Dear Los Altos School District Families, 

I want to update you on new restrictions and recommendations from state and local public health officials related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.  With the upcoming Thanksgiving and winter breaks, it’s essential we heed these warnings to keep our community safe and our schools open.

Santa Clara County to Purple Tier
Due to a dramatic increase in cases in Santa Clara County, Governor Newsom announced the state is moving our county back to the most restrictive, Purple Tier, on Tuesday, November 17. With the fall back into the Purple Tier, the county and state will reinstate many restrictions, including the closure of indoor dining and new limits on other high risk activities, to prevent the further spread of illness.   You can read the full press release from Santa Clara County here and the state here. 

Impacts to Our Schools 
Now that our schools have already started to reopen, our students can continue to return to our campuses in our phased approach despite Santa Clara County’s move back into Purple Tier.  With all state and local health and safety measures implemented and with a strong tracking system in place, LASD is in a position to ensure we mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in all our schools.  

To that end, California has implemented a localized solution to measure the spread of illness in our schools and determine when a school or school district closure is required. In short, a school must close if 5% of the totality of its staff and students test positive in a 14-day period and a district must close if 25% of its schools close.  As always, LASD will continue to work with state and local public health experts to ensure we stay vigilant in implementing all public health requirements to keep our schools safe, healthy, and open for all students and teachers in our community. 

Update: California Issues Travel Advisory, Limits to Interactions
Santa Clara County issued guidance to local residents regarding the upcoming holiday season, safer celebrations and a recommendation to quarantine for 14-days after travel. Likewise, the State of California issued a Travel Advisory urging residents to stay home or in their region and avoid travel to other states or countries.  The Advisory urged anyone arriving in California from other states or countries, including returning residents, to quarantine for 14 days after arrival.  It is important to recognize travel alone is not the high-risk behavior to avoid. The high-risk behavior is mixing one household with another, even for just an evening. California urged residents to limit their interactions to people in their own household only. 

Doing Our Part to Prevent the Spread
Wearing masks, staying physically distanced and regularly washing your hands are key preventative measures to stay safe and healthy.  As a school community dedicated to our children’s success, we know the best place for many of our students to learn is on our campuses.  To keep our schools open, please take the time to review and acquaint yourself with our Community Expectations for Healthy Schools.  Whether your child is in Virtual School or our Blended Learning program, all of us must adhere to these guidelines to prevent the spread of illness. 

While this Thanksgiving will be like none other we’ve ever experienced, I hope you are able to enjoy a safe celebration.  I’m grateful to all of you for your commitment to our schools and our community’s health.

Sincerely, 

Jeffrey Baier
Superintendent
Los Altos School District