CVUSD shuttering campuses for at least one week

The County of Ventura has declared a local health emergency, a move that gives the agency broad powers to try and limit the spread of the novel coronavirus. It also aids local public schools as they prepare for potentially days, if not weeks, without classes.

Three individuals in the county have registered positive for COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus; 95 had been tested countywide as of March 12. All three individuals who tested positive at the county’s lab traveled abroad recently, the county said, meaning there has yet to be a documented case of the disease going from neighbor to neighbor, or so-called “community spread.”

The declaration of emergency came after weeks of discussions between county leadership and the county’s 10 cities that accelerated mightily over the last 48 hours. Representatives from the county, Ventura County Public Health, county superintendents and city officials discussed the matter at length Thursday afternoon in a conference call in an attempt to get on the same page.

Public health’s decision is of particular importance to the county’s 20 public school districts as it will protect them from missing out on state monies tied to average daily attendance.

Following the county’s decision, Conejo Valley Unified announced Thursday night it would close all its campuses starting Mon., March 16 through Fri., March 20. Classes will be in session tomorrow, Fri., March 13. A planned in-service day for teachers set for Monday has been canceled.

CVUSD Superintendent Mark McLaughlin told the Acorn it didn’t feel right asking educators and staff to report after public health had declared an emergency. CVUSD will reassess the situation March 20 before deciding whether to cancel more classes.

Despite talk of some districts attempting “distance learning” and online classes, McLaughlin said any learning CVUSD students did while away from the classroom would be optional.

“It’s much harder for public schools to move to an online format as mandated instruction as we have Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) laws to contend with, as all of our structures and supports for individual students are based on face-to-face teaching,” McLaughlin said.

City response

After county health’s emergency declaration, the City of Thousand Oaks made preparations for its own.

Until further notice, all non-essential city facilities with a capacity of 250 people or more are closed to the public, that includes the Goebel Adult Community Center, Grant Brimhall and Newbury Park libraries and Thousand Oaks Teen Center. City Hall will remain open to the public and the City Council still plans to meet inside the Scherr Forum. While the Goebel will be closed starting tomorrow, Friday, the Teen Center will close Saturday.

In addition, all non-essential city-sponsored events have been canceled or postponed to a future date. Many upcoming shows at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center have been rescheduled until later in the year.

Over at Conejo Rec and Park District, General Manager Jim Friedl confirmed the Goebel and teen centers would be closed, as would nearly all community centers for the foreseeable future beginning Sat., March 14. CRPD was also canceling its sports leagues and classes and shuttering the Community Pool at Cal Lutheran University as well as the Hillcrest Center for the Arts.

CRPD parks are unaffected.

Thousand Oaks Mayor Al Adam released a prepared statement Thursday evening.

“Our top priority at the City of Thousand Oaks is everyone’s health and safety. To best protect our residents, the city will also be declaring a state of emergency. This allows the city to address the closure of city facilities and enact social distancing plans for public meetings and gatherings,” Adam said.

“The news can sound scary, and rightfully so. However, I encourage everyone to proceed with calm focus and keep compassion for each other at heart,” the statement continues. “Check-in with your friends, family and neighbors to ensure they have what they need. . . In these unprecedented times it takes collective action from all of us.

Working together, we can slow the spread of the virus.”

Adam said the city would keep the community updated as much as possible. He encouraged residents to visit vcemergency.com for the latest information on the spread of COVID-19 in Ventura County.

Colleges close

Ventura County Community Colleges and Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks are the latest institutions to announce a halt of in-person classes, following UCLA, USC and Pepperdine.

CLU said on Thursday it is putting into effect its social distancing plan, which includes virtual instruction for classes.

“Faculty have been preparing for this and exploring creative options for classes such as labs and the arts, but there may be a few special exceptions made for some classes to continue to have in-person components,” CLU President Chris Kimball said in a March 12 note to the school community.

Residence halls will remain open. Students may choose to return to their permanent place of residence or decide to remain in on-campus housing, where appropriate social distancing and enhanced hygiene measures will be in place, Kimball’s note said.

Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges, including Ventura College’s east campus, start transitioning to virtual and alternate forms of classes beginning Mon., March 16 through Fri., March 20. Following the week-long transition, lecture classes will no longer meet and will continue in virtual and alternative modes beginning Mon., March 23.