Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

Covid-19 Blog

Graduates Will Receive Congratulatory Email Messages, Celebration Materials

Posted on by Richard Rojo

Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College will be emailing the Class of 2020 a virtual congratulations package. Having postponed commencement exercises until it is safe for mass gatherings, we will want to congratulate all the District’s graduates. Each graduate will receive:

  • Congratulations video from the college president in full regalia
  • Downloadable/printable lawn sign and social media filters 
  • Grads will be encouraged to post a photo on social media, which we will feed into a commencement photo grid “live feed” on college commencement pages 
  • Reminder that they will be invited to participate in a ceremony in the future, once gatherings are safe 

The District will also run a two-page congratulations ad in the San Mateo Daily Journal, listing the name of each graduate. Congratulations messages will go out soon!

Classes Will be Online for Summer and Fall 2020

Posted on by Richard Rojo

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Dear Cañada College, CSM, and Skyline College Students:

Fall Semester Will Be Online
The Fall 2020 semester at Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College will be online for most student programs.  Our faculty members, administration, and Board of Trustees have agreed this is the best way to keep our students and employees safe through the fall.  

There will be some exceptions for courses/labs in the healthcare and emergency services fields, as well as in STEM, career education, and other select areas. However, even these courses will be in hybrid format with lectures online and only necessary labs being done in-person. Specific courses will be determined in the coming weeks and your instructor will communicate with you about the details.

Register now for fall classes!

Student Services Will Be Online Through December 2020
All student services will also continue online through December 31, 2020. There may be some services that are absolutely necessary to provide in-person, so we will provide details this summer.

Summer Will Be Online
As we have previously announced, Summer classes will be online. This is a great time for you to get ahead for the fall or catch up on courses you may have had to drop or missed out on. Check WebSchedule for all the courses available to you this summer.

Need to Withdraw Or Change Your Grading Options?
If you need to drop a class, you can do that until the day BEFORE the last day of the class. Until May 21, you may also request to change grading option for a course to Pass/No Pass by filling out this Add/Drop form and emailing it to your admissions office:
Cañada Admissions
CSM Admissions
Skyline Admissions

We strongly advise you to talk to your counselor before making those decisions, because this may affect your academic progress and ability to transfer. See these New Student Guidelines for excused withdrawal, pass/no pass, and incomplete grading options. Here’s how to contact your counselor:

Register Even if You Owe A Little Money!
We know times are hard and we don’t want you to have to sacrifice your education. Even if you owe up to $49 in fees to the District, you will still be able to register for summer and fall classes. We are here for you and want you to complete your education, so if you are having difficulty paying for school please contact the Cashier’s Office at your College to find out about payment options:

The Census is Hiring! Apply Online to Be a Census Worker. And Fill Out Your Census!
The Census has been extended for four months, and San Mateo County is hiring field staff workers with pay up to $30/hour. Apply online at www.2020census.gov/jobs. If you have applied and need technical assistance, please call our Support Desk at 1-855-562-2020, and select Option 4.

Did you know you can complete your 2020 Census questionnaire online? Just go to www.my2020census.gov. Learn more at the San Mateo County Census 2020 website.

Do You Need Shelter, Food Assistance, or Basic Services?
Dial 2-1-1 for non-emergency resources or visit the District website for places to go for help.

Get the Latest District Information
District COVID-19 Page
Telephone Hotline: 650-574-6650

Summer request Form for Student Technology Needs

Posted on by Richard Rojo

Do you know of a student who will need to borrow a Chromebook or other technology for summer term? Please share this Summer Technology Request form with colleagues or students so that we can get students what they need for summer classes.  Students may fill out the form directly, or faculty/staff may make a request for them. Thank you for helping to get the word out! 

Student Technology Request Form – Summer 2020

Zoom Updates – May 22, 2020

Posted on by Richard Rojo

Zoom has added even more security features and ability for meeting organizers to maintain control, in software client 5.0.  Please be sure to update to Zoom’s latest release to take advantage of these new features, and be prepared for transition to higher end encryption starting May 30. The 5.0 update includes:

Consent for unmute: When a meeting host has muted a participant, they can no longer unmute that person without their consent. That participant will now receive a prompt asking for consent to be unmuted. Note: With this feature, the option for hosts to Unmute All participants at once has been removed, but will return in a later release.

New audio for Waiting Rooms: We’ve created a specific audio chime for when someone hits the Waiting Room, so hosts are aware that they’re there. You can also enable the “Play sound when participants join or leave” feature to hear alerts when participants are coming and going.

Meeting information during screen share: Participants can now access meeting information, such as meeting ID, when sharing their screen. Find it under “More” in the meeting controls.

Multiple login restrictions: For meetings that require registration, hosts can choose whether to allow participants to join from multiple devices. This is available under Registration Options of the meeting details section in the web portal.

