OUSD Announces Current School Closure to Last Additional Month; New Targeted Date of Reopening Schools is May 4, 2020
Oakland, CA – A week and a half into the closure of all OUSD schools because of the coronavirus pandemic, Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell is announcing in collaboration with the Alameda County Office of Education (ACOE), the Alameda County Public Health Department and those in five other Bay Area counties, that the decision has been made to extend the closure for an additional month. The new targeted date for reopening all District schools is May 4.
“It has now become clear that the effort we have been putting forward to protect our community must continue,” said Superintendent Johnson-Trammell. “I know this will be a major challenge for everyone and I’m sorry for all the hardship it’s causing. Public health experts tell us the most effective way to minimize the impact of Covid-19 is by keeping all of us away from each other. That can’t happen if the schools are open. We need to do our part to protect our students, staff, families and the entire Oakland community.”
District leaders still don’t know what all the ramifications of the extended closure are, but they are working with the ACOE and the California Department of Education to gather information about what it will mean for the rest of the school year, graduation, and what all students, families and staff should expect. You can read more about the school closure extension from ACOE here.
Although schools will remain closed, the District will continue to serve our students, staff, and community. One important effort that will continue to expand is our successful Grab and Go free meals program on Monday and Thursday mornings. Over the first three days of the Grab and Go, the number of meals given out has doubled each day. The first day students and families received 25,000 meals, the second day, the number was 50,000 and on the third day, Monday, March 23, the total number of meals handed out was 100,000. The program will operate throughout the closure, including next week during spring break. For a complete list of schools where students and families can pick up free breakfast, lunch and supper, please visit our website, https://www.ousd.org/covid-19studentmeals.
About the Oakland Unified School District
In California’s most diverse city, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) is dedicated to creating a learning environment where “Every Student Thrives!” More than half of our students speak a non-English language at home. And each of our 83 schools is staffed with talented individuals uniting around a common set of values: Students First, Equity, Excellence, Integrity, Cultural Responsiveness and Joy. We are committed to preparing all students for college, career and community success.
To learn more about OUSD’s Full Service Community District focused on academic achievement while serving the whole child in safe schools, please visit OUSD.org and follow us @OUSDnews.