Student textbook distribution resumed at Pali High during the first week of February after the state stay-at-home order was lifted. 

The process was originally scheduled to begin at the end of the fall semester. Plans changed when state lockdown orders were issued in early December.

Andrea King, the school librarian, explained that the school was unable to distribute textbooks due to the statewide stay-at-home order that was in place from Dec. 3 to Jan. 25. King said, “Now that Newsom has lifted the [order], between that and LAUSD’s approval, we’re now able to distribute textbooks.”

With students unable to pick up textbooks on campus, teachers scrambled to identify digital alternatives. 

Sophomore Lauren Shaulov said that she is using a web-based version of “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar” in her English class and an online website to access her math textbook. Shaulov said that she actually prefers using the online materials over the physical textbooks.

Kayla Dayani, a sophomore, added: “I have noticed that I study slower due to the fact that my face is literally staring at a screen all day, five times a week. I have to constantly take breaks for my eyes and take breaks while charging my laptop.” 

Dayani added that she thinks that other students may be struggling as well. “I know that many people are more of a physical type of learner,” she said. “So they would need to physically be holding and reading from their textbook to really grasp the information.”

Before the textbook distribution resumed, school staff was looking for alternative ways to distribute textbooks. “We were going into the mailing mode,” King said. “I have boxes all over the library, because we were set up to mail all the books home that kids needed.” 

King went on to explain that the first round of materials were sent out, and that she was preparing to send out a second and third round when the stay-at-home order was lifted. She said that materials for the knitting class were mailed to students’ homes. “We were in the process of doing sewing classes, [and] we had bought boxes to mail clay home [for students in ceramics],” King said.

Once the stay-at-home order was lifted, textbook distribution officially began on Feb. 3. Students were able to return and receive their textbooks or get electronic devices fixed until Feb. 6. 

The spring semester textbook distribution was similar to the process used in Fall at the beginning of the school year. Students who arrived to campus by car picked up and returned materials without leaving their vehicles. 

“The books [that students] turn in [need to be] quarantined,” King explained. “I cannot hand them back out to [students].” 

King said that textbooks from last semester need to be returned, so they can be distributed to other students.

“We’re going to hopefully try as much as we can to have [students] come and pick up all [their] English books for the semester so [students] won’t have to come back again,” King said “so that if we do have another stay at home order, [students] will not be without [their] books.”