How To Request an Excused Withdrawal

Posted on by Richard Rojo

Due to the crisis caused by the pandemic, California community college students are allowed to request an Excused Withdrawal (EW) for up to a year after the end of their courses for Spring 2020. Simply download this Extenuating Circumstances Form and send it to your college’s admissions office.

Cañada Admissions
CSM Admissions
Skyline Admissions

On the form, please indicate the reason “Covid-19.” You do not need a teacher signature or other information.

San Mateo County Community College District Courses Go Mainly Online for Summer and Fall Terms

Posted on by Richard Rojo

Colleges Will Prioritize Training for Healthcare and Emergency Services

San Mateo, CA – The three colleges of the San Mateo County Community College District – Cañada College, College of San Mateo and Skyline College – will continue to hold courses in online and distance education modalities, as well as provide student services remotely, through December 31, 2020. The San Mateo County Community College District Board of Trustees is expected to formally ratify the decision on June 10.

“In taking these actions, we join other education partners, including the CSU, in maintaining educational continuity and prioritizing safety,” said SMCCCD Chancellor Mike Claire.  “Our goal is, and will continue to be, making sure that students, faculty, staff, administrators and campus visitors are safe.  We do not want to unnecessarily put students and employees at risk.  My expectation would be that we keep as many people away from our campuses as possible until conditions have significantly improved.”

In-person instruction will continue for certain essential infrastructure sectors – healthcare and emergency services fields – in order to train first responders and healthcare workers to address urgent community needs. Due to requirements for social distancing, classroom/lab sanitization procedures, and other health precautions, the number of people at SMCCCD campuses must be kept at a minimum.

College commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2020 have also been postponed, pending long-term guidance for mass gatherings

Federal CARES Act Emergency Funding for Students

Posted on by Richard Rojo

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act provides $5.6 million to the San Mateo County Community College District. The District will be using 75% of these funds to provide direct emergency cash grants to our students to assist with expenses such as food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare, and childcare.The District will be investing the remaining 25% of the funding in faculty and staff professional development and technology needs related to the transition to remote teaching and learning. See funding breakdown below:

What are the student eligibility requirements for the grant?
Students who have Pell grant funding have already been notified that they will receive a CARES Act grant. The college financial aid offices are currently identifying other students to receive these grants. Those students will be notified as they are identified.

The CARES Act allows funding according to these criteria:

  • Students who are enrolled in 6-12+ units
  • U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens
  • Students with valid Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Male students registered with the Selective Service
  • Students with a high school diploma or GED
  • Students in programs leading to a degree or certificate

How much in emergency funds can students expect?

  • Pell Grant Students
    • 6-11 Units: $800/student
    • 12 + Units: $1,100/student
  • Non Pell Grant Students
    • 6-11 Units: $500/student
    • 12 + Units: $650/student

What can the money be used for?

  • Students can use the CARES grant to pay for food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare, transportation, and childcare.

How do students apply?

  • Pell Grant students do not need to apply. Students will receive a notification from the college financial aid offices.
  • Non-Pell Grant students will be emailed a notification from their college if they are eligible to receive CARES Act funds. This email will instruct them to complete an application form that the financial aid offices will use to confirm their eligibility. After financial aid reviews the form, the student’s eligibility status will update under the student’s financial aid status in WebSmart. 

When will the funds be dispersed?

  • Funds are being disbursed via the District’s financial aid partner, BankMobile, beginning May 20. In light of college funding timeline and prioritization of funds, not all students will receive awarding at the same time.
  • 67% of the available student allocation will be disbursed to students in the spring; 33% will be disbursed in the fall semester.

What should I tell students about this?

  • There is no need to identify or communicate with students who may be receiving this funding. The college financial aid offices are identifying and directly notifying students who qualify.

What about students who were left out of the CARES Act?
Unfortunately, the CARES Act left out some of our most vulnerable student groups such as undocumented students. In an effort to address the shortfall in the CARES Act, the District and the San Mateo County Community College Foundation (SMCCCF) have created an Undocumented Student Fund in support of these critical members of our campus communities. The fund makes more than $160,000 available for emergency scholarships to over 500 undocumented students in the District. All undocumented students, regardless of unit load, GPA, or other criteria, will be awarded $322.

To support the Undocumented Student Fund, please give online.

More information will be forthcoming about plans for the professional development and technology funding. Please watch your District communications for updates.

COVID-19 Tests Are Now Available to Anyone in San Mateo County

Posted on by Richard Rojo

San Mateo County is now offering free testing to all residents through Project Baseline. To meet state guidelines, the County needs to administer about 1,200 tests per day. Testing is free to County residents and available without restriction, though an appointment is required in advance. Make your appointment online at the Project Baseline website.

Download these flyers for easy reference:
English
Spanish
Chinese

After your test, you will receive results and other information by email. San Mateo County Health will reach out to residents who test positive.

