Oakland Unified School District started its academic year Monday, with many students in the district coming back to campus for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020.
The first few weeks of school will be a Restorative Restart — a chance for students and staff to connect and build community, before jumping into the academic curriculum.
District Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell says students are excited to be coming back together. However, she stresses the need to take safety precautions, as cases of the new Delta variant continue to rise.
Masks are required indoors for all students and staff. Oakland schools are hosting pop-up vaccination clinics throughout the fall. They’re also providing take-home test kits, and some campuses are offering on-site testing by appointment. School staff must be tested every two weeks for COVID-19, though they are not required to be vaccinated.
Students have the option to continue distance learning.