COVID-19 Updates
Common Purpose, Uncommon Times
ACSA Executive Director Wes Smith will host Common Purpose, Uncommon Times live on Facebook Mondays at 5:30 p.m., providing viewers with information from the state Capitol and how it impacts you, answering your questions live and helping you focus on being the student advocate that your community needs right now.
Send us your questions, and watch for the next broadcast at www.facebook.com/acsafans.
The health and safety of our members and the communities they serve are of paramount importance. ACSA is closely monitoring the fluid and rapidly evolving situation created by COVID-19.
Update on the impact of COVID-19 on ACSA activities
State offices
We have three priorities as we conduct ACSA business: (1) protecting the safety and wellbeing of our staff, (2) serving our members, and (3) insuring ACSA’s continued fiscal solvency. As such we’ve closed all ACSA offices temporarily effective today to improve social distancing and better protect our employees and their loved ones. This decision was based on recent advisories from the state, CDC, and guidance for citizens to shelter in place in San Mateo County (where our Burlingame office is located). In the last hour, Sacramento County (where our largest office is located) also issued a shelter at home directive. We will continue to review CDC and public health advisories daily and will make a determination each Friday regarding whether to keep our offices closed or to reopen.
We will, however, continue to serve and support our members. We’ve identified necessary services and essential tasks that will be handled by assigned staff remotely so we can continue to provide key services. Many of our services can be provided virtually such as advocacy, communications, legal support, and professional development. Those that cannot will be postponed until we reopen our offices. While the situation requires us to think differently about our work, it also provides us an opportunity to innovate and come up with new solutions that we might not otherwise discover. Meanwhile, we will continue to serve and support our members throughout this challenging time.
Other meetings and events
ACSA hosts a variety of other small meetings and events during the spring such as state committee and council meetings. All meeting will either be postponed, cancelled, or converted to online formats to allow our members to continue to participate in ACSA activities.
The ACSA Team will continue to closely monitor the fluid and rapidly evolving situation and continue to make decisions about group gatherings driven by the most recent advice from public health experts.
ACSA resources and advocacy on the issue
ACSA is committed to being a resource to education leaders as they face this challenging issue, and the ACSA Resource Hub is being updated daily with new materials from state agencies and school districts statewide. These materials include correspondence from districts to parents and employees, statements on school closures, and other toolkits.
We know this situation is highly disruptive to schools, impacting them in many ways from attendance and testing timelines to health practices and cleaning to labor relations. Please rest assured that ACSA is working hard to be sure that state and federal leaders understand these impacts and do what they can to mitigate them.
ACSA staff is monitoring this situation closely, with a named “point person” to follow and brief the management team on breaking news and advisories issued by regional, state and national agencies.
In addition to resources for districts provided on ACSA’s Resource Hub, this page will be updated on a regular basis with timely information as the situation unfolds.
Resources
Coronavirus Resources for Schools
A growing library of materials, guides and tools on ACSA's Resource Hub.
ACSA School Reopening Planning Report
Resources and analysis for school reopening.
California COVID-19 Response
A comprehensive website dedicated to the coronavirus disease.
New COVID-19 Guidance for K-12 Schools
Part of the CDE COVID-19 Guidance for K-12 Schools published on March 17, 2020.
CDC Guidance for School Administrators
Up to date guidance on responding to the coronavirus.
EdWeek School Closure Map
Track school closures throughout the U.S.
California Department of Education
Get the latest coronavirus disease advisories from CDE.
Centers for Disease Control
CDC content includes a digital press kit and notes from daily briefings.
California Department of Public Health
Daily updates in English and Spanish, as well as ways for people to protect themselves.
World Health Organization
Advice for the public from the WHO.
Global Meetings Industry
Learn about what the international meeting industry is advising about events.
CalSAE
Things to think about before holding a meeting.