Sep 9 2020

We understand that now more than ever we all need to get out and be active in our parks.

That is why the City has decided to reopen Linda Beach Playfield to the public starting Monday, September 14. We are asking you for your help in keeping this neighborhood park open and safe for all users by wearing a face covering, practicing social distancing, and not sharing sports equipment with members outside your household. Only one entrance, located on Linda Avenue under the Oakland Avenue Bridge, will be opened for park access.

During public use hours, a Park Ambassador will be at the entrance and will remind users of and enforce COVID-19 safety requirements.

Linda Beach Playfield will be open for public use beginning on Monday, September 14th during these times:

Monday-Friday: 10:30 am3 pm

Saturday: 3:00 pmDusk

Sunday: 9:0011:30 am

Linda Beach Playfield will also be used by Recreation Department and youth sports organizations at times other than the above times, by permit only. No public use is allowed outside of the times above.

Please contact the Piedmont Recreation Department at (510) 420-3070 or prd@piedmont.ca.gov with questions.

Announcement: Piedmont Recreation Department
Sep 5 2020

On Tuesday, September 8, 2020, following the Labor Day weekend, the City Council will be updated by the staff on keeping the pool  closed at this time.  A staff report informs the public and Council that the condition of the Piedmont Municipal Pool is in disrepair, including a broken heater and other factors, making it inappropriate for the pool to be reopened at this time.  The City Council will consider the matter at the September 8 meeting. 

Read the staff report for the September 8th meeting:  >Pool 92020 Update

Piedmont Municipal Pool

Council Meeting, September 8, 6:00 PM,  Read how to watch and participate in the meeting by clicking the link below:

https://piedmont.ca.gov/UserFiles/Servers/Server_13659739/File/Government/City%20Council/Agenda/council-current-agenda.pdf

Aug 22 2020

Alameda County Issued Revised Shelter in Place Order – 

Piedmont to Consider Whether Pool Reopening is Practicable  – 

On Friday evening, August 21st, the Alameda County Health Official issued a revised Shelter in Place order, which, effective August 28th, allows the reopening of outdoor pools, permission for outdoor personal care services, and permission for outdoor tasting at wineries. A summary of the order is available on the County’s web site.

As this is the first guidance issued by Alameda County for the reopening of pools, the City will spend the next two weeks determining whether the conditions imposed by the order can be applied in a way that makes sense to reopen the Piedmont Community Pool. Staff had previously developed reopening frameworks based upon guidance from other health jurisdictions. The City understands the importance of the pool to the community and will examine whether reopening under the requirements imposed by the order is practicable. It is likely that a decision on whether to reopen the Piedmont Community Pool will be considered by the City Council at its meeting of September 8th. –

August 22, 2020 – Press Release

Contact: John O. Tulloch     (510) 420-3041     jtulloch@piedmont.ca.gov

Aug 14 2020

Confirmed Covid-19 Positive Test Results Stand at 27* for Piedmont as of August 13, 2020 –  

*Updated to 29 positive results – August 19, 2020 – 

While the current figure appears to reflect a sudden August surge, that may not be the case.  In a Zoom presentation to supporters of San Francisco Opera on Wednesday evening, August 12, Piedmont Epidemiologist George Rutherford pointed out that the virus tracker system had broken and the data was being corrected.  Catching up with the figures can create the appearance of a surge that is actually a correction covering longer periods. Rutherford indicated there were surges in April and again in June.

Jul 31 2020

The Piedmont Unified School District will close the Witter Athletic Complex at 6:00 am on Monday, August 3rd until further notice. The Complex includes Witter Field, the baseball and softball fields, the batting cages, and the Witter Field House restrooms.

This closure is due to persistent lack of compliance with the Alameda County Public Health Department’s Shelter in Place orders. Despite repeated warnings from District staff, users of the Witter Complex have continued to play group sports in violation of COVID-19 health orders.

Similar issues led the City of Piedmont to close the Linda Beach Playfield last week. The District regrets having to take this action and the inconvenience this may cause the community. Nonetheless, continued lack of compliance on both City and District fields poses a serious public health risk, necessitating these closures. The District will work with the City and County to determine when it is safe and appropriate to reopen the Witter Complex.

Questions or comments? Please contact Director of Facilities Pete Palmer at ppalmer@piedmont.k12.ca.us

Jul 31 2020
Do not play if you have any symptoms of Covid-19, have been around anyone with symptoms, or played at another Pickleball venue where someone has contracted covid.   
– NEW PROTOCOL: Singles only.  No doubles, no family doubles.   
– Maintain minimal six feet at all times. Move away from the paddles and the sanitizer; do not congregate. Stay away from the net as much as possible while playing.
– Play only with balls and paddles you bring. It is suggested that you mark and play with your own ball. Kick or hit your opponent’s ball back to them.
– Lined up paddles on the fence determine order of play. Both players come off if others are waiting. If you come with a partner or family to play, limit your play to 15 minutes or one game if others are waiting.
– Masks are required while playing and waiting.
– Leave your bag in one spot for the duration of your play and six feet away from other bags.
– Sanitize after each game, sanitizer is provided.
– Bring water as the water fountains are close. The bathrooms are closed.
– No basketball or other use of the courts. Inform other users that City and School District policy is no other activity.
– The gates will be opened by designated players only. If you leave the courts and no one else is playing, be absolutely sure that all gates are locked. Put the jug of hand sanitizer back in the metal box, lock the box, remove the key ring and put the keys in the small combination box hanging on the right. Close it and spin the dials.
– Both follow and enforce the protocols.

Play is at the Piedmont Middle School (“PMS”) courts only:
9am – 1pm Mon Wed Fri Sat Sun
4pm – 6pm Tue Thur

PMS is located at 742 Magnolia Ave, Piedmont. Take the steps down to the right of the gym and the courts are down the hill behind the school. Because of major school construction parking on Magnolia will be congested.
Jul 30 2020

A significant percentage of Piedmonters are out of town and are unaware of the impacts.

 Dear Piedmonters,

I appeal to you to join me in lobbying our elected city leaders for an extension of time (beyond August 3rd) for the  second reading of the recently proposed Ordinances 750 and 751 (aka the “Reach Codes) for a variety of reasons including:

1)      Because the impact of these proposed ordinance affects all of Piedmont’s property owners, I believe it would be very welcomed and appropriate for the city to make a special effort to communicate these proposed ordinances to all Piedmont citizens.

2)      It’s my sense that a combination factors (e.g. COVID-19 and the summer season) results in a significant percentage of Piedmonters out of town and unaware of the Piedmont Posts’s  July 22nd reporting on the Reach Codes    In addition, those that have read the codes may find (as I do) that more time is needed to responsibly reflect upon the proposed ordinance and render productive feedback to our elected city leaders.

The benefits of achieving a broad awareness of the proposed Reach Codes, and the benefits of receiving constructive feedback from citizens and homeowners supports allowing more time before the second reading.

The text of the proposed ordinance can be found here:  https://piedmont.ca.gov/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=16846499

Thank you for your consideration

Dai Meagher, Piedmont Resident

Jul 26 2020

Due to Lack of Compliance with County Health Orders

The City of Piedmont will close Linda Beach Playfield at 4:00PM on Friday, July 24th until
further notice, due to lack of compliance with the Alameda County Public Health Department’s
Shelter in Place orders. Despite repeated warnings from city staff, users of this facility have
continued to play group sports in violation of COVID-19 health orders. We regret having to take this action, but the actions of field users have necessitated it. The City will examine when the best time to reopen the field is and announce it at a later date. We understand the inconvenience this will cause to residents, but the continued lack of compliance poses a public health risk and must be addressed.

The City strongly advises residents to comply with the Health Officer’s Shelter in Place orders as well as the Health Officer’s face covering order. The City is considering additional enforcement measures regarding compliance with these vital orders.

Press Release July 24, 2020       Contact:  City Clerk John Tulloch at 510/547-5886
Jul 26 2020
The League of Women Voters of Piedmont will host an event on food insecurity in the East Bay featuring an enlightened discussion with Suzan Bateson, Executive Director of the Alameda County Community Food Bank (ACCFB) in conjunction with a League fundraiser for the Food Bank. This free event will be live-streamed on the LWVP YouTube channel from 4:00-5:00 pm on Tuesday, August 4, 2020.
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With the added health and economic strains of the Covid-19 pandemic, viewers will learn about Alameda County’s significant food insecurity issues and how to help achieve a hunger-free community.
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Ms. Bateson, who has served as Executive Director of the ACCFB since 2001, will discuss the Food Bank’s dynamic programs, which include fresh food distribution to the community as well as work toward eliminating the causes of hunger in the East Bay.

During Ms. Bateson’s tenure, the Food Bank has tripled its annual food distribution to 32.5 million pounds. The organization’s success has been recognized numerous times and was awarded Feeding America’s national food bank of the year award in 2016. Notably, under Ms. Bateson’s leadership and bold approach, the ACCFB has ended the distribution of carbonated beverages while increasing its farm fresh produce from 1 million to 20 million pounds annually.

Suzan Bateson was inducted into the Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame in 2017 and is currently chair of Feeding America’s Western Region. She attended the California College of the Arts and was a participant in the Executive Program for Non-profit Leaders at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.

This LWVP event will be live-streamed on the LWVP YouTube channel from 4:00-5:00 pm on Tuesday, August 4, 2020. Viewers may submit questions through the YouTube livestream comments, or email to  lwvpiedmont@gmail.com. The program will conclude with an invitation and instructions on how to join Team LWVP by donating to the Food Bank. For more information, visit www.lwvpiedmont.org.

Jul 15 2020

The Piedmont Unified School District, along with other California School Districts, has been unsure how to safely and effectively open Piedmont schools.

