Redwood City, CA–Schools throughout California are planning for reopening of campuses in the coming days and weeks. The County Superintendents of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties, as well as the City of Berkeley, announced today their unified support for full, in-person learning for the 2021-22 school year. In accordance with the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) K-12 school guidance, the superintendents are eager for students and staff to begin their school year with in-person instruction after 15 months of interrupted education due to the global pandemic.

As schools prepare for the 2021-22 school year, high vaccination rates across the Bay Area provide a layer of safety that was not present last year. According to the CDPH, “In California, the surest path to safe and full in-person instruction at the outset of the school year, as well as minimizing missed school days in an ongoing basis, is a strong emphasis on,” vaccination for all eligible individuals, universal masking in schools, more targeted quarantine practices, and access to a robust COVID-19 testing program.

The County Superintendents in collaboration with their respective Public Health Officers are strongly encouraging all who are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccination to be vaccinated as soon as possible and are educating the community about the requirement of universal masking while indoors on school campus. The American Association of Pediatricians (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced their recommendations and guidance and both recommend universal masking indoors on school campuses.

The San Mateo County Office of Education today released its 2021-22 Pandemic Recovery Framework to help guide all local schools in their safe opening to the new school year. “San Mateo County school leaders have been diligent and collaborative in following all public health guidance and in ensuring students have a safe and high-quality educational experience,” noted San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools Nancy Magee. “Our countywide approach and partnership with San Mateo County Health have allowed us to streamline planning efforts for schools and provide school leaders with the information they need to serve and support our students.”

All persons 12 years of age and older are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. For more information about vaccination events and eligibility please visit San Mateo County Health’s website. Additionally, COVID-19 vaccines are widely available at local pharmacies throughout the Bay Area.