On March 9, the Placer County Board of Supervisors declared a local health emergency. As part of that effort, Placer County Public Health will be moving from containment strategies (keeping the spread of the virus controlled) to community mitigation strategies in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 throughout our region with a focus to protect vulnerable communities and guard critical infrastructure. Efforts such as reducing social contacts between people in schools, workplaces and community settings can be the first line of defense against highly transmissible infectious diseases.
Update as of May 21, 2020
The Placer County Office of Education, school district superintendents and charter school operators
have remained diligent in efforts to provide families with essential
services, to support student wellness and ensure continuity of our
students’ education through distance learning.
While we are
excited
about the possibility of resuming school, there are some major
questions we will have to answer and challenges we will have to think
through in order to protect the health and safety of students, staff and
school communities. Details about what learning looks like next year
will
depend on a variety of factors as well as guidance from state
leaders such as the California Department of Education and input from
local health officials.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released considerations for schools
on May 20. Schools can determine, in collaboration with state and
local health officials to the extent possible, whether and how to
implement these
considerations while adjusting to meet the unique needs and
circumstances of the local community. Implementation should be guided by
what is feasible, practical, acceptable and tailored to the needs of
each community. These considerations are meant to supplement—not
replace—any state, local, territorial or tribal health and safety laws,
rules and regulations with which schools must comply.
Placer County Superintendent of Schools Gayle Garbolino-Mojica is working with school
districts and charter schools on the process of creating a plan for next
year that accounts for the specific learning needs of students
following this period of school closure. As health officials have
reiterated, COVID-19 is expected to remain present in our community for
the foreseeable future and we are preparing for several scenarios.
Parents, students and families will continue to receive updates from their school principals as details are available.
Distance Learning Opportunities
We begin the transition to a distance learning model. This transition will be a learning process for all, and we expect there will be road bumps and lessons learned during this work-in-progress. We appreciate everyone's patience and flexibility and remain committed to providing consistent, transparent communication throughout each step. View the distance learning opportunities for PCOE programs.
Talking with your Child about COVID-19
Families across the country are adapting to the evolving changes in daily life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Take a look at the resources from the National Association of School Psychologists about how to talk to children about COVID-19.
Questions for PCOE School Leaders
Thank you for your support during these challenging and unprecedented times. If you have any questions please contact your site principal.
Pathways iCARE, iCARE Independent Study and the Come Back Program: Christina Fahlstrom, Principal, cfahlstrom@placercoe.org
Pathways iLearn Academy: Andy Wood, Principal, awood@placercoe.org
Honour Schaps Court School, Koinonia Community School and Tahoe Truckee Community School: Morgan Lynch, Assistant Principal, mlynch@placercoe.org
The complete clinical picture with regard to COVID-19 is not fully
understood, and the situation is fluid. While these decisions are difficult to
make, we are taking these actions in consultation with Placer County Public
Health based on what is known at this time about the transmission and severity
of the illness to best protect our school communities. Our top priority is the
health and safety of our students and staff, and we take this responsibility
seriously.
