For Immediate Release: April 7, 2020 at 12:00 p.m.
Bay Area School Campuses to Stay Closed for Remainder of School Year
Instruction will be delivered to students through distance learning.
San Rafael, CA – Marin County has aligned with six Bay Area county health officers and county superintendents of schools to make a unified, regional decision to extend school closures through the end of the school year. All schools will continue to provide instruction through distance learning.
Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Francisco Counties agreed to this decision for the health and safety of our communities at large. This decision follows statement by Governor Newsom and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond suggesting that California’s students would not likely be able to return to campus for in-person learning for the remainder of this school year.
In addition to providing student instruction through distance learning, school districts will continue to distribute school meals and provide childcare for healthcare workers and essential workers as determined by local needs.
“It is important to remember that our students’ learning and our teachers’ instruction is ongoing,” continued Burke. “School is open though campuses may remain physically closed. We value every day of instruction, whether onsite or at home, and our schools pledge to do all we can to support our students, families, staff and community during this challenging time.”
This decision builds on the regional coordination the six Bay Area jurisdictions took in issuing the health officer order for all residents to shelter in place in to slow the spread of COVID-19 to the maximum extent.
“This is obviously not a decision that is made lightly, and we recognize the stress and challenge it places on families,” said Dr. Lisa Santora, Marin County’s Deputy Public Health Officer. “It is, however, a decision that puts the priority on the health and safety of families and the community in Marin and the Bay Area.”
In the coming days and weeks, districts will provide families with information regarding how grades, graduation, transcripts, scholarships, school, and how continued distance learning instruction will be handled. Guidance is being provided by the California Department of Education and the leaders of Marin’s school districts are working together to provide a unified, caring and informed approach as we deal with these matters.
“Our schools understand the impact of this order and the additional responsibilities it places on families in our community,” said Mary Jane Burke, Marin County Superintendent of Schools. “It will take patience and understanding by all of us as schools transition into a new way of teaching and learning to meet the health and safety impacts of COVID-19. Working together we can and will meet this challenge.”
The Marin Public Health has guidance and resources related to COVID-19 available at: MarinHHS.org/Coronavirus. In addition, individuals can contact Marin HHS with non-medical COVID-19 questions by calling a dedicated information call center at (415) 473-7191 or by email.
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Please click on the following link to see the official Press Release, which is available in English and Spanish: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/657453/MCOE_Press_Release_4.7.2020.pdf