Theo tin OC Health Care Agency, Orange County Department of Education, và Orange Unified School District
Dear Orange Unified Community:
After careful deliberation and out of an abundance of caution, the Orange Unified School District Board of Education voted today to dismiss students from attending school Monday, March 16, through Friday, March 27. This two-week break will be followed by Spring Break. At this time, it is expected students will return to campus on Monday, April 6.
Student dismissal is an extra measure of protection to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. We do not have any presumptive or confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our schools, but we are taking this step to help protect public health.
A dismissal indicates teachers and staff will still report for duty on campus, while students will not be on campus for any purpose. All schools and programs in Orange Unified are included in this decision: after school activities, preschool, grades TK-12, PreK-SCD, and infant/toddler and alternative education programs.
Schools are an essential service and crucial to our communities. We are fully aware of the disruptions school closure will cause and are exploring with our local, regional and state partners to see how we can best support our students and families during this difficult time. Plans are in place to continue the learning process online, and to provide meals for our students who rely on them. We are working on provisions for childcare options we can extend to families during this unplanned closure.
Students should stay home and minimize social contact as much as possible to keep caregivers and adult family members safe. Children have not been shown to be a high-risk group for serious illness from this virus. However, they can transmit the virus to those most vulnerable. Public health officials recommend that families make arrangements for childcare during closure that avoids leaving children with elderly people who are more vulnerable to the impact of the virus.
We will be sharing more detailed information as soon as possible about how families can support student learning during our school closures. Please log in to the Parent Portal and make sure your contact information is up to date.
Additional information and updates from OUSD are available on our COVID-19 web page at orangeusd.org/covid-19.
Thank all of you for your continued efforts to stay informed and take all appropriate steps to stay well.
Gunn Marie Hansen, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Orange Unified School District
County of Orange Declares Emergency in Response to COVID-19
Santa Ana, Calif. (February 26, 2020) – The County of Orange has declared a local emergency and a local
health emergency to prepare for COVID-19, commonly known as novel coronavirus.
“The County of Orange and our County Health Officer Dr. Nichole Quick have declared a local emergency. We have issued these declarations in light of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s comments on COVID-19 yesterday, along with the possibility of active COVID-19 patients being brought to Fairview Developmental Center in my district in Costa Mesa,” said Chairwoman Michelle Steel, Second District. “Although there are currently no cases of coronavirus in Orange County, my goal is to ensure all residents and visitors to Orange County as well as all of our resources can be prepared in the event of an outbreak.”
The declaration of both a local emergency and local health emergency assists the County of Orange to better leverage resources in order to prepare to our staffing needs and greater agency coordination all while allowing for future reimbursement for County activities by state and federal governments in the event of an COVID-19 outbreak in Orange County.
“This decision from the County did not come lightly,” said Vice Chairman Andrew Do, First District. “This is a measured and prudent response in preparation for the possibility of a COVID-19 outbreak in Orange County. The Board of Supervisors and county staff are working vigilantly to monitor and prepare all the resources at our County’s disposal to ensure the safety and well-being for all of Orange County’s residents and visitors.”
While there has been only one confirmed case in Orange County and that individual has recovered, the OC Health Care Agency continues to engage and monitor the rapidly changing worldwide response to COVID-19.
“With 60 U.S. cases of coronavirus, we are facing a real-life crisis that must be managed. I support an emergency declaration, not because I necessarily believe the public is in more danger, but because the federal and state governments refuse to give us enough information to discharge our public health responsibilities,” said Supervisor Donald P. Wagner. “Orange County is a major tourist destination with a robust business sector, the sheer number of visitors and residents traveling to and from Orange County is significant. We want to be vigilant in ensuring the County is prepared and has sufficient resources to prevent and combat any possible outbreak of COVID-19.”
Should more COVID-19 cases occur in Orange County, the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) would share that information with community members and medical providers, and colleagues at the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Our utmost concern is for the health and welfare of all Orange County residents and visitors alike,” said Supervisor Doug Chaffee, Fourth District. “The County of Orange will use all of its resources to ensure we are protected from any possible COVID-19 outbreaks.”
County of Orange residents are encouraged to visit www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus, call the OC Health Care Agency’s Health Referral Line from Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1 (800) 564- 8448, and monitor social media channels to ensure they have the most accurate and up to date information related to COVID-19.
“Orange County residents need to take the proper precautions to ensure their health and welfare are protected at all times,” said Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, Fifth District. “The best way to receive the most up to date information on how to stay healthy and safe locally is to follow our OC Health Care Agency on Twitter and Facebook.”
