Returning from winter break, PUSD was overwhelmed by COVID-19, with 2,117 new student cases and 326 new staff cases, as of the district meeting on Jan. 13.

The spike in cases has left the district with an array of problems, with everything from staffing issues to long lines for COVID-19 tests.

In the early weeks of January, counselors, area administrators, and other campus employees were forced to cover classes as some teachers were forced to extend their winter break due to health issues.

Students absent during finals week were left scrambling as they had to find time to take their final tests while transitioning to new classes.

The line to get a COVID-19 test at the district’s only site in Carmel Mountain Ranch has only increased, with many students and staff rushing to get a test. After an influx of COVID-19 cases in the district and elsewhere in the state, the State of California dispensed at-home COVID-19 tests to all students, which were handed out by PUSD on Jan. 8. The staff, however, received none.

During their Jan. 13th meeting, the PUSD Board of Education set forward their plans to resolve these issues, while also making it clear that schools would not be returning online.

Associate superintendent Carol Osborne stated that unless new state or federal legislation is passed, all schools within the district would be staying in person. Virtual learning is not an option if the district wants to receive state funding. If schools were forced online for any reason, schools would be required to make up the days in person at the end of the year to ensure they meet the state standards.

Despite the rising cases, the board stated that it was required by law to keep schools open for all students. 

To allow students to return to school in a more timely manner, the district is trying to reduce the wait time for COVID-19 testing. They are working with pharmaceutical company Phamatech to open more testing time slots and make alternative testing sites available to PUSD students and employees.

This was great news for students like Neel Singh (12), who struggled with getting a test. 

“I had some symptoms the day before the kits were passed out, so I stayed home,” Singh said. “And though I was pretty sure I was sick, times available for testing were so far away, there was no way to know for sure. It’s really good that they’re trying to make testing more available, because waiting and being so unsure is the worst for students who don’t want to miss school.”

And though testing is becoming more available, the lack of at-home kits and the increase in cases has left many teachers uncertain about whether their symptoms are indicative of COVID-19. And with more than 300 teachers testing positive in the district as of the meeting on Jan. 13, substitutes are few and far between.

Marc Artaud (12) is one of the many students whose teacher was absent for an extended period of time.

“One of my teachers was gone for a week, and the first day we waited like 30 minutes outside, waiting for a sub to come,” Artaud said. “So we had another teacher substitute for three days straight with no real sub plans. On the fourth day we had another person come in, and they said not to ask them any questions, because they didn’t know anything about the class. It was frustrating because we didn’t know if we had a quiz that Friday, and we didn’t know what the quiz would even be on because we hadn’t even learned anything.”

To aid an already stretched-thin group of substitutes, the district has gotten rid of all eligibility requirements for substitutes, with the exception of a background check and the requirement of a bachelor’s degree. 

Despite the district procedurally covering grounds, according to Artaud, teachers being out with COVID-19 still leaves their classrooms as ineffective learning environments.

“They really need to not have random teachers cover classes,” Artaud said. “If teachers didn’t have to run from their own classes to cover another class, I think we might actually be able to learn something when our teacher is absent.”