For more information visit https://www.smcgov.org/covid-19-testing.

Linya ng paksa: Online ang semestre sa Taglagas – magparehistro na ngayon!

Posted on by Richard Rojo

Minamahal na mga estudyante sa Cañada College, CSM, at Skyline College:

Online Ang Semestre sa Taglagas
Ang semestre ng Taglagas 2020 sa Cañada College, Kolehiyo ng San Mateo, at Skyline College ay magiging online para sa karamihan ng mga programa pang-estudyante. Nagkasundo ang ating mga miyembro ng faculty, pangasiwaan, at Lupon ng mga Tagapangasiwa na ito ang pinakamahusay na paraan para mapanatiling ligtas ang ating mga estudyante at empleyado sa kabuuan ng taglagas. 

Mayroong ilang pagbubukod para sa mga kurso/lab sa mga larangan ng mga serbisyo sa pangangalaga sa kalusugan at emerhensiya, pati na rin sa STEM, at iba pang piling lugar. Gayunpaman, kahit ang mga kursong ito ay naka-hybrid na format na online ang mga lektura at tanging ang mga kinakailangang lab lang ang gagawin nang personal. Tutukuyin ang mga partikular na kurso sa mga paparating na linggo at uugnayan kayo ng inyong instruktor tungkol sa mga detalye.

Online ang mga Serbisyo sa Estudyante Hanggang Disyembre 2020
Lahat ng mga serbisyo sa estudyante ay magpapatuloy hanggang Disyembre 31, 2020. Maaaring mayroong ilang serbisyong siguradong kakailanganing gawin nang personal, kaya magbibigay kami ng mga detalye sa tag-araw.

Online ang Tag-araw
Gaya ng inihayag noong nakaraan, gaganapin online ang mga klase sa tag-araw. Magandang pagkakataon ito para sa’yo na maghanda para sa taglagas o humabol sa mga kursong maaaring kinailangan mong i-drop o nalampasan mo. Tingnan ang WebSchedule para sa lahat ng mga kursong mayroon sa tag-araw.

Kailangang Bawiin O Baguhin ang mga Pagpipilian sa Pagmamarka Mo?
Kung kailangan mong mag-drop ng klase o magbago ng pagpipilian sa pagmamarka sa Pasado/Hindi Pasado, maaari mong gawin iyon hanggang isang araw BAGO ang huling araw ng klase. Mariin naming iminumungkahing makipag-usap ka sa iyong tagapayo bago mo gawin ang mga desisyong iyon, dahil maaaring maapektuhan nito ang pag-unlad ng iyong akademiko at kakayahang lumipat. Tingnan itong Mga Bagong Gabay sa Estudyante para sa pinayagang pagbawi, pasado/hindi pasado, at hindi kumpleto na pagpipilian sa pagmamarka. Narito ang paraan kung paano mauugnayan ang iyong tagapayo:

Cañada Counseling
CSM Counseling
Skyline Counseling

Magparehistro Kahit May Hindi Pa Nababayarang Maliit na Halaga!
Alam namin na mahirap ang panahon ngayon at hindi namin gustong isakripisyo mo ang iyong pag-aaral. Kahit pa mayroon kang pagkakautang na hanggang $49 sa bayarin sa Distrito, maaari ka pa ring makapagparehistro para sa mga klase sa tag-araw at taglagas. Narito kami at gusto naming matapos mo ang iyong pag-aaral, kaya kung nahihirapan ka sa pagbabayad sa paaralan paki kontak ang Opisina ng Kahera sa inyong Kolehiyo para malaman ang mga pagpipilian sa pagbabayad:

Cañada Cashier’s Office
CSM Cashier’s Office
Skyline Cashier’s Office

Hiring ang Census! Mag-apply Online Para Maging Manggagawa sa Census. At Sagutan ang Census Mo!
Pinahaba ang Census nang apat pang buwan, at nagha-hire ang San Mateo County ng mga tauhan na sasahuran ng hanggang $30/oras. Mag-apply online sa www.2020census.gov/jobs. Kung nakapag-apply ka at kailangan ng teknikal na tulong, paki tawagan ang aming Support Desk sa 1-855-562-2020, at piliin ang Opsyon 4.

Alam mo bang maaari mong sagutan ang talatanungan ng 2020 Census online? Magtungo lamang sa www.my2020census.gov. Higit pang matuto sa website ng San Mateo County Census 2020.

Kailangan Mo Ba ng Matitirhan, Tulong sa Pagkain, o Batayang Serbisyo?
I-dial ang 2-1-1 para sa hindi-emerhensiyang pagkukunan o magtungo sa District website para sa mga lugar na maaaring puntahan para sa tulong.

Makakuha ng Pinakabagong Impormasyon sa Distrito
Pahina ng Distrito sa COVID-19
Hotline ng Telepono: 650-574-6650