SACRAMENTO, Calif. — This is a developing story. We will continue to update this list as more information becomes known. If you have a school or educational institution that has been closed that is not on this list, please email desk@abc10.com.
With the coronavirus [COVID-19] spreading across the country, some agencies and school districts are taking proactive measures to limit person-to-person contact and "flatten the curve" of infection.
Reports of school closures have been flowing across California as the CDC urges against mass gatherings, including events, concerts, festivals, conferences, worship services, and sporting events.
Here are some local schools that have been closed in the wake of coronavirus concerns:
Schools/Districts
Calaveras County:
In an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, all Calaveras County schools will close immediately. They are tentatively scheduled to reopen on April 6.
- Mountain Oaks Charter School
- Calaveras River Academy/Oakendell
- Building Bridges Preschool
- Bret Harte Union High School District
- Calaveras Unified School District
- Vallecito Union School District
- Adult Education
Stanislaus County:
All school districts in Stanislaus County will be closing starting on March 19 in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Return dates will be announced by individual school districts.
- Ceres Unified School District
- Chatom Union School District
- Denair Unified School District
- Empire Union School District
- Gratton School District
- Hart-Ransom Union School District
- Hickman School District
- Hughson Unified School District
- Keyes Union School District
- Knights Ferry School District
- Modesto City Schools Districts
- Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District
- Oakdale Joint Unified School Distict
- Paradise Elementary School District
- Patterson Joint Unified School District
- Riverbank Unified School District
- Roberts Ferry School District
- Salida Union School District
- Shiloh School District
- Stanislaus County Office of Education
- Stanislaus Union School District
- Sylvan Union School District
- Turlock Unified School District
- Valley Home Joint School District
- Waterford Unified School District
West Sacramento:
The city of West Sacramento announced that Washington Unified School District and River Charter Schools will be closing campuses for weeks beginning March 16. WUSD students will be able to return to schools on April 6 at the soonest. River Charter students will be out of school until April 16.
San Joaquin County:
The San Joaquin County Office of Education announced Friday that all schools the county's 14 school districts will be closed for at least three weeks beginning March 16. Schools will resume classes on Monday, April 6.
- Banta Elementary
- Escalon Unified
- Jefferson Elementary
- Lammersville Unified
- Lincoln Unified
- Linden Unified
- Lodi Unified
- Manteca Unified
- New Hope Elementary
- New Jerusalem Elementary
- Oak View Union Elementary
- Ripon Unified
- Stockton Unified
- Tracy Unified
On Saturday, March 14, the district announced that Oak View Elementary School will not be closing. Superintendent and Principal Beverly Boone said they spoke with the county's public health department and determined that a shut down would not be in the best interest of the students (in regards to health and safety). The school has 390 students in K-8, Boone said.
Solano County School districts
All six school districts in Solano County to close effective March 16 for a period of up to two weeks.
- Benicia Unified
- Dixon Unified
- Fairfield-Suisun Unified
- Travis Unified
- Vacaville Unified
- Vallejo City Unified
Placer County School districts
All 16 school districts in Placer County to close effective March 17 for a period of up to three weeks.
- Ackerman Charter
- Alta-Dutch Flat Union Elementary
- Auburn Union Elementary
- Colfax Elementary
- Dry Creek Joint Union
- Eureka Union
- Foresthill Union Elementary
- Loomis Union Elementary
- Newcastle Elementary
- Placer Hills Union Elementary
- Placer Union High
- Rocklin Unified
- Roseville City Elementary
- Roseville Joint Union High
- Tahoe-Truckee Unified
- Western Placer Unified
Rocklin Unified School District
Non-essential travel, non-CIF sponsored athletic events, all band, choir, theater and dance tryouts or performances have been postponed or canceled. All RUSD events, including assemblies, dances, professional development training, and student-organized events and all non-RUSD events scheduled to occur on RUSD property, are also canceled. Classes have not yet been canceled.
