All SLUSD Schools Closed from Monday, March 16 to April 3

March 13, 2020

Dear San Leandro Unified Community,

After much deliberation with our neighboring school districts, and out of an abundance of concern for all members of our community, we have decided to take strong preventative action by closing all SLUSD schools to students beginning Monday, March 16 to April 3. In order to minimize disruption to student learning, Spring Break will be moved up to the week of March 30. School will resume on April 6. Please note this is a change from our current district calendar.

Our district offices will remain open during this closure to keep essential operations going and to communicate with you throughout this closure period, but there will be limited public access. During this period, each school will also receive a deep cleaning.

We will be sharing more detailed information as soon as possible about how our staff and families can support student learning during this closure. We will also be continuing to provide meals for our students who rely on them. That information will be posted on our website at www.slusd.us as soon as it is finalized.

All of our school facilities will be closed during this period, including our athletic fields and playgrounds. 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 and public health experts tell us that unless children stay in their homes away from other people for the duration of the closure, then they still run the risk of potential exposure.

This was yet another extremely difficult decision, knowing that schools are an essential service, but we are facing a rapidly developing health crisis. Yesterday’s public health announcement of four new coronavirus cases in Alameda County, two of which are the county’s first cases of community-acquired transmission, added to our concerns. I know you have questions, and everyone in SLUSD is committed to supporting our students and families through this unprecedented challenge through close communication and collaboration. We will be in frequent contact during this time via our SLUSD communication channels.

Sincerely,

Dr. Michael McLaughlin

Superintendent