News & Announcements

Dear Bonny Doon School Partners,
As we head off to winter break, we'd like to share a bit of information. While our school staff continues the commitment to the health and safety of students, staff and community, we are all hearing of increased cases locally, nationally and internationally. The school team remains committed to transparency. If we have a COVID exposure, we will notify the school community as well as any close contacts. We have a resource page on our website for your reference. We are appreciative of our shared effort--students, staff and families--to keep students home (or staying home) when not feeling well.

Attached, you will find a joint letter from all Santa Cruz County school districts. Please take the time to read it as there is important information.

Please be advised of recent updates from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) regarding masking requirements for indoor extracurricular activities, including youth sports.

On October 29, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine under an emergency use authorization (EUA) for children ages 5 to 11 years old, followed by the CDC on November 2. It is anticipated that additional approvals by State authorities will be completed this week.

COVID-19 case rates in schools are trending downward, as reflected on the countywide COVID-19 testing dashboard.

The schools of Santa Cruz County will be implementing the guidelines recently published by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Santa Cruz County Public Health (SCCPH).

In order to keep our schools open and students healthy, school districts have implemented a wide range of mitigation strategies to minimize risks at our schools, including ongoing testing for COVID-19. We recognize the importance of sports, athletics, music and other extracurricular ideas for students and are
hoping these requirements will allow students to participate fully and safely.

Dear Families of Santa Cruz County,
Today we are heartbroken. We grieve with the Aptos High School community following yesterday’s tragic loss of a 17-year-old student. Our hearts are with the student’s family, friends, the Aptos High School community, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD), and all of those impacted by this
unprecedented and devastating event.

Thank you for your ongoing diligence and dedication to our students and schools. Embarking into an in-person school year during a variant-driven surge in COVID-19 cases in our community has no doubt been a challenge. Students, families, educators and support staff have our enduring support and appreciation for navigating this moment with such grace.

At its regularly scheduled Bonny Doon Union Elementary School District Board of Trustees meeting on August 19, the Board passed a resolution opposing the placement of a violent sex offended in the Bonny Doon community. Please read the attached resolution.

A new school year is upon us, and it is with excitement that we welcome students back to classrooms across the schools of Santa Cruz County this and next week. Offering full-time, in-person instruction during the 2021-22 school year is a foundational priority, and our schools are ready to support students in myriad ways, from curriculum, to nutrition, to socio-emotional health.