The following message is from MDUSD Superintendent Robert Martinez:
We are planning on having all Mt. Diablo Unified Schools Open on Monday, October 28, 2019!
Dear All,
As predicted, the wind has been in full force over the weekend. Several of our neighborhoods throughout our community did have power shut down over the weekend as part of PG&E’s “Public Safety Power Shut-down.” Several other communities also lost power to other issues such as downed trees or sporadic fires. Unfortunately, this may be our new “normal,” given the information we have received from PG&E.
I have been in contact with our Maintenance and Operations Department, who have also been in communication with PG&E about the power shut-downs. Director Richard Jackson and his team have continued to track any power outages and any potential issues due to the high winds at our schools. Our goal is to ensure that our schools are absolutely safe for Monday, October 28, 2019.
I have been in communication with the County Superintendent, Lynn Mackey, and most of the Contra Costa County Superintendents, and we are all working together as we learn how to adjust to these new circumstances throughout California.
I believe that our students and families look to us to remain calm, stay open if at all possible, and provide a sense of continuity for our children.
I know that we have many staff members who are personally without power in their homes and may be worried for extended family members who are impacted by fires and power outages across California as well. We are keeping everyone who has been impacted by these events in our thoughts, and know that it is never difficult to work through issues that seem to take control out of our hands.
We will continue to provide information to the the community and staff via email, our website and with updates on social media. We are also in constant contact with the Contra Costa County Office of Emergency Services. and will provide you with updates should things change.
I want to thank you all in advance for your flexibility, patience, caring and professionalism as we start another challenging week. We know that positive adult attitudes make challenging circumstances easier to mitigate for our students, their families, and our colleagues.
I sincerely appreciate what amazing students, parents, and employees we have in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District.
CLAYCORD NOTE: Clayton Valley Charter High School will also be open.
59 comments
notice the letter is only about the power issue. people are concerned about the smoke… my guess is the district wrote this over the weekend and had lawyers craft it… all before the smoke issue rose… a lot can happen over night, including the smoke clearing… we’ll.know soon enough.
My concern exactly. I don’t want my kids exposed to this horrible air quality. It’s awful!
The air quality is so bad, I reached out to the Assistant Superintendent and let them know how bad the air is. Do they not know?
So when did he talk to the County?….yesterday?! Because it couldn’t have been after they issued the Health Alert or after the Proclamation of Local Emergency!!! When will this district put the well being of its students before money?
The reason this is our new normal is because we allow it to be. I understand that schools and corporations aren’t immune to fires and disasters but it is ridiculous to just say “Unfortunately, this may be our new “normal,” and let that be it. When you tolerate something you allow it to continue. Unless the winds are completely down into regular levels and the fires have all been contained, it is unfair to bring so many people back into a crowded area and create a potential traffic hazard if a fire were to break out nearby. This whole thing is so chaotic with the shutdowns and fires. I’m just saddened that those who lost their homes during fires or almost did will now have to go back to school and panic because the poor kiddos couldn’t get homework done.
@ s— you nailed it!
This is BS! If you disagree with this decision,join us tomorrow night at the school board. There is going to be a massive protest rally at 5:30 next door to district offices at 5:30.
R u serious??? Air quality so bad you should Not be outside!!!
Dear Dr. Martinez,
The “new normal” does not include sending children to school when the air quality is so poor. Funny how you don’t mention air quality in your message. Are you really concerned for the students or $$$?
Kids will be standing outside before school waiting for teachers to show up and let them into classes. Yes, in elementary schools, kids will be held in class “all day” until they go to the cafeteria, music, or library. Middle and High school students will still be walking to and from classes.
Do not make the same mistake as last year when the leadership at MDUSD made kids go to school for 4 days during the fires in Santa Rosa and finally came to their senses and closed school on Friday.
Omg Dr Martinez speaking mad facts rn
It boggles my mind that an hour after a “proclamation of local emergency” is given the local schools announce they will be open tomorrow. There’s a major disconnect there. My kids will be home. There’s no way I’m sending my kids, two of which are asthmatics, out into this much smoke this close by.
My Prediction:
NYSE will halt trading of PG&E stock Monday morning once it begins to crash.
My estimate is PG&E will crater to $3 per share before NYSE steps in & holds it.
Unacceptable, safety of our children and community should come first. Unhealthy air quality and some schools don’t even have power.
I know my kids won’t be attending tomorrow.
As far as I know there is no evacuation plan in place at schools.
Play it safe folks! Don’t trust the government to put your best interest first.
Schools are open tomorrow!!! Why???????? Have you gone outside and can barely breathe and see. I can understand schools staying open when there is no power but the smoke is terrible and it is a health hazard. People should call the Superintendent and tell him to get out of his house and see if he can last staying outside. I highly doubt it.
There’s fires everywhere and the smoke is bad. Close the schools.
