Districts throughout Kern head back to school

Aug. 17—Tens of thousands of students ended their summer breaks Wednesday and trudged back into the classroom for the annual rite of passage, which was also a first-time trek for students of brand-new Del Oro High School in southeast Bakersfield.

The return followed weeks of preparation and a host of back-to-school events — for the latest of procrastinators, Kern Public Health's vaccine clinic runs until noon Friday — meet-and-greets and more, all with the intent of preparing students to learn.

With more than 70,000 K-12 students heading back to class from just the two largest school districts in Kern County — that's Bakersfield City and Kern High, although there are 46 districts in Kern — there will be changes felt around town, in everything from wait times at traffic lights to how children might adjust to their new daily routines.

Health experts, educators and local officials all offered different takes on how to make this a safe and successful school year for all.

The morning commute

One of the biggest differences people have probably already seen and felt is the return of traffic as summer break ends.

A new state law that affects school start times could impact commute times, as well, with legislators passing a widely panned piece of legislation in 2019. Senate Bill 328, starting this year, forces middle schools to start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools at 8:30 a.m.

The move has created consensus in education, which is somewhat rare — the law has been criticized by parents and education officials alike.

Bakersfield High teacher Jeremy Adams pointed out in the spring that it means "the business of life" will be cut short in the afternoons, with the need for doctor's appointments and after-school practices.

"(This) is really going to be undermined by the fact that ... extracurricular activity (will start) in the morning time," Adams said. "If you're an active kid, you're going to be there regardless."

Rest for success

The law does have good intentions, according to Start School Later, which, citing "overwhelming" research, notes: "Because brain changes that occur at puberty cause most teenagers to naturally stay awake later at night, early school start times prevent most adolescents from obtaining the quantity and quality of sleep they need."

Scheduling is something that Shanell Tyus, a lecturer with Cal State Bakersfield's Department of Human Development, and Child, Adolescent and Family Studies, takes very seriously in her house, she said.

One advises parents to maintain a consistent sleep schedule for children year-round, irrespective of the parent's sleep patterns and even in the summer.

"One of the things we do is we never change our bedtime. That keeps them on a consistent ... schedule, so it doesn't matter if it's winter break, summer break, our bedtime stays the same. So we don't have to deal with, you know, protesting, going to bed earlier," Tyus said.

A proper night's sleep can also help address behavioral issues in the classroom that can be created by a child not getting enough rest.

Social emotional lesson plan

Inside the classroom, a bigger focus on social emotional learning will be seen in a number of schools, particularly at the elementary school level.

At Noble Elementary, Renelle Gisyer, who teaches fourth- and fifth-graders with special needs, said social-emotional learning will see more of a focus this school year.

"Instead of taking the first three days to do those types of lessons, we're taking the first three weeks — so we're really focusing on having those strong connections with our students," she said.

"The overall idea is for students to express their emotions in a healthy manner, and come up with ways to manage that emotion," Gisyer explained. "So if I'm sad, I'm not going to lash out and hit somebody, I'm actually going to maybe take some time alone and do some breathing techniques. Or if I'm angry, same type of thing."

These types of lessons can go a long way to helping to restore the normalcy that's been a challenge for many during the pandemic, according to Trina Lovio, principal of Van Horn Elementary School in the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District. That's why her site is utilizing the Positivity Project, which is intended to help students with tools for discussing their feelings constructively, for example.

"We know that in the last few years, whether your life was really interrupted or not, everyone had some effects from the pandemic," Lovio said. "And we see that in children. So we are focusing on social emotional learning this year, to build, 'How do we talk with people? How do we make friends? How do we speak up if we aren't feeling well? To keep those skills so that students can thrive, because we know when they feel comfortable and they're able to manage their emotions, they will thrive academically as well."

Safety first

With an influx of motorists, young and old, hitting the roads en masse in the morning and afternoon for the fall, including some for the first time ever, Bakersfield Police Sgt. Robert Pair had two small but important bits of advice for residents: "Slow down and pay attention."

And for good reason.

The Bakersfield metropolitan area in Kern County was recently recognized as one of the 10 most dangerous places for pedestrians, and students can be a particularly vulnerable group.

"Distracted driving, speed and crossing outside of a crosswalk are the primary collision factors for vehicles versus pedestrians," Pair said, "and understand that there will be more children; of course, to pay attention, avoid using your cell phone, monitor your speed and to remind your children to utilize the crosswalks to cross."