March 13, 2020

Dear AUSD Community,

This is an important update regarding the Albany Unified School District’s response to COVID-19.

While there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in students or staff at any of our schools, after much deliberation with our School Board and District Leadership team, and with the support of the Alameda County Office of Education, we have decided to close all AUSD schools (including Albany Children’s Center) to students March 16 through April 10. Spring Break will continue as planned for April 6-10, and we expect to reopen schools on April 13.

Our district offices will remain open during this closure to keep essential operations going and to communicate with you throughout this closure period, but there will be limited public access. During this period, each school will also receive a deep cleaning.

We will be sharing more information as soon as possible about how student learning will continue; how we will provide meals for our students who rely on them; and exploring childcare options for families in need. That information will be emailed and posted on our website at www.ausdk12.org as soon as it is finalized.

This was yet another extremely difficult decision, knowing that schools are an essential service, but we are facing a rapidly developing health crisis. Yesterday’s public health announcement of four new coronavirus cases in Alameda County, two of which are the county’s first cases of community-acquired transmission, added to our concerns. I know you have questions, and everyone in AUSD is committed to supporting our students and families through this unprecedented challenge through close communication and collaboration.

We understand this situation is extremely disruptive to normal routines, and we are grateful for your understanding and partnership as we work to protect the health and safety of our community. We also encourage students and families to continue to do their part to prevent further spread of the virus, including washing hands and staying home as much as possible.

I realize these are difficult times for many of our families, and I am convinced our decision to close schools is the best of the options available to us in order to prioritize the safety and well being of our kids, staff and community.

Sincerely,

Frank Wells, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Albany Unified School District