Lol I’m not sending my kids to school in these conditions. You guys are out of your minds. Lose your money, I don’t care. Pretty sure that’s the only reason why this decision was made
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I in think I know why!!!! Mortgages don’t stop because of crappy air people need to work and keep their jobs and homes!!! If you want to keep your kids home keep them hope optionally!!!!some kids get free lunch and who knows maybe don’t have food or supervision if left at home, it’s actually very kind that they are giving people the option to go to work pay bills and keep their homes. Besides, the whole week is expected to be like this what would people do if they couldn’t go to work for a week???? Bills anyone????
Learn how to proofread your writing and maybe then I’ll listen to you.
I’d be a great speller if my brain wasn’t friend from inhaling smoke all day thank youverymuch
I’d be a great speller if my brain wasn’t fried from inhaling smoke all day thankyouverymuch
Most reasonable comment of the night.
This message to parents and staff from Dr. Martinez is exactly why teachers will be gathering tomorrow ay 5:30 at the district office to protest and rally for better treatment of students and teachers by MDUSD. All parents, students, and teachers are encouraged to attend.
The district is only concerned about attendance and the money it generates. They are not worried about your children. The “new normal”…what a crock!
Teachers will be rallying for a decrease in class sizes; more counselors, librarians and nurses; and a fair contract (working without a contract for 2 years).
Show the District that we don’t accept their “Old Normal”!
so, you want the kids to miss school because the air is bad, but… you want them to come into the bad air to support a union… Shame on you.
Hope you have a plan to protest indoors.
Such an endeavor to see children enduring toxic air for the benefit of the teachers who don’t want them if they are the third student in their classroom with an IEP, or the twenty-first in a title 1 classroom, forcing them to be overflowed out of their community.
This rally may be the first that supports intentional discrimination of all underserved populations.
You are confusing teachers and Admin. CDE Watcher! Teachers want conditions that allow them to teach! And teacher think schools should be closed as well. Although, the person above who remarked about school being the only place some kids will have food and supervision is also correct so it becomes a more difficult choice.Teachers are not the enemy.
They are rallying tonight for a contract that supports good teaching. NOT what benefits them the most. Teachers want what’s good for kids.
What can we really expect from a School District that allowed a school to stay open with no running water (including the cafeteria) and toilets overflowing with waste for almost two days? In fact they did not close until someone reported it to the Health Dept and they shut the school down! That is totally unacceptable and we deserve answers!
You must have amazing babysitting alternatives unlike everyone else.
Babysitting alternatives? So you are implying schools/teachers are babysitters? I understand the hardships some families may endure if kids were to stay home, but if conditions aren’t safe they arwnt safe and parents need to make it work- whether it be having kids stay with a friend, family member, or taking a day off.
@ Janon
Well, first of all I don’t consider school to be “babysitting.”
Secondly, as with anything in life there are moments where inconvenience kicks in (and it is never a good time). Some examples include, a delayed flight, BART not running time. A huge traffic jam when you need get to work. That being said we are in a circumstance where our kids are subject to unhealthy air. I have NO problem sending my kid to school if they can keep them indoors under these unusual circumstances due to the air quality and modify the PE and recess. Yes it sucks for everyone but this is a special circumstance.
While you may not personally think it is a big deal, the air quality concern, many others do for various reasons (ex: asthma, so forth).
Literally never called school babysitting. When your kids don’t have school what do you use, perhaps a “babysitter” in some form??
They already explained in detail what happened with the running water and toilets and it’s been blown out of proportion. Parents build careers and get jobs based on their kids being in school so I don’t think MDUSD is just looking for any excuse to close down whenever something goes wrong.
It is apparent that a child staying home from school for safety is a very touchy subject for you. Or you or someone you know works for the District.
Anyhow, If you think outrage over overflowing toilets with human waste and no running water in the school and cafeteria (talk about sanitation and safety hazard) of 900 plus students is overreacting then that speaks volumes of your character.
The school should have been shut down until they could address the issue. That is a health hazard hence the Health Dept shutting them down after someone called them to report the school. The District was more worried about losing more of their already horribly mismanaged money.
You can read their explanation yourself and be the judge. They didn’t intend to wait that long. and no I don’t work for the district I just read and see intentions for what they are and people are so quick to jump on the district and I’m calling groupthink, trying to bond over a common enemy, witch hunt style, entitlement, and an overall lack of seeing the district as a good group of well intended people, which they are from everything I’ve experienced with them for 5 or so years of my child being in Mt. D, not to mention my entire youth spent with Mt. D.
No one cared who I was til’ I put on the mask.
Just like smoke detectors, running water, etc. NEW LAW IDEA, powerful effective air purifiers in all classrooms like the air400 from Amazon, it’s allowing us to breathe tonight!!!
First, I do not work in the MDUSD.
Second, the Superintendent only mentions power concerns. Air quality is forecast to be unhealthy for all (red level) and the health department indicates we should stay indoors. Schools in hazardous air zones should be closed as a health precaution. Electricity is not the main concern as it is not a health issue.
