Letter to Families Regarding COVID-19 Preparedness

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March 3, 2020

Dear SFUSD Families:

This letter is to update you regarding our work with the City of San Francisco regarding COVID-19, previously referred to as “coronavirus.” SFUSD is working closely with the City to prepare in the event our schools are impacted. 

To learn more about what SFUSD is doing to prepare and what families can do, visit our website (sfusd.edu). As this is a rapidly changing situation, we will be updating information on our website frequently. 

To learn more about what the City is doing to prepare, visit the SF Department of Public Health website.

A person’s risk for this virus is not dependent on race, ethnicity or culture. Rather than acting out of fear, we should respond with knowledge, compassion, and justice while protecting ourselves and one another.

We want to take this opportunity to remind families regarding preventative measures we encourage everyone to take. COVID-19 is in the family of viruses that cause the common cold, so symptoms and prevention measures are similar. 

To help prevent the spread of germs:

• Wash hands frequently
• Do not touch eyes, nose or mouth
• Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, using a  tissue, sleeve or facemask
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Get a flu shot (recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older)

If your child has cold and flu symptoms, please observe your child at home before deciding whether or not to send them to school. Your child should be physically able to participate in all school activities upon return to school.  Keeping a sick child at home will minimize the spread of such viral infections in the classroom. If a child misses school due to illness, their teachers will be sure to work with them to catch up with school work. Thank you for helping prevent the spread of illness at school. 

We understand that children may have questions or concerns about coronavirus (COVID-19). One health expert, Yvonne Maldonado, director of Infection Control at Stanford Children’s Hospital, suggests you can say to your child: “It makes some people very sick, but most people — especially children — seem not to get very sick with it.” Depending on your child’s age, some helpful resources for you to discuss COVID-19 with your child may include: “Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus” and “How to Talk to Kids About Coronavirus.”

There are a lot of questions about whether or not SFUSD might close schools. We are planning for how to manage a potential closure, in the case of an exposure at the school. We are taking the actions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the California Department of Public Health, and the SF Department of Public Health to protect the health of students and staff. Should any additional actions be identified, we will notify SFUSD families immediately. 

Sincerely, 

Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews