Pleasanton Unified School District is dismissing class at all school sites to students starting Tuesday (March 17) until April 13 at the earliest after the Board of Trustees unanimously declared a state of emergency and supported the closures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the community at an "unprecedented" emergency meeting Friday afternoon.
Every school in the district was already scheduled to be closed Friday as a student non-attendance and teacher non-work day, and families will have the option to report to school on Monday before school is dismissed. After Monday, school will be dismissed for the rest of the week while teachers "receive professional development and learn about delivering flexible instruction" and the process of checking out devices begins.
The two weeks after -- March 23 through April 3 -- flexible instruction and remote learning will start, with teachers providing daily instruction and feedback. Spring break will take place as planned April 6-10, during which time there will be no instruction. Flexible instruction and remote learning will start again April 13 with no end date determined yet.
Students in need of a Chromebook or WiFi hotspot to access remote learning materials can request a device and technology support through the district website. An email will be sent to students once their devices are ready for pickup at the district office, 4665 Bernal Ave. Distribution is scheduled to begin March 17.
Most attendees that spoke during the public comment portion supported the decision for a dismissal, calling it “critical” to move on mitigating the virus and flattening the epidemic curve, a statistical chart that illustrates when and how quickly new cases are reported. But one parent,
Said Ayar, said he believes “there’s a lot of hysteria behind this” and that people were “overreacting” despite recommendations from health officials to restrict public events and gatherings.
“If we find out next week there are cases in our school district, then we can come back and decide, ‘OK, now it’s time to shut down the schools and kids can learn at home. I think that would probably be a better plan,” Ayar said.
But several middle and high school students along with other community members disagreed. Devansh Pandey, who attends Pleasanton Middle School, said his school and others “are a hotbed for disease” and that closing them is necessary.
“Schools are far, far easier to spread and transmit just because of the amount of touching of people and surfaces and the lackluster hygiene standards that go on there,” Pandey said. “I know personally that a lot of students I know do not wash their hands ever, including after using the bathroom.”
Other Tri-Valley schools districts held similar discussions Friday; Dublin Unified School District Superintendent Dave Marken announced that he made the decision to “suspend classes beginning on Monday, March 16, 2020 through Friday, April 10, 2020, with classes resuming on Monday, April 13, 2020.” The Board of Trustees made a unanimous advisory vote during a special emergency meeting on Friday during the same time PUSD held theirs. District offices will also be closed to the public and will not receive phone calls or in-person visits.
Dublin teachers will share lesson plans with families and students will be expected to complete assignments while campuses are closed. “Because we are in uncharted territory, this process will likely include some speedbumps and we ask for your patience as we navigate this journey together. We understand that nothing can replace the interaction between students and instructional staff in the classroom,” Marken said.
“We’d like to make it clear--do not, under any circumstances, expect individual learning plans for each and every one of our over 12,900 students,” he added.
DUSD students currently receiving meal assistance will still have access to a “grab and go” bagged breakfast and lunch during the suspension period, including over spring break. Meals will be available at Dublin High School, 8151 Village Parkway, and Cottonwood Creek Elementary, 2400 Central Parkway from 7 to 9 a.m. for breakfast and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for lunch. Meals will be available but seating will not be offered at either site. Families can review the menu and pre-order meals on the DUSD website next week. Those who need meal assistance can apply at https://www.myschoolapps.com/Application at least 48 hours before they plan to receive breakfast and lunch.
DUSD is also “finalizing a plan to allow students to borrow a Chromebook and/or wireless Internet access point so that they may continue to have access to online curricular resources for the duration of the suspension of regular school activities.” The devices will be checked out and returned “in a similar fashion to a library book.” Details about the program will be available soon, according to the district.
Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District also held an emergency Board meeting on Friday afternoon and voted to dismiss their schools beginning Monday through April. “Acting in the best interest of the health and safety of our students, staff, families, and community, our Board of Education, at the recommendation of our superintendent, Dr. Kelly Bowers, voted unanimously to dismiss schools, beginning Monday, March 16, 2020 through Friday, April 3, 2020,” the district said on their website. “We expect to resume in-class learning at our schools on Tuesday, April 14, 2020, following our regularly scheduled Spring Break (April 6 - 13, 2020).”
Flexible learning opportunities that can be accessed from home will also be available for LVJUSD students during the suspension period; an email with more information will be sent to families next week. Philomena Rambo, district director of community engagement, said their child nutrition services department “will offer all children aged 18 and younger free meal pick-up service at East Avenue Middle School (3951 East Ave.), Junction Avenue K-8 School (298 Junction Avenue) and Marylin Avenue Elementary School (800 Marylin Avenue). We will offer delivery from the inside (center) of the drop off loop from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Monday - Friday, March 16 - April 3. Each child will receive a breakfast and lunch.”
Health experts strongly recommend the public follows these steps to minimize their risk of COVID-19 transmission:
* Wash hands with liquid soap and water and rub for at least 20 seconds;
* Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing;
* Refrain from touching your eyes, nose and mouth;
* Stay home when you are sick; and
* Get a flu shot to protect yourself and others from the flu, which has similar symptoms to COVID19.
People who are healthy do not need to use a facemask to protect themselves from COVID-19. A face mask is recommended for those who are coughing or sneezing to protect others from getting sick.
ACPHD has a webpage dedicated to updates, advice and information about COVID-19 at http://acphd.org/2019-ncov.aspx.
Comments
Val Vista
on Mar 13, 2020 at 3:40 pm
on Mar 13, 2020 at 3:40 pm
I wonder what they would have done during the polio epidemic in the 1950's?
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 13, 2020 at 3:55 pm
on Mar 13, 2020 at 3:55 pm
In 1946, President Harry Truman declared polio a threat to the United States and called on Americans to do everything possible to combat it.
"The fight against infantile paralysis cannot be a local war," Truman declared in a speech broadcast from the White House. "It must be nationwide. It must be total war in every city, town and village throughout the land. For only with a united front can we ever hope to win any war."
"Late summer was dubbed "polio season." Public swimming pools were shut down. Movie theaters urged patrons not to sit too close together to avoid spreading the disease. Insurance companies started selling polio insurance for newborns.
The fear was well grounded. By the 1950s, polio had become one of the most serious communicable diseases among children in the United States.
In 1952 alone, nearly 60,000 children were infected with the virus; thousands were paralyzed, and more than 3,000 died. "
Web Link
Pleasanton Meadows
on Mar 13, 2020 at 4:34 pm
on Mar 13, 2020 at 4:34 pm
By month, you do mean 14 days ... and I believe it is a dismissal, not a closure. Closure implies no one is working - dismissal means students won't be at school and teachers will scramble to find the best ways to provide distance learning. Let's make our breaking headlines accurate ....
On another note, I'd like to thank Pleasanton Weekly for allowing non-subscribers to see what is going on during this pandemic. I appreciate the gesture to our community and the effort to keep all informed - thank you!
another community
on Mar 13, 2020 at 5:19 pm
on Mar 13, 2020 at 5:19 pm
Thank you for your inquiry, Month? We've updated the verbiage to avoid confusion over the term "closure" from an official perspective, as opposed to a layperson's interpretation (i.e. that the schools will not be open to students during that time).
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 13, 2020 at 9:14 pm
on Mar 13, 2020 at 9:14 pm
Thanks to the Weekly for following this and keeping us updated on the situation.
Avignon
on Mar 13, 2020 at 10:06 pm
on Mar 13, 2020 at 10:06 pm
Tuesday - not Monday, I mean gosh you have got to give a virus a chance
Mission Park
on Mar 13, 2020 at 11:49 pm
on Mar 13, 2020 at 11:49 pm
This closing should have been done earlier. Need to be proactive on this since the virus can be transmitted without infected person showing symptoms and symptoms dont show for 14 days. If you wait for cases to appear before closing, it's too late.
Pleasanton Heights
on Mar 14, 2020 at 12:09 pm
on Mar 14, 2020 at 12:09 pm
A lot of colleges and universities have been doing this for years. It's probably a good primer for the high school kids to see how it can work.
Well done on providing remote devices for those that don't have them. I look pretty stupid now for complaining about them buying all those Chromebooks.
Birdland
on Mar 14, 2020 at 12:32 pm
on Mar 14, 2020 at 12:32 pm
All we really have as individuals to help slow the spread is hygiene, social distancing and seriously limit contact with others right now.
PUSD finally closed schools! Hope it was not too late.
But they close on Tuesday, not now...they are bringing all the kids back together on Monday!!
How is this real, all the kids back for one rainy day, indoors all day, close proximity, touching each other then send them home and out in the community.
Pretty disappointing choice of action.
Please cancel Monday now- it undermines the entire effort.
Oak Hill
on Mar 14, 2020 at 1:41 pm
on Mar 14, 2020 at 1:41 pm
I see no use of common sense in saying students "may" come to school on Monday. Why? This is a guarantee that teachers will have to deal with partial classes and any information provided will have to be sent out anyway to cover all students. Because I substitute in elementary schools, I can say that students are already distracted by the situation and this will most likely result in a day for teachers to provide rainy day, indoor childcare rather than being able to teach. Or, better yet, the teachers could make the highest and best use of their time getting lessons together in anticipation of the switch to remote teaching. The chance of school sites being prepared to start checking out materials to students on Monday is unreasonable. Diligent parents will probably keep their children at home. Those who tend to send kids to school with colds, etc. won't think twice about doing so on Monday. Is it really worth that risk?
Gatewood
on Mar 14, 2020 at 2:59 pm
on Mar 14, 2020 at 2:59 pm
I agree with the previous posters. Why have school Monday? Makes absolutely no sense.
Ruby Hill
on Mar 14, 2020 at 3:27 pm
on Mar 14, 2020 at 3:27 pm
If there is even a SINGLE case of a student with coronavirus after Monday, who do you think will take responsibility for the decision to convene classes, the superintendant or the school board?
Del Prado
on Mar 14, 2020 at 6:37 pm
on Mar 14, 2020 at 6:37 pm
Great idea PUSD let’s bring the kids back one more day for a roll of the dice, why take the chance??? PUSD will never take the blame for this idiotic idea!
Birdland
on Mar 14, 2020 at 6:42 pm
on Mar 14, 2020 at 6:42 pm
I agree with so many other commenters. This closure should start on Monday instead of Tuesday. I'll be contacting our school and the superintendant hoping that they will change there minds and close school for Monday. There's no point in putting our kids in harm's way for one more day!
Golden Eagle
on Mar 14, 2020 at 6:58 pm
on Mar 14, 2020 at 6:58 pm
if anyone read the email properly school on monday is optional. The teachers have to go but students don’t
Gatewood
on Mar 14, 2020 at 7:25 pm
on Mar 14, 2020 at 7:25 pm
School being optional is just PUSD ‘s legal cop out. If someone caught the coronavirus at school Monday, their lawyers will say “school was optional. You should’ve kept your child home”.
Ruby Hill
on Mar 14, 2020 at 7:28 pm
on Mar 14, 2020 at 7:28 pm
PUSD wants the kids to come back on Monday, not sure why.
Many parents realize this is not safe and makes no sense to bring thousands of kids back together again at this point in virus battle after being away from each other for three days - so PUSD is using confusing language - such as the word "option" to return on Monday.
They need to step up and show guidance here and have no students congregating on campus Monday - they will all be stuck indoors all day as well with the rain.
This is a bad plan and is not safe for anyone, teachers or students. What is the point of optional . I thought we were dismissing school for everyone's health.
Pleasanton Middle School
on Mar 14, 2020 at 8:34 pm
on Mar 14, 2020 at 8:34 pm
pee pee poo poo
Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Mar 14, 2020 at 10:40 pm
on Mar 14, 2020 at 10:40 pm
I don't understand why my kids won't have assignments for a week. If a teacher gets sick and is out for a week nothing would happen? I am looking at online school options. We can enroll the kids where we know they will get a decent experience and be ready for next year. At this rate the teachers are talking like the rest of the year is just a wash. I think its finally time for us to go to private school. Those schools are just going online completely while they are shut down. Pleasanton is a joke. Nobody returns a call or email about what the real plan is.
Downtown
on Mar 15, 2020 at 8:24 am
on Mar 15, 2020 at 8:24 am
At some point here we are going to need to look at shutting everything down for 2 weeks to assess where we are. Work, travel, everything. The sooner we do the better.
Downtown
on Mar 15, 2020 at 8:51 am
on Mar 15, 2020 at 8:51 am
I also believe we should suspend the elections for a year or two until this has passed. Makes no sense to get the crowds together.
Vintage Hills
on Mar 15, 2020 at 9:24 am
on Mar 15, 2020 at 9:24 am
School is now closed Monday. Must have been enough upset people.
Pete, no suspending the election. Vote by mail is a good substitute.
Oak Hill
on Mar 15, 2020 at 9:48 am
on Mar 15, 2020 at 9:48 am
Glad to see the notice from Dr. Hagland this morning regarding class suspension beginning Monday. Please be patient and respect the time your school's staff and teachers need to get everything organized for a smooth transition to on-line learning. Many of us have been on the receiving end of on-line learning, but I doubt many have the experience of being on the instructing end - not to mention putting it together in the course of a week. Excessive phone calls and e-mails asking "when", "how", etc. will only hinder the process! In the meantime, get creative and make some flashcards for math, have your kids write about an experience, draw, read, do puzzles, etc. This is a great time to tune in a little closer to your child's academic capabilities!
Bridle Creek
on Mar 15, 2020 at 10:15 am
on Mar 15, 2020 at 10:15 am
"I also believe we should suspend the elections for a year or two until this has passed."
LOL...I agree!
Downtown
on Mar 15, 2020 at 11:28 am
on Mar 15, 2020 at 11:28 am
Kathleen, in lots of state you cannot vote by mail unless over 65 or disabled. You have to show id at the polling station. Also how in the world would you have a convention with all of those people. We need to continue with our leadership and the same direction.
Vintage Hills
on Mar 15, 2020 at 12:16 pm
on Mar 15, 2020 at 12:16 pm
Just what direction is that Pete?
The method of voting can be changed. Frankly, Trump has the Republican nomination. A few more states and it’s likely Biden for the Democrats. Probably won’t need those conventions. The country needs to have their say about our leaders.
Birdland
on Mar 15, 2020 at 12:52 pm
on Mar 15, 2020 at 12:52 pm
@Pete
Since the current President is impeached and has polled significantly below 50% among Americans throughout virtually all of his term, it would probably be best for all to just declare the Democratic nominee to be the new President on November 3 and move on from there.
Downtown
on Mar 15, 2020 at 1:33 pm
on Mar 15, 2020 at 1:33 pm
@jeff,
Would that be the old socialist or the old man with no new ideas who doesn’t know where he is half of the time?
I bet Trump wins again and by a landslide.
Bridle Creek
on Mar 15, 2020 at 9:25 pm
on Mar 15, 2020 at 9:25 pm
The State of Ohio has declared that all bars and restaurants will remain closed indefinitely.
NYC has decreed that all bars, restaurants, night clubs and movie theaters will close indefinitely.
People have gone plum loco. Just wait until it happens here and people make a run on the grocery stores for food, instead of toilet paper.
Want to see how a man-made recession is created? We're watching it play out in real-time.
I'll reference this later: Three hundred thousand were hospitalized for Swine Flu. 60 million people infected, and 300,000 hospitalized. It took NINE MONTHS for Obama to declare a state of emergency.
And people here have the nerve to hit Trump up on not doing enough.
Now virus' are political.
Dan
Pleasanton Meadows
on Mar 15, 2020 at 9:49 pm
on Mar 15, 2020 at 9:49 pm
I tuned in again this evening to the second phone conference regarding Corona Virus. Sponsored by Senator Glazer. A couple of pieces of information from that conference:
There are 150 people from the Oakland cruise ship that are Alameda County Residents, probably all of them are in quarantine at Travis.
There are 29 confirmed cases of people with corona virus in Contra Costa County.
There are 7 confirmed cases of people with corona virus in Alameda County. The County health expert representing Alameda county was not necessarily fourth coming with information, she was asked the question three times, mumbled "more information may be available tomorrow".
Governor Newsum was quoted "14% new cases of corona virus in California over and above yesterday".