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Thông điệp từ Tổng Giám Đốc
Bản cập nhật mới nhất từ Tổng Giám Đốc – trong đó có quyết định của Hội đồng quản trị để sa thải sinh viên trong hai tuần trước khi nghỉ Xuân – là trực tuyến tại https://www.smore.com/327y9
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Khu Học Chánh Unified Orange giáo dục khoảng 28.000 K-12 học sinh lớp trong thành phố Orange, Villa Park, Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, và các khu vực quận chưa hợp nhất. Hợp tác với cộng đồng của chúng tôi, chúng tôi cung cấp một nền văn hóa an toàn, công bằng, và sáng tạo của học tập cho mỗi học giả có một lợi thế cạnh tranh như một nhà lãnh đạo.
pdated at 5:08 p.m. on March 13, 2020
OC schools to close amid COVID-19 concerns; county superintendent issues statement supporting closures
Here’s a rundown of OC school closure dates
Q&A: How does a school closure work?
In an effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19, and amid heightened public concern, school districts across Orange County told their communities on Friday that they would shutter campuses for a minimum of two weeks.
Most local districts will be without students starting Monday, March 16, but some will finalize their plans next week. They join scores of districts throughout California that will temporarily dismiss students, including districts in Los Angeles and San Diego counties. In many instances, the time off will coincide with spring breaks.
After consulting with school district leaders and county health officials earlier in the day, Orange County Superintendent Dr. Al Mijares announced his support for the suspension of school operations for at least 14 days.
“This is not a decision we take lightly,” Dr. Mijares said. “We know that temporarily closing a school has a tremendous impact on our families, and steps will need to be implemented to support the continuity of learning and to ensure students have access to healthy meals. But the safety of our students and staff remains our top priority, and we have confidence that this is the proper precautionary course for Orange County.”
Social distance measures have proven effective in prior pandemics, experts say. The idea is to protect those most vulnerable to illness and to limit the number of cases before a vaccine or treatment becomes available, ensuring health care systems and health workers aren’t overwhelmed.
OCDE sign
In anticipation of potential closures, OCDE has been working to produce content and materials to help support learning at home. The department will also support districts in their efforts to seek funding relief and recover lost instructional time.
Districts finalizing plans
As of Friday evening, Orange County had 13 COVID cases that were either confirmed or presumptive. There was one case of community transmission, meaning it was not travel-related or tied to a known case, according to the OC Health Care Agency’s website.
“I want to reassure our Orange County community that the risk of transmission remains low, and that there are no known cases of COVID-19 infection in a student or teacher at this time,” County Health Officer Dr. Nichole Quick said Friday. “That said, I understand the concerns parents are experiencing and support the school district’s decision to close temporarily. It’s important to note that as both public and private testing capabilities continue to expand, we expect to see more cases.”
Most of Orange County’s school districts have already finalized plans to close campuses to students for two to four weeks. A few were waiting for their school boards to approve closure plans. No district in the county has indicated it plans to remain open.
Many districts have attached an extra week or two to upcoming spring breaks. Districts including Anaheim Elementary, Brea Olinda Unified, Laguna Beach Unified and Huntington Beach City plan to offer some distance learning options for students. Others are encouraging students to read or engage in other academic activities during their time off.
Governor issues order
Also Friday, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order ensuring California public school still get funding even in the event of a closure. The order directs school districts to use state dollars to fund distance learning and high quality educational opportunities, provide school meals and, as practicable, arrange for the supervision for students during school hours.
District officials in Orange County said they plan to re-evaluate whether they will need to extend closures after assessing the ongoing threats of pandemic. The OCDE Newsroom is working to compile a complete list of district closures and will post it when it’s available.
Here’s the full statement from Superintendent Al Mijares:
The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has caused great anxiety in our schools and communities. While local health officials believe the risk of infection to the public in Orange County is low, we do not yet know how this will ultimately impact our county. Simply put, we are in uncharted waters, and the time has come to hit the pause button until we know more.
An image of Superintendent Al Mijares
Dr. Al Mijares
As a precautionary step to slow and prevent the spread of COVID-19, and after careful deliberations with local school district leaders and in consultation with the Orange County Health Care Agency, I hereby support the decision of schools and districts in our county to suspend all activity for a minimum of 14 days.
This is not a decision we take lightly. We know that temporarily closing a school has a tremendous impact on our families, and steps will need to be implemented to support the continuity of learning and to ensure students have access to healthy meals. But the safety of our students and staff remains our top priority, and we have confidence that this is the proper precautionary course for Orange County.
At this time, there has been no evidence of a case affecting a student or staff member at an Orange County school. The Orange County Health Care Agency continues to work with federal, state, and local partners including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and health care providers on preparedness efforts and to guide appropriate care for those who may be at risk for illness associated with the virus.
Meanwhile, the Orange County Department of Education has been stepping up its efforts to produce content and materials to help support learning at home. While it is not possible to replace an instructional day or provide comprehensive course content with online resources or take-home packets, we can develop resources and strategies to provide a continuity of learning.
Districts that dismiss students due to pandemics will be eligible to seek funding emergency relief through the California Department of Education’s J-13A waiver process. In addition, we are asking California’s educational leaders to provide credit for lost instructional time.
The Orange County Department of Education will continue to work diligently with local districts to make sure our schools and students are supported during and after this hiatus.
Thank you for your efforts to keep our children and our communities safe.
Al Mijares
Orange County Superintendent of Schools