Districts, educators prepare to open for new school year
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s school districts are preparing to welcome students back to classes this week, with some schools having been delayed due to the Mendocino Complex.
The Lake County Office of Education and district offices have confirmed the following start dates for the 2018-19 school year:
– Aug. 20: Konocti Unified, Middletown Unified;
– Aug. 22: Lakeport Unified, Lucerne Elementary, Upper Lake Unified;
– Sept. 4: Kelseyville Unified.
The Mendocino Complex delayed the start of school for the Konocti, Lakeport, Lucerne and Upper Lake districts, where facilities have had to be thoroughly cleaned over the past few weeks, as Lake County News has reported.
Middletown and Kelseyville’s start dates remain unchanged, officials reported.
In Upper Lake, Superintendent Dr. Giovanni Annous reported that air scrubbers were installed in school facilities to restore air quality to normal levels.
Earlier this month, the district board decided to delay the start of school one week to Aug. 22.
Annous said that after analyzing the situation and potential impacts of changes to the opening of the school year, the district decided that the Aug. 22 start date “will be in the best interest of our students, staff, parents and community.”
He added, “We understand that in some unique situations some students, parents and teachers might have some undue burden and will need some accommodation in the first few days. The district will work with them individually to address and support their needs.”
School officials also are preparing to help students cope in the aftermath of the Mendocino Complex, the largest wildland fire incident in state history.
On Tuesday, administrators, counselors, school psychologists and board members from around Lake County attended “Trauma Informed Approaches to Support Lake County Students,” the Lake County Office of Education reported.
The presenters were Mandy Corbin, administrator, and Mary Champion, psychologist, from Sonoma County Office of Education.
The Lake County Office of Education said they covered how to support ourselves and empower others and provided resources for the sites to share with staff and students.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.