Communication from Superintendent
Dr. Cindy Petersen
Good Evening GCC Staff,
As you have probably already heard, in response to rising coronavirus cases and increased hospitalizations in California, on Wednesday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a new regional stay-at-home order based on intensive care unit (ICU) capacity at local hospitals. The order groups counties into five distinct regions. Sacramento County is in the "Greater Sacramento" region, which includes Alpine, Amador, Butte, Colusa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba counties. According to the order, if a region's ICU capacity drops below 15%, it must comply with increased restrictions on business and other activities. The Greater Sacramento region has not yet hit this threshold. Once a region falls under the ICU threshold, it will have two days to comply with the order and follow the new rules for at least three weeks. I know there is still much uncertainty, anxiety, fear, and frustrations as we all address this health pandemic. The GCC has been meeting and monitoring information from the Governor's Office, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento County Department of Health, Yolo County Department of Health, and our local school districts.
You may wonder what impact this will have on the GCC schools reopening plans. Today the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) shared, "The governor's administration has told us this announcement does not change the current guidance for schools. Schools that are currently open for in-person learning may remain open. Schools can also bring students back on campus for instruction using the elementary school waiver process and cohorting guidance. They are still required to follow safety guidance issued by the California Department of Public Health." Each of our schools has a reopening plan reviewed and revised based on local county health officials' input. We are committed to our staff and students' health and safety and our community. GCC will continue to monitor the information shared from our various sources and continue to commit to communicating with you as things change.
During this time, our schools continue to excel through all the challenges that 2020 has brought. Each of you is the epitome of what it means to dream, design, adapt, and persevere. I want to thank you for all your hard work. Every day you create excellence and endless possibilities for students. In closing, I want to encourage everyone to stay safe and heed the advice of health professionals—use face coverings, practice social distancing, and wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Working together, we support the health and safety of our schools and community.As always, please stay safe and have a great weekend.
Sincerely,
Dr. Cindy Petersen
Superintendent/CEO
Gateway Community Charters
