NEVADA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ADVISORY #5
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Update
April 2, 2020
Nevada County Public Schools Closure extended through the end of the 2019-20 school year.
The Nevada County Superintendent of Schools in concurrence with the Nevada County Public Health Department, the superintendents of Nevada County’s nine (9) school districts, and the county’s six (6) charter school directors are providing Nevada County with an important update on school facility closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Thursday the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond, released information that stated, “Due to the current safety concerns and needs for ongoing social distancing it currently appears that our students will not be able to return to school campuses before the end of the school year. This is in no way to suggest that school is over for the year, but rather we should put all efforts into strengthening our delivery of education through distance learning.” Superintendent Thurmond urged all school districts in California to move towards and/or continue to strengthen distance learning programs and opportunities for students at this time. Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom said that families and educators should operate “with the expectation now that schools will not reopen” for the remainder of the year.
With these new directives from state officials, we are taking a safety-first approach and immediate action to extend the school facility closures through the end of the 2019-20 school year. We ask for patience and understanding as we continue transitioning into a new way of teaching and learning to meet the health and safety impacts of COVID-19. If the Governor cancels the “stay at home” order then this decision will be revisited.
While we recognize this extension of school facility closures poses challenges and hardship to many families in Nevada County, the most effective way to slow and disrupt the transmission of this pandemic is by continuing to implement social distancing practices. We are grateful to community members throughout Nevada County for their tremendous prevention efforts during this unique and challenging time.
Specific details regarding course requirement fulfillment, graduations, and course work grading will be available through your home district or charter school.
Sincerely,
Scott W. Lay, Nevada County Superintendent of Schools
Jonathan Molnar, Bitney Prep High School
Katie Kohler, Chicago Park Elementary School
Carolyn Cramer, Clear Creek Elementary School
Peter Sagebiel, Forest Charter School
Eric Fredrickson, Grass Valley School District
Monica Daugherty, Nevada City School District
Holly Pettitt, Nevada City School of the Arts
Brett McFadden, Nevada Joint Union High School District
Torie Gibson, Penn Valley Union Elementary School District
Rusty Clark, Pleasant Ridge Union School District
Erica Crane, Sierra Academy of Expeditionary Learning
Melissa Madigan, Twin Ridges Elementary School District
Jennifer Dearduff, Twin Ridges Home Study Charter
David Curry, Union Hill School District
Barbara Linares, Yuba River Charter