Me and other students walk or bike to school, meaning we would be breathing more of the smoke which will harm our lungs eventually leading to respiratory complications.
You bring up a good point, I’d assume health reasons are an excused absence?
Are elementary students allowed to wear masks to school? For those of us that do have to work, and the kids must go to school, that would help at least.
“ALERT: Contra Costa County Issues Proclamation Of Local Emergency”
MDUSD response: All schools are open. These people are especially stupid! They only care about the ADA. Maybe with the money they save they can finally negotiate fairly with employees who haven’t had a contract in years.
A word of advice to Dr. Martinez:
Next time you send out an important robocall, you may want to use a male robot voice if not using your own. Especially when referring to yourself in the first person during the message.
Just sayin’.
I get that we are all mad because MDUSD blatantly stated that they don’t care about their students or education. And it is clear that the students and education are not a concern for our government. My question is how do we change that so that pre k-12 students are actually cared for and given a quality education? MDUSD only cares about the money going into their pockets. And superintendent Martinez only cares about regaining their ownership of CVCHS. He doesnt care that his own schools arent exactly good schools (according to zillow they are pretty bad and i can agree having graduated from CHS). He doesnt even care about the health of his students. So i wamt to know how we can ACTUALLY make a change to this terribly broken system. I may just be young and naive but I dont see how rallying will do much good when the people you are trying to get to listen dont care enough to make sure that you are healthy ebough to work (teachers) or study (students).
Zillow doesn’t rate schools, they use GreatSchools.org which isnt exactly credible.
Maybe it’s the smoke but I smell so much entitlement, public school is provided to you and your family, perhaps be thankful, if you prefer private school go pay for it and pick on and protest to them instead.
I don’t mean to feed a troll, but what difference would a private school vs public school make re an outdoor air quality concern from parents? Do private schools have Air-filtered playgrounds?
I’m not happy about the stinky air but everyone’s anger about the air is being misdirected to the school district when to me they are just trying to provide normalcy to families.. perhaps keep your kids home if that’s your choice for personal health reasons. If Safeway decided to be open and available to families is everyone going to be angry and protest?
It’s clear that the only reason they’re keeping the schools open is because if they close for one day they’ll go completely bankrupt from the $16 they get for a budget each year
A final thought, isn’t health issue an excused absence? If you have asthma or aren’t feeling well from the Smokey conditions and you can’t be outside isn’t that a legitimate excuse to be absent? and won’t the school still be paid? ?
FYI, according to airnow.gov the airquality of all MDUSD zipcodes is moderate, it is not in the red. This is a reference tool that the district uses when making the decision to keep school open, or not, based on air quality. This was also used last year when making the decision to keep schools open.
I am greatful that I am able to send my kids to school today rather than waking up to the news that schools are burnt down like so many communities have experienced in the last couple of years. There are families who are displaced in an area of actual hazardous air quality and have no idea if their homes are still standing, meanwhile our community is pissed of because our kids are going to school today. It’s so disappointing.
I’m sure the schools will keep all children inside, just like they have done in the past with poor air quality days. It’s no different if they are sitting inside at home, or sitting inside their classroom learning .
As of 6 am, the air quality index is at 85, moderate.
“Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.”
So that very small number of students who are UNUSUALLY sensitive to some pollutants should wear masks during their school day. If the air quality degrades over the course of the day, go home.
Wide discrepancies in reading, purpleair.com has Carriage Square near YV High as 171. Given the horrible air, think 171 seems correct.
Where I am in Concord, it’s bluebird skies and clear as a bell. No trace of smoke smell in the air. Since the subject of this article is MDUSD, I’ll go with the readings nearest the schools in question. Looks like some are just fine, others not as much. Notably, Purpleair has FAR fewer sensors placed in the vicinity of Claycord.
Wow the air is so bad this morning, and schools are still open ! Why don’t they think about the kids health !? Kids should be kept indoors as much possible, especially those kids with asthma. I won’t be surprised if they still allow the kids to play Recess outside. It’s pretty upsetting!
Northgate HS HAS NO POWER BUT SCHOOL IS STILL OPEN!!!!
this is Absolutely RIDICULOUS!!! The Principal is waiting on MDUSD for direction on what to do while students wait in the dark. SERIOUSLY!!!
He couldn’t get this figured out Yesterday????
Come on people…think for yourselves! If your concerns are so intense, stay home! Don’t follow the masses…sometimes the “M” is silent!
This is unbelievably stupid of MDUSD. It was a scheduled power outage, and yet Northgate is still having school? Really? Oh, by the way, there are no windows, so the school is pitch black in the classrooms. Maybe they should invest in a back up generator, or windows or skylights, as this isn’t a new problem. Maybe the problem will resolve itself in the next few days… I guess that is what they are thinking. I guess we’ll let them know how I feel tonight at Monte Gardens multi-use room at 5:30.
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