Orange County Department of Education Supt. Al Mijares Friday announced his support for the closing of schools for at least two weeks during the coronavirus outbreak.
“This is not a decision we take lightly,” Mijares said in a statement. “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.”
Orange County Department of Education officials are working on ways to help provide educational materials for kids to keep up with the schooling at home.
“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,” said Dr. Nichole Quick, the county’s chief health officer. “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.”
It appears nearly all of the public school districts are shutting down. The only school district not confirmed as closing is Brea Olinda Unified School District, said Ian Hanigan, a spokesman for the Orange County Department of Education.
Santa Ana Unified School District board members were holding a special board meeting Friday afternoon to discuss possible closures, said Theresa Cisneros, a spokeswoman for the district.