Communications

Considerations for Staff

• Communicate Plans and Protocols to Staff: Train and communicate with staff and representatives about the plan. Communicate all protocols to staff to ensure they are up to date on the latest policies and procedures. 

• Provide Key HR Information to Staff: Include applicable information for staff regarding labor laws, disability insurance, paid family leave, and unemployment insurance. See additional information on government programs supporting sick leave and worker’s compensation for COVID-19.

Considerations for Students and Families 

• Share Districtwide Protocols: Consider sharing information on districtwide plans and protocols with families in advance of key dates to ensure a wider reach. 

• Share Public Health Information: Consider providing links to or citing credible information from established and reliable sources such as the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the California Department of Education (CDE), the official California State COVID-19 website, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

• Ensure Access to the Information: Consider using multiple modalities, languages, and formats to reach caregivers and community members in their native languages. In addition to your website, consider including phone, text, social media, or in-person communication at pick-ups.

• Post Helpful Signage: Consider posting signage at each public entrance of each site to inform all students, staff and visitors that they should: 
  • Avoid entering or using the facility if they have COVID-19 symptoms; 
  • Maintain a minimum 6-foot distance from one another; and
  • Wear face coverings, as appropriate.

• Maintain Effective Communication Systems. Maintain communication systems that allow staff and families to self-report symptoms and receive prompt notifications of exposures and closures, while maintaining confidentiality, as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and state law related to privacy of educational records. Additional guidance on student privacy can be found here. 

• Test Emergency Communication Systems: Consider testing existing communication channels and methods to ensure your LEA is able to reach staff quickly in case of an emergency. 

RESOURCES

• CCEE’s K-12 Continuity of Learning Playbooks communication section
• Measures of social, emotional, and academic well-being created by California’s CORE Districts

To be nimbler in responding to changing circumstances, pre-write letters that you can use in case of a sudden school closure, a local outbreak, or a return to campus.

TOOLS

• LACOE multilingual letters and e-mails in English, Spanish, Armenian and Chinese

• CDPH Sample Letters in English
  • School Exposure To A Case Of Covid-19 Notification
• Additional sample letters for families in English and Spanish:
  • Letter to families about new COVID-19 vaccination requirements
  • COVID case on campus: school remains open  

• Additional sample letters for employees:
  • Letter to employees about COVID-19 vaccination requirements
  • District e-mail communication for reassigning staff
  • Letter to an employee who tests positive
  • Letter to close contacts of an employee who tests positive
  • Letter to non-close contacts who work in the same building as an employee who tests positive

• LACOE sample social media posts and visuals

In times of great uncertainty and ambiguity, clear and ongoing communication with stakeholders will help support authentic and collaborative family and educator partnerships, strengthen family engagement in children’s learning, and reduce stress and confusion. 

Mandated Communication

LEAs are mandated to communicate under the following circumstances:

• When COVID-19 Cases Occur on a Campus Where Instruction Is Taking Place:
  • • Inform the Local Health Department (LHD) of a confirmed case.
    • Coordinate with the LDH to notify persons with potential exposure if the case was present in school while infectious. 
    • Inform Cal/OSHA of employee serious illness, hospitalization, or death. 

• Every Two Weeks to Report on the Status of the Instructional Program: 
  • • Beginning January 25, 2021, every LEA and private school in California must notify the California Department of Public Health as to how it is serving students. Section 16 of Assembly Bill 130 (AB 130) approved July 2021, identified the data to be collected, including student enrollment by school site, and district, number of staff working on site, the number of students opting into independent study, and the types of additional student supports available. Reporting takes place every other Monday (or the Tuesday immediately following, if the Monday is a state holiday) through a web form provided by CDPH until this directive is modified or rescinded. 
    • The California Department of Public Health will provide this information to local health officers and, once the information is processed, will make this information publicly available on the Safe Schools For All Hub website.
    • Additional information about the survey, including frequently asked questions and training materials, can be found on the CCEE website. 

Optional Communication  

LEAs should consider as much additional two-way communication with families and stakeholders such as labor, parent, and community organizations as they think possible. To ensure access to the information, consider using multiple modalities, languages, and formats to reach caregivers and community members in their native languages. In addition to your website, consider including phone, text, social media, or in-person communication at pick-ups.

Having clear and helpful up-to-date information on your LEA’s website will go a long way to to inform your community and reduce confusion. Below are some considerations for your LEA’s website. 

• Share District-wide Protocols: Consider sharing information on districtwide plans and protocols with families in advance of key dates to ensure a wider reach. 

• Share Public Health Information: Consider providing links to or citing credible information from established and reliable sources such as the California Department of Public Health, the California Department of Education, the official California State COVID-19 website, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

• Individual School-Site Status: Consider sharing with your community the status of individual school(s), along with directions for parents, families, and caregivers on how to find more information.

• Ensure Access to the Information: Consider using multiple modalities, languages, and formats to reach caregivers and community members in their native languages. In addition to your website, consider including phone, text, social media, or in-person communication at pick-ups. 

School systems are complex environments with multiple stakeholders and demands. Leading K-12 schools requires deep relationships and strong communication. Actively seeking and acting on stakeholder input is more important than ever. 

RESOURCES: 

• Establishing Transparent Communication section of this Health & Safety Guidebook 
• Seamless Communication and Leverage Community Partnerships sections of CCEE’s Field Guide for Accelerating Learning, Equity, and Well-Being
• Consulting with Labor Partners section of this Health & Safety Guidebook