Message from the Superintendent
February 28, 2022
Upcoming Events
- March 2: Read Across America
- March 3: Principal for a Day 2022
- March 8: End of 2nd Trimester - Minimum Day (Elementary & Middle School)
- March 10: Board of Education Meeting
- March 15: Chapman Hills ES Open House; Cerro Villa MS Open House
Dear OUSD Families,
Today Governor Newsom announced that, with declining case rates and hospitalizations across the west coast, California, Oregon and Washington are moving together to update masking guidance. Based on the announcement, here are the current guidelines:
- After 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 11, face masks for students in K-12 indoor school settings (including preschool and CARES) will shift from required to strongly recommended, irrespective of vaccine status.
- The Orange Unified School District will align its protocols accordingly and allow students a choice when it comes to wearing a face mask while indoors on school campuses starting Saturday, March 12, and moving forward.
We will update our website and Safety & Health-Driven Plan in the coming days to reflect this change.
The updated California Department of Public Health guidance aligns with the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recommends that schools use the same guidance as general community settings, meaning masks are not required in areas that have low or medium levels of COVID-19 transmission and sufficient hospital capacity.
Thank you for your partnership and support as we continue to navigate what is hopefully the transition from a pandemic to an endemic state. I want to take this opportunity to remind our community to continue to be kind and respect the personal choices of others. I encourage each of us to avoid making assumptions regarding someone’s beliefs or health status based upon their choice to wear or not wear a mask.
I truly appreciate your patience and understanding as we take every step to preserve the health of our students and staff while keeping our community as safe and healthy as possible.
Warmest Regards,
Gunn Marie Hansen, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Orange Unified School District
Connect with Us
Email: communications@orangeusd.org
Website: www.orangeusd.org
Location: 1401 North Handy Street, Orange, CA, USA
Phone: 714-628-4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OrangeUnifiedSchoolDistrictCA
Twitter: @orangeunifiedCA
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