The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on schools and students are many. Educators and children’s health professionals agree that the greatest needs for students are supplemental instruction, access to meals, and support for social and emotional well-being. 

“We’re excited to be able to offer the kinds of support that our community said they need,” said Whitney Holton, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services. “This grant makes it possible to offer a range of supplemental support to our students participating in in-person instruction.” 

To address those needs, Campbell Union School District secured a $4.3 million one-time Expanded Learning Opportunity (ELO) grant from the California Department of Education. The money is restricted and may be used only for the following purposes: 

• Extending instructional learning time, 
• Accelerating progress to close learning gaps, 
• Integrated pupil supports, 
• Community learning hubs, 
• Supports for credit deficient pupils,
• Additional academic services, and
• Training for school staff. 

“We looked at feedback from students, staff and families in order to design a plan tailored to the needs of our own students,” Whitney Holton, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services. “The result for the 2021-22 school year is a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) that schools can access to meet the needs of their respective communities.” 

For example:

• Increased after school programs.
• Additional Math Specialists at each school.
• Additional reading support for primary grade students.
• Staff designated to support students who struggle with behavior and social emotional issues.
• Several schools also will have a Saturday program for eligible students.

The grant also paid for expanded summer programs, including:

• Teachers training on Social Emotional Learning and Personalizing Learning strategies 
• No/Low cost options for enrolling students in summer enrichment programs 

The district received feedback through its annual ThoughtExchange online conversation, the Panorama survey of students and staff, responses to questionnaires related to reopening schools, meetings with advisory committees of parents and teachers, and public input at board meetings.

“We are interested in what our stakeholders think about how the programs are working and what other needs they see for our students,” said Dr. Viramontez. “After the programs are fully operational we will seek additional input from them.”