At a Special Meeting on July 16, 2020, 5 p.m., the Piedmont School Board will discuss and consider Distance Learning programs for Piedmont schools with instruction beginning August 17.  For full Agenda details, time, staff reports and participation instructions for the meeting, click below:

https://agendaonline.net/public/Meeting.aspx?AgencyID=1241&MeetingID=79474&AgencyTypeID=1&IsArchived=False

The School Calendar for 2020-21  –

Revised-2020-21-Instructional-Calendar-Board-Approved-071320.pdf

The following letter was sent from Superintendent Randall Booker to PUSD Educators and Families,

I’m writing to provide you all with updates related to our planning for a return to teaching and learning in the 20-21 school year.

During the July 13th Board of Education Meeting, the PUSD Board of Education directed me to bring forward a plan to begin the school year in a 100% Distance Learning Model.  I agree with this directive and appreciate the Board’s flexibility and willingness to recognize how COVID-19 is affecting the start of school for countless districts across Piedmont, Alameda County, the bay area, and the state.

I also agree with the Board of Education that we must continue to develop plans to bring students and staff back to our campuses, as we had previously discussed, as soon as it is possible and within acceptable parameters of safety.

The safety of our students and staff continue to be our top priority. 

Over the past several days, we have witnessed the infection rate spike across Alameda County, the bay area, and the state.  We simply do not live in a bubble and must consider how the virus is impacting not just Piedmont, but our surrounding communities as well.  In order to bring students and staff back onto our campuses, we were hoping to witness a decrease in the infection rate and hospitalizations.  We were also hoping to see an increase in the access and availability of testing.  Neither of these important criteria are materializing.  In fact, we are witnessing these trend lines headed in the opposite direction.

We are not alone in this thinking.  Many school districts, within and outside of Alameda County, are making the decision to move to a 100% Distance Learning Model to start the school year for similar reasons.  If we hope to transition to an on-site blended learning model, it is imperative to ensure that our students and staff remain safe during a period of increased transmission.

The Board of Education will consider a proposal to begin the 2020-21 school year in a 100% Distance Learning model at the July 16th Special Board of Education Meeting (5:00pm).  All stakeholders are welcome to provide public input prior to Board action.

If approved, administration, educators, and staff will direct our efforts entirely on developing a Distance Learning model that is focused, targeted, and productive for all of our students.  While the spring saw us shift into a crisis mode of distance learning, the fall will be met with much more structure that addresses the six following themes:

  1. An emphasis on a set and consistent daily bell schedule and number of synchronous (live) minutes for direct teaching and learning.

  2. Social/Emotional learning and support systems

  3. Consistent and required benchmark assessments and grading

  4. Structured professional development, training, and collaboration for all of our educators and staff throughout the school year.

  5. Uniform learning platforms and instructional technology

  6. Daily attendance tracking

This summer is challenging as we continue planning with our educators in an environment that constantly shifts.  We have spent a tremendous amount of human capital on the development and implementation of multiple plans based on multiple scenarios.  We have adjusted the 20-21 instructional calendar.  We have negotiated topics including instructional minutes, bell schedules, student cohorting practices, master scheduling, on-campus safety requirements, and employee leave of absence rights.  We have also planned for and reacted to drastic changes to our budget.  In short, all of these challenges have diluted our effectiveness and efficiency.

With a Board decision, the next five weeks, leading up to the start of school, will focus solely on the development and delivery of a Distance Learning Model to ensure a focused, targeted, and productive environment for all.  I recognize that any form of Distance Learning cannot adequately compare to in-person instruction, but I’m looking ahead, doing what is necessary to keep students and staff safe in the immediate, and hoping that under the right environment, we can return to in-person instruction with a full complement of learners and educators.  I fear that a rush to an immediate environment of in-person learning will only lead to an increased infection rate among our students and staff and return us right away to distance learning.

The Board will need to consider the appropriate parameters and benchmarks needed to return to in-person teaching and learning.  We are partnering with the Alameda County Office of Education, Alameda County Public Health Department, and surrounding districts to develop some semblance of uniformity around these benchmarks.  My goal is to provide the Board, our educators, and the community with recommended safety benchmarks prior to August 17th.

I deeply recognize how challenging these decisions are for our educators, staff, families, and students.  There is no single popular decision.  The Board of Education and I are making informed decisions based on the current landscape and what we feel is best for the safety and health of our students and staff.  As we have said since March, COVID-19 is largely in control and will require our planning to be unprecedented in its flexibility.  With that said, there is still so much we can all do to expedite an in-person learning environment:

  1. Masks are a must in all environments outside of the home.

  2. Social Distancing is real and desperately needed.

  3. Establish limited family cohorts and bubble groups.

  4. Delay any unnecessary travel.

  5. Wash your hands/use hand sanitizer fastidiously.

Please be on the look-out for active communications from school sites in the next week or two with updated instructions and developments.  Thank you for doing your part to keep our entire Piedmont community healthy.

Randall Booker

Superintendent