Sacramento County School districts
All 13 school districts in Sacramento County to close effective March 17 for a period of up to three weeks. Those 13 districts include the following:
- Arcohe Union School District
- Center Joint Unified School District
- Elk Grove Unified School District
- Elverta Joint School District
- Folsom Cordova Unified School District
- Galt Joint Union Elementary School District
- Galt Joint Union High School District
- Natomas Unified School District
- River Delta Unified School District
- Robla School District
- Sacramento City Unified School District
- San Juan Unified School District
- Twin Rivers Unified School District
Additionally, the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento announced Friday that it would shut down on schools for a minimum of two weeks.
San Francisco Unified School District
- Lakeshore Elementary School
- Glen Park Elementary School
Yuba Community College District
To prepare for online courses, the Yuba Community College District is canceling all in-person classes at all campuses on March 16, and March 17.
Davis Joint Unified School District
To slow the spread of the coronavirus, Superintendent John A. Bowes announced the closure of Davis Joint Union schools starting March 16 to April 12. All events, extracurricular activities, athletic practices, competitions and performances are canceled during the school closure. Scheduled parent-teacher conferences are also canceled. The superintendent added that the school lunch program would continue at Marguerite Montgomery Elementary, Harper Junior High, Davis Senior High and Patwin Elementary from 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
El Dorado County
El Dorado County Office of Education officials announced all public schools are closed from Monday, March 16 to Friday, March. 20
- Buckeye Union School District
- Camino Union School District
- EDCOE Alternative Programs
- El Dorado Union High School District
- Gold Oak Union School District
- Gold Trail Union School District
- Indian Digging School District
- Lake Tahoe Unified School District
- Latrobe School District
- Pioneer Union School District
- Mother Lode Union School District
- Pollock Pines/Silver Fork School Districts
- Rescue Union School District
Gateway Community Charter Schools
The campus closures impact nine schools within the system, eight in Sacramento County and one in Yolo County. Those schools are as follows:
- Community Collaborative Charter School (CCCS)
- Community Outreach Academy (COA)
- Empowering Possibilities International Charter (EPIC)
- Futures High School
- Gateway International School (GIS)
- Higher Learning Academy (HLA)
- Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy (SAVA)
- Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy- SCUSD (SAVA-SCUSD)
- Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy- EGUSD (SAVA-EGUSD)
Universities/Colleges
Los Rios Community College District
Effective March 13, Los Rios is suspending all face-to-face classes/services and moving operations online, including Sacramento City College, American River College, Folsom Lake College, and Cosumnes River College.
University of California, Davis
All in-person final exams are canceled.
Additionally, all events with planned attendance of more than 150 people from March 12 through March 31 are postponed or canceled. There is no word yet on whether Picnic Day or Whole Earth Festival will face similar cancellations.
Sacramento State
All in-person events until the end of the school year are canceled, including Dolores Huerta's visit to campus. Classes have not been canceled as of yet.
Sonoma State University
The university is suspending classes for three days. SSU plans to resume face-to-face courses on March 24.
Stanislaus State
While campus remains safe, Stanislaus is phasing out face-to-face interaction and opting for remote class courses at both the Turlock and Stockton campuses.
Libraries
Sacramento Public Library
While the libraries themselves will remain open, all programs have been canceled through March 31.
Yolo County Public Library
Non-essential library programs and community meetings through March 31 are canceled.
COVID19 BACKGROUND
According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. Coronavirus is believed to have been first detected in a seafood market in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Currently, there is no vaccine; however, the CDC suggests the following precautions, along with any other respiratory illness:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
WHY HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE SO CONCERNED
Some people have compared the low overall death toll to the flu's high annual death toll in the United States as a reason not to be concerned about COVID-19. However, doctors and health officials are worried about three main reasons:
- There's no vaccine yet and won't be one for until early 2021, at the soonest. Scientists are still researching what other medications could help patients.
- Some people have built up immunity to the flu, but few have immunity to the COVID-19 version of coronavirus.
- Droplets spread both the flu and COVID-19, but COVID-19 might be spread in the air. Scientists are researching how COVID-19 spreads.
HEAR FROM DOCTORS:
Dr. Payal Kohli, a cardiologist & doctor of internal medicine, spoke with ABC10's Walt Gray about the novel coronavirus, those most at risk, vaccine timeline, & more.
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