Message from the Superintendent
March 19, 2020
Dear OUSD Community,
I want to start by thanking our OUSD staff and community for rising to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 closure of our schools. Despite the stressful situation we’ve all been put into, I am appreciative of the extraordinary work being performed to ensure we are able to continue to meet the needs of our students during this difficult time.
Student learning continues thanks to the efforts of our creative educators, supportive technology staff, and drivers who are delivering packets to students who need them. I appreciate the efforts of our teachers, parents and students to adapt to our remote learning programs. Please be diligent in ensuring that students are logging in and completing their assignments. Information about how to do this is located on the OUSD website under the School Closure Resources link.
Nutrition Services staff, to ensure the health of our students, is serving meals to approximately 2,000 students daily. Maintenance and custodial crews are diligently working to deep clean and sanitize our sites so that when students return the classrooms are clean and safe for learning. School sites and Information Technology have deployed 3,000 devices and 1,000s of hotspots to families in need.
The Education Center/District Office will be closed to the public starting Monday, March 23, to comply with social distancing guidelines and OC Health Care Agency recommendations for no mass gatherings. Staff will continue to be available by phone to support ongoing services and programs.
School sites will remain closed to the public, and teachers will continue to facilitate online distance learning. The school sites identified as essential services to families will serve meals and remain open for that purpose.
If you have questions about technology, please call (714) 628-5372 or email techsupport@orangeusd.org.
If you have questions about school closure, please call (714) 628-4466 or email schoolclosures@orangeusd.org.
This is a dynamic situation and we will continue to share new information as it becomes available. We will alert you to any change to our student dismissal period as we receive additional guidance through our daily communication with federal, state, county, and local health and emergency officials. Please be diligent about checking email or follow us on social media.
Please take time to talk to your children about COVID-19, hand washing best practices, and social distancing. Ask them how they feel and what they think about everything going on. Offer them support by listening to what they have to say, helping to calm any concerns and answering any questions they may have. PBS has some good tips on how to talk to your children about COVID-19: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/10-tips-for-talking-about-covid-19-with-your-kids
Thank you for your continued partnership to help ensure the health and welfare of our students and community. We will get through this together.
Sincerely,
Gunn Marie Hansen, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Orange Unified
Email: OUSD@orangeusd.org
Website: https://www.orangeusd.org/
Location: 1401 North Handy Street, Orange, CA, USA
Phone: 714-628-4000
Facebook: OrangeUnifiedSchoolDistrictCA
Twitter: @orangeunifiedCA