Coronavirus Update
The Event-News Enterprise is monitoring local developments related to the Coronavirus situation in our communities. Dr. Andrew Pulver has issued a new update today, March 12, to the Los Al Unified Community. Here is the update.
“Dear Members of the Los Alamitos Unified School District Community,
As I mentioned in my March 2 letter, we are closely monitoring the rapidly changing coronavirus situation and want to reassure you that safeguarding our students’ health remains our top priority. At this time, we continue to operate our schools and programs based on close communication and guidance from the Orange County Public Health Care Agency and other county, state and federal officials.
Out of an abundance of caution, however, we have decided to cancel the All-District Choral Festival scheduled for Monday, March 16. This event brings together about a thousand students from all nine of our schools, as well as several thousand family members and friends from a broad geographic area beyond our district, in a confined indoor space for several hours. We will explore the possibility of rescheduling the event for later in the year, and we will send out information shortly on refunds for pre-purchased tickets.
As of today, Orange County health officials reported that the overall risk of infection from coronavirus is believed to be low in our area but that given the nature of the disease, the situation is fluid and evolving on a daily basis. We will keep you aware of any developments through letters like this and on our Coronavirus Awareness webpage, which is updated daily.
We continue to direct our staff and students to follow the general recommendations for preventing the spread of the virus, such as washing hands, staying home when sick, avoiding close contact with people who are sick, covering coughs or sneezes with a tissue or your sleeve, and cleaning frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Our custodial staff is thoroughly cleaning desks, keyboards, doorknobs, lunch tables and other frequently touched surfaces. We are making every effort to ensure that all hand sanitizer and restroom soap dispensers are fully stocked, and teachers are actively encouraging their use. At Los Alamitos High School, portable hand-sanitizing stations have been installed across campus and more are available if needed. Health offices at each school are being sanitized daily. Finally, custodians are being brought in on weekend overtime to sanitize school common areas and surfaces.
We also are communicating to all our students and staff that if they have visited a country that the CDC has designated with a Level 3 Travel Health Notice, they must stay home for 14 days before coming back to school or work and report this to their principal even if they are not experiencing any illness symptoms. Currently, these countries include China, Iran, Italy, and South Korea.
Finally, while health officials are not recommending closure of any K-12 schools in Orange County, we are actively planning for how we would continue instruction even if students can’t come to school. Should that situation arise, please be assured we will stay in close communication with you on how that will work. At the same time, we also suggest families to think about their own preparedness for any potential school closures, such as:
Arrangements for childcare for parents who must keep working.
Employers’ policies for parents who must care for children.
Internet access.
Food and supplies needed to support kids at home full time.
As the coronavirus situation changes we will update you through email, social media (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) and our web page. We will continue to work closely with health agencies and adjust quickly as they provide new information and recommendations. We greatly appreciate your confidence in our efforts and thank you for your cooperation and support.
Kind regards,
Andrew Pulver, Ed.D
Superintendent”