North Monterey County USD provides distance, in-person learning options
MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION) The North Monterey County Unified School District announced that it will begin the school year with distance learning and offer several programs to choose from, but one of its schools will offer in-person options. There is an order in place requiring distance learning only at all Monterey County schools.
The district says it will offer personalized learning experiences tailored to the needs of the students, including a homeschooling option with teacher guidance and an option to continue distance learning with classmates and teachers.
The North Monterey County Center for Independent Study School is offering options that include small group instruction, mainly for students with disabilities or students experiencing homelessness, according to the superintendent. The district said the groups would include social distancing.
The district said it has between 200 and 300 students enrolled in independent study, and they are divided into groups based on parent preference.
The homeschooling option allows parents or guardians of elementary school students to teach their students with guidance and support from teachers. They would be given curriculum, instructional and educational activity resources.
Those who prefer to continue with online learning, they will continue to learn from home with their fellow classmates through virtual meetings and activities. Twice a week, students will also meet in small groups for four hours each day on campus.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered counties on the state's monitoring list to only offer distance learning, and Monterey County is on the monitoring list. The Monterey County Office of Education issued a statement in response saying that schools and districts can only reopen for in-person instruction when it is off the monitoring list for 14 consecutive days.
Four days ago, the district posted on social media that it would start the school year with distance learning in accordance with guidelines from the county.
