Courtesy of the San Benito County Office of Education:
Dear Families of San Benito County,
The safety and wellness of students, families, and school personnel are the highest priorities for all San Benito County schools and districts. During this time, when things are changing quickly, we are committed to continue to provide accurate, timely information to our families about school closures and the education of students in our community. This morning, Superintendents from each district in San Benito County and Public Health held a conference call to receive a status update about COVID-19 cases in San Benito County and work together to provide continuity of instruction to our students. As of this morning, there continues to be only one confirmed case of COVID-19 in San Benito County. Additionally, staff from each district is working to provide curriculum for students while students are out of school.
District School Boards are convening this week to discuss the extension of school closures as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The recommendation from the collaborative this morning will be to close all schools until after Spring Break. Each Superintendent will communicate directly to their students, staff and families with details about school closures. District Superintendents and the San Benito County Office of Education are working collaboratively to ensure all students are provided with curriculum and educational activities so they can continue their education. Specific directions and details will be provided by each district.
We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we continue to keep our school community safe. We are grateful to community members throughout our county for their tremendous efforts during these challenging times. Again, we are asking that students and families follow the County’s Public Health Officer’s directive to stay home and practice social distancing to the extent possible. Protecting public health requires a community- wide response, and we need the help of families to remain united in our response. While children have not been shown to be a high-risk group for serious illness from COVID-19, they are still able to transmit the virus to populations who are most vulnerable to serious illness, such as older adults and those with compromised immune systems. Please encourage students to avoid large public gatherings such as malls, movie theaters, and other spaces, especially those that are indoors.
This continues to be a dynamic situation where information and circumstances can evolve quickly. For the latest updates, visit the Centers for Disease Control 2019 novel coronavirus website at: https://www.cdc.gov/COVID19. The San Benito County Office of Education continues to update its web page at https://www.sbcoe.org/ For ideas on how to talk to your children about COVID-19 please visit: sccoe.link/talking_about_COVID19. For local information, residents may visit www.sanbenito211.org/coronavirus, call 211 or text “coronavirus” to 211211.
Sincerely,
Krystal Lomanto, County Superintendent of Schools
Michele Huntoon, Aromas San Juan Unified School District Superintendent
Candace Brewen, Bitterwater-Tully Elementary School District Superintendent/Principal Nancy MacLean, Cienega Elementary School District Principal/Teacher
Kevin Sved, Navigator Charter School Chief Executive Officer
Diego Ochoa, Hollister School District Superintendent
Elizabeth Volmer, Jefferson Elementary School District Principal/Teacher
Jennifer Bernosky, North County Joint Union School District Superintendent/Principal Amanda McCraw, Panoche Elementary School District Principal/Teacher
Shawn Tennenbaum, San Benito High School Superintendent
John Schilling, Southside Elementary School District Superintendent/Principal
Bronson Mendes-Lobue, Tres Pinos Elementary School District Superintendent/Principal Linda Smith, Willow Grove Elementary School District
