School Canceled In Walnut Creek On Friday

WALNUT CREEK, CA — All schools in Walnut Creek School District will be closed on Friday because of poor air quality due to wildfire smoke.

District Superintendent Marie Morgan sent a letter to the community Thursday with the announcement. Here is the full letter:

Dear Walnut Creek School District Parents, Staff, and Community,

After a day of worsening air quality, and uncertain forecasts for tomorrow, we have made a decision to close our schools on Friday, November 16. We have been working with the County Office of Education, our partner districts, the Governing Board and our own district leadership to make the best decisions throughout the week on behalf of our students and our district staff. We believe that closing the schools will best serve the needs of all our stakeholders.

We have been closely watching a variety of sources of information, including PurpleAir.com, airnow.gov, and sparetheair.org, tracking both the current status and the forecasts. We have been working with our principals to impose restrictions on activity at all of our schools throughout the week, and increasing the urgency as the air quality has declined. Based on the current forecasts and the experience of the week, the air quality is not likely to improve substantively tomorrow. There are reports of many other institutions closing their doors today and tomorrow to facilitate healthier options for students and employees of all ages.

One particular challenge for us is the completion of remaining conferences. This may cause a delay in the receipt of your student’s report card. You will hear directly from your child’s teacher about rescheduling your child’s conference. Monday’s conference schedule will be determined by 3:00 p.m. tomorrow.

I apologize for the inconvenience this may cause for you and your family. I want to assure you that we take this step only after careful consideration and collaboration with a wide circle of colleagues. Thank you as always for your continued support and understanding as we work to ensure our students and staff are as protected as possible. Please direct any questions or comments to me in the district office, preferably by email at mmorgan@walnutcreeksd.org.

Sincerely,

Marie Morgan
Superintendent

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