pvusd.net/lowcostinternet. Click on the Equal Access link and use the code EASCPVUSD in the form. This website has information for other low-cost Internet options as well. Some of these may work for some households Cruzio is currently unable to serve.
With PVUSD’s collaboration, Cruzio continues to expand their coverage across the Watsonville area. So check back with them periodically even if they were not able to provide service to your home previously.
I would like to know why the children studying at the Virtual Academy this year were not eligible to receive free breakfasts.
During the 21-22 school year, COVID waivers allowed the district to provide weekly meal boxes to remote students from both Virtual Academy and PCCS.
This school year, we no longer have any of the previous COVID waivers that allowed us to feed the community, provide take-home meals or provide meals for a full week at a time.
Per the current Education Code, reimbursable school meals must be served in a congregate brick and mortar setting. We are only allowed to provide on-campus, ready to eat meals for consumption on site to students enrolled in PVUSD.
PVUSD students and families can always visit our Wellness Center to pick up food and meals provided through Second Harvest Food Bank Co-op.
The center at 530 Palm Ave. is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.