Reduced yard supervision, toxic vapor at Kennedy High School on Aug. 12 WCCUSD board agenda
Photo of upper yard at Madera Elementary School in El Cerrito.
The report to the West Contra Costa Unified School District board about the reduction in playground supervision, originally scheduled for Aug. 5, is now on the agenda for Wednesday, Aug. 12. It now shares the agenda with an update on toxic vapor found at Kennedy High School on Cutting Boulevard in Richmond. The meeting was delayed so that the Kennedy issue could be added to the agenda and more information gathered.
As Superintendent Cheryl Cotton explained in an Aug. 9 message, “just over a week ago, my Executive Team and I became aware of preliminary data from underground soil testing, which showed that a toxic vapor called PCE has now made its way underneath an area of Kennedy High School.” The district is analyzing additional testing to determine whether it’s safe to begin classes on the campus when school begins Aug. 18, and looking at possible alternate sites where classes could be held if the Kennedy site is deemed unsafe.
The impact of budget cuts on elementary playground supervision is listed for discussion only. It is on the agenda after the Kennedy report.
The district-funded yard supervision planned for this coming school year is half of what it was last school year. Prior to COVID, the district provided 1 hour of yard supervision per 100 students. After COVID, that was increased to 1½ hours. Last year it was 2 hours, and the plan for 2026-27 is for it to go back to the pre-COVID allocation of 1 hour of yard supervision per 100 students.
Schools often use funds controlled by their site to supplement the yard supervision funded directly by the school district, according to the board meeting materials.
Yard supervisors typically are responsible for supervising students during teachers’ lunch break, while teachers take turns with yard duty during recess.
The school board meeting begins with a closed session at 4:30 pm. One of the items on the closed session agenda is a lawsuit by four teachers alleging that the district has unlawfully relied on substitute teachers at three high-poverty schools rather than doing enough to recruit permanent teachers.
The school board meets at DeJean Middle School, 3400 Macdonald Ave., Richmond, with the public session scheduled to begin at 6:30 pm. The Zoom link is at the top of the agenda.
Kennedy High School is F1 on the agenda and yard supervision is F2. There is a presentation attached to the yard supervision item on the agenda.
More from Superintendent Cotton’s Aug. 9 message:
“For those who may not be aware, just over a week ago, my Executive Team and I became aware of preliminary data from underground soil testing, which showed that a toxic vapor called PCE has now made its way underneath an area of Kennedy High School. We learned that the city and state have been working to monitor this plume across an area of Richmond for years.
“This is a very serious matter, and we are working around the clock to complete additional environmental testing and put a plan in place that cares for the health, wellbeing, and education of our Kennedy students, as well as the health and wellbeing of all staff.
“The additional environmental testing at the Kennedy campus was completed yesterday, August 8, and we are expediting preliminary results so that we can share new data with you by Thursday, August 13. Those indoor air results will help us understand if there is any vapor intrusion in the existing Kennedy buildings.
“We know that there are good ways to mitigate this issue, and the medical professionals who I spoke to this week have told me that they believe we caught this just in time to prevent any health risks to students and staff.
“DTSC has now put together a website grouping the three locations in our community that are impacted by the plume, so that we can all better understand what it is and where it is.
“…Kennedy students, families, and staff are invited to access high-quality information from medical professionals and environmental scientists at school events this week:
On Tuesday, August 11, at 1pm, we are hosting a student forum at DeJean Middle School specifically for our Kennedy students, so that they have an opportunity to ask direct questions of the scientists who are monitoring this environmental issue.
At 6:30pm on Tuesday evening, we are inviting Kennedy families to join us for a webinar with two medical professionals: Dr. Gina Solomon, who is the Chief of Occupational, Environmental, and Climate Medicine at UCSF, and Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine at UCSF. This will be an important opportunity for our Kennedy families to get any questions answered by medical experts. Register here
On Thursday, August 13, we will also be holding a meeting with Kennedy teachers and staff to provide an update on the ongoing testing….
“Please save the date for Thursday, August 13, at 6:30pm. We will be holding a second cross-agency town hall to share preliminary results of the additional testing and to share a clear plan for how our Kennedy Eagles will have a healthy, safe start to the school year on August 18.”