Placer school district closes for two weeks amid COVID-19 spike
Placer Union High School District announced it will return students back to distance learning for two weeks as COVID-19 cases spike in the region.
In a letter to families, the district - which serves high school students at six campuses - said it will pause in-person classes from Nov 16 through Nov. 24 “to do our part to stabilize our community COVID-19 trends.”
Placer County was downgraded to the state’s red tier as infection rates spiked across the region. The school district said the return to distance learning was prudent just before the holiday season when, health officials say, an additional surge in cases is possible.
The decision to temporarily close schools was not mandated by the state but was precautionary, officials said, as schools are allowed to open in the state’s red tier.
“This pause and resume is being realistic that schools should be fluid and be able to adapt to several starts and stops based on COVID-19 trends,” read the letter from Superintendent George S. Sziraki. “Schools are an essential service, and we recognize how vital our work is for children developmentally and educationally.
“Our staff has been amazing and willing to respond and pivot. However, as parents, educators, community members and leaders, we know every decision we make includes risks and rewards and we feel this pause is best at this time.”
The district plans to resume classes on Nov. 30.
The district serves roughly 4,000 students at campuses including Colfax High, Placer High and Del Oro High. The district reported four students and three staff members tested positive for COVID-19 since in-person instruction resumed in September.
Also in Placer County, Rocklin Unified reported that 12 students tested positive for COVID-19 last week. Sacramento public schools are still operating under the distance learning model, except for Folsom Cordova Unified, which brought elementary-aged students back to campus on Thursday.
This story was originally published November 13, 2020 at 2:07 PM.