Placer County schools closed because of COVID-19 concerns

Placer County Superintendent of Schools Gayle Garbolino-Mojica, school district superintendents and charter school officials on Friday, in concurrence with Placer County Public Health, temporarily closed all Placer County public schools and state preschools for the next three weeks. That's to protect the health and safety of students and school communities, according to a press release Friday from the Placer County Office of Education. Western Placer Unified School District Superintendent Scott Leaman said that the district is working to make education available at home for students. According to Leaman, students that are taking Advanced Placement, Honors or college readiness courses will need to complete projects and tests to prove their preparedness level. Schools will contact families about vital services and resources available to them throughout the closure, including distance-learning options and meals, according to the release. "Decisions like this are difficult to make but we are taking this action based on what is known at this time about the transmission and severity of the illness to best protect our school communities," Garbolino-Mojica said. "The most effective way to slow the transmission of this virus is to implement social distancing practices. We won't take chances when it comes to the health and safety of our students." During the school closure, students and families are urged to follow the Department of Public Health's recommendations for social distancing at events and gatherings, and to minimize social contact to the extent possible. While children have not been shown to be a high-risk group for serious illness from COVID-19, according to Friday's press release, they are still able to transmit the virus to populations who are most vulnerable to serious illness, such as older adults and those with compromised immune systems. Among the precautions offered by the Placer County Office of Education are: * Be mindful in childcare decisions to avoid exposing vulnerable persons, such as grandparents, to children. * Do not gather in other locations such as shopping malls, movie theaters or community centers even while school is closed. * Remember to continue efforts to reduce the spread of germs by washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, cover your cough or sneeze, stay home if you are sick and continue to disinfect frequently-touched surfaces. "As our county navigates this difficult time, we must continue to lean on the strength of each other," Garbolino-Mojica said. "Please be patient and be kind to one another. The safety and wellness of our students and staff are a priority, and we thank you for your cooperation and support in helping us to maintain a healthy and safe learning environment." While Placer County schools were expected to reopen in April, that might now not occur. On Tuesday afternoon, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said it is possible that schools might not be able to open prior to summer break in response to the spread of COVID-19. Newsom's prediction was made during a press conference where he detailed the latest data on the illness and assured the public that they will get back to the life they once knew. "It's likely few if any California schools will reopen before summer break," Newsom said. "We knew this is a very stressful time, especially with children and planning ahead. We shouldn't be assuming this will happen in two weeks or eight weeks. It could be much longer and we should be prepared for that." Newsom asked residents to stay united as they continue to take unprecedented measures to contain the spread of this illness. Although he urged everyone to not panic, he announced that he has placed the California National Guard on alert for various humanitarian missions, such as ensuring proper food distribution and public safety as some grocery stores resorted to rationing to control panic buying. California hospitals have been planning for a surge of patients. Newsom explained that health officials are running models to determine needs based on various infection rates and resulting hospitalizations. "We had a very candid and a sober if not sobering conversation about where we may be and where we need to go together," he said. "The good news is none of it surprised any of us. We as a state, working with our system, anticipated much of these needs and have been running plans to address them." Currently nearly all of the state's schools are closed for periods ranging from two to five weeks. The state has applied for a federal waiver, so children will not have to face academic tests once they eventually return to school. "We think it is totally inappropriate for kids to worry about coming back and being tested," Newsom said. Newsom shared with the media what had influenced his decision to tell the public to prepare for longer school closures. He returned home Monday to find his 6-year old daughter crying and upset and asking when she could go back to school. "I told her, 'Honey, I don't think the schools are going to open again," Newsom said. "If I can tell my daughter that and not tell your daughter, then I'm not being honest and true to the people of the state of California. Boy, I hope I'm wrong but I believe that to be the case."