Schools

Burbank public schools are planning for a return to in-person instruction and shared a wealth of information with students, parents, teachers and staff at a recent Q&A Session. District officials are currently gathering information on the numbers of students interested in continuing with distance learning or returning in a hybrid learning model, in order to better plan for a possible return.

The Burbank school board heard reports on distance learning, the process of renaming Jordan Middle School and from Burbank and Burroughs Highs' Student Representatives, in addition to a number of other items at the regular meeting held on October 15.

The Board of Education heard personal stories from many parents, staff and community members, who spoke for over two hours, with the overwhelming majority speaking in support of BUSD's Anti-Racism Statement and update to Board policy.

In an unanimous vote, the Burbank Board of Education adopted a resolution condemning the recent, unprovoked aggression of Azerbaijan and Turkey against Artsakh which impacts and concerns many Armenian-Americans in the local area, and offers support to affected students and families.

Schools will remain on 100% Distance Learning for the rest of the Fall Semester. Families will be surveyed to choose a model - either hybrid or 100% Distance Learning - for a possible return to in-person education in Spring '21. BUSD holds a Q&A Wednesday, October 21, to discuss protocols and plans.

The BUSD Board of Education heard a report on distance learning and attendance, reports from student members, several public comments and much more during their biweekly meeting on October 1.

The newly formed Burbank Arts & Education Foundation combines the efforts of the Burbank Arts For All Foundation and the Burbank Educational Foundation into a single entity devoted to supporting public education in Burbank.

Three Burbank teachers co-founded the Justice and Equity Team (JET) as a resource for Burbank teachers who are actively rethinking their curriculum and teaching approaches to be more inclusive and actively anti-racist.

The Burbank Unified School District heard pleas from impassioned parents about continued delays of construction at Disney Elementary, along with other public comments about curriculum and distance learning, and approved a number of items including a Bond Measure Refunding/Refinancing Plan which will save local taxpayers over $5 million dollars.

Six families with third-graders in the Spanish Dual Immersion program at McKinley Elementary created a learning pod for their children's educational and social needs and to support the pod's working parents who aren't always available to supervise their child's distance learning.