Dear Piedmont Families,
As you know by now, on Friday the School Board voted to close our schools to students and staff for two weeks—and probably longer—depending on ongoing and rapidly changing information on how to address the public health issues for COVID-19. This was not a decision we took lightly and we are grateful for the foresight and leadership of our superintendent, Randy Booker, to initiate this recommendation.
Today we learned that Alameda County, along with five neighboring counties, issued a new mandatory “Shelter-in-Place” directive, set to take effect at midnight TONIGHT and lasting at least through April 7. Highlights include:
- Everyone should stay at home, except for those working in “essential” jobs as detailed in the document.
- No non-essential travel or social activities.
- Essential travel is permitted, which includes obtaining supplies for ourselves or for others who cannot leave their homes.
- Essential travel is permitted to care for elder, minors, or other vulnerable persons, while taking recommended social-distancing precautions.
- Travel is also permitted for hiking, walking, running and other outdoor exercise which allows for social distancing (at least 6 feet apart).
- No public or private gatherings of any size are allowed.
For more detailed information, read the entire Shelter in Place Order.
It is imperative that all of us embrace these behavior changes to curtail the spread of COVID-19. We ALL must adhere to these requirements and significantly limit social interactions.
We realize these are unprecedented times. We encourage you to first take care of your families and reach out to your neighbors. Similarly, we ask for your patience and support for our teachers and staff as they may need time to develop plans for at-home instruction. Please remember that students are expected to participate as directed during the time of the closure. The Board is deeply grateful for our dedicated staff and teachers, who are going to do their best to provide continuity of learning during this time.
While we understand this is a challenging time for us all, we hope that there may be a silver lining in terms of increased opportunities for family time. We also know this is a chance for our community to care for each other—our family members, friends and neighbors, district and city staff—that will carry us through and build a stronger community after weathering this storm together.
Warm Regards,
Piedmont Unified School District Trustees:
Amal Smith, President
Cory Smegal, Vice President
Sarah Pearson
Andrea Swenson
Megan Pillsbury