March 2, 2020
Dear Superintendents,

I’m writing to share some additional resources to assist you as you continue to prepare for community spread of the coronavirus in San Diego County. These materials are also posted at sdcoe.net/coronavirus for easy access.

Prevention Resources
Members of your school community may have questions about the virus or have started growing fearful and anxious about the situation due to news of 96 cases of coronavirus across the country, with six fatalities. At this uncertain time, we believe the best thing the community can do to reduce their risk is to stay informed, begin preparing in case the virus spreads in San Diego County, and focus on prevention. These three media articles, which you can share on social media or school websites, place the threat in perspective:


Preparedness Resources

The U.S. Department of Education’s Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center offers the 45-minute school safety plan training module Infectious Disease Planning for School Safety. 

As a reminder, SDCOE is in the process of drafting a pandemic response plan template that will help districts and schools in preparing for a coronavirus outbreak. We anticipate sharing this with you next week.

If you have questions about these materials, please contact Chief of Staff Music Watson at 858-292-3719 or via email . We will continue to share updates and resources as this situation continues to unfold.  

Sincerely,
Paul

Dr. Paul Gothold
San Diego County Superintendent of Schools
phone: 858-292-3514