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Date: March 8, 2020
To: Superintendents and Principals
From: Colt Gill, Director of the Oregon Department of Education and Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction
RE: Health Officials Recommend Schools and Universities Remain Open and Take Steps to Prevent Infection
I want to make sure you saw today’s joint press release from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) and Oregon Department of Education (ODE) recommending pre-schools, schools, colleges and universities remain open in most cases. This is important guidance that will help you and your community understand how we, as a state, are responding to the conversation about school closure due to COVID-19. Please take time to review the recommendations.
Other Updates and Information
- Governor Kate Brown declared a state of emergency in Oregon to address the spread of the novel coronavirus after OHA identified seven new cases of COVID-19 in Oregon, bringing the total to 14. The emergency declaration allows OHA to activate reserves of emergency volunteer health care professionals, bringing online auxiliary medical professionals to work with local health authorities to identify and contain new cases of COVID-19 in Oregon. The declaration additionally grants broad authority to the State Public Health Director, OHA, and the Office of Emergency Management, which will allow the agencies to take immediate action and devote all available state resources towards containing the coronavirus in Oregon.
- ODE and OHA are partnering to provide FAQs, social media tools, templates and other documents for school districts to use for public information support. Many of the resources are available in multiple languages. You can find FAQs and other information on the ODE COVID-19 Resources Page and at Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 page.
- If you have specific questions not answered by previous updates or other resources, please contact ODE Communications Director Marc Siegel.
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