Red Tier For Sonoma County Is Green Light For Schools To Reopen

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Schools in Sonoma County serving students in grade levels from transitional kindergarten to 12th grade are eligible to reopen for in-person instruction because the county has met the state's coronavirus-related criteria for moving into the less-restrictive red tier on California's Blueprint for a Safer Economy, the County of Sonoma and the Sonoma County Office of Education announced.

Schools were given a three-week window starting Friday to reopen or begin a phased-in reopening to facilitate a calm and safe return to classrooms. Once reopened, schools may continue to operate even if the county reverts into the purple tier, Sonoma County education and government officials said Friday in a joint news release.

It marks the first time the county has moved out of the most restrictive purple tier since the opening of school in August, officials said.

"I want to thank the many school employees, students, and parents/guardians who have had to be extremely flexible and adaptable during these challenging times," said Steve Herrington, Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools. "The state’s criteria for school reopening has always been designed around the health and safety of the total school community. I am grateful and appreciative of everyone’s efforts in helping get Sonoma County into the red tier so that more schools can reopen."

When a county is in the red tier, schools do not need to have a COVID-19 Safety Plan — CSP— approved by state and local health officials to reopen but each school is still required to post a CSP on the homepage of its website five days prior to reopening.

"Sonoma County students, teachers, and their families are taking a step forward today," said Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, Chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. "This doesn’t mean we can let up on our prevention and precaution, but it’s a hopeful milestone on the path of this pandemic."

Before reopening, schools must have a range of strict safety measures in place and must consult staff, parents and community organizations. Many schools may reopen at first in a hybrid model, as social distancing requirements limit the number of students who can fit in a given classroom.

Other schools with smaller student populations and larger classrooms may be able to bring all students back at once.

The state has also advised that schools phase in their reopening with a few grades at a time, so many schools may follow this model. This will help ensure that safety protocols are working before bringing back a larger group of students.

Each school/district's reopening plans are posted at Schools.covid19.ca.gov/ and must be updated once every two weeks.

Schools are required to adhere to the California Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 and Reopening In-Person Instruction Framework. Modifications for campus instruction include creating stable groups of students that stay together and do not mix, implementing distancing inside and outside the classroom, ensuring sufficient ventilation, promoting health hygiene, cleaning and disinfecting, screening for symptoms and exposure, and instituting measures to be taken in the case of a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19.