Monterey County public schools push back reopen date to May 4 at the earliest.

Monterey County schools were ahead of the curve when it came to flattening the curve. 

The superintendents of almost all K-12 public school districts jointly announced on March 13 that they would close school for at least the remainder of the month of March—that was before there was a single confirmed case in Monterey County and before Monterey County Health Officer Edward Moreno issued a shelter-in-place order. 

On Thursday, March 26, the Monterey County Office of Education announced that schools will be closed for at least another month, and the earliest possible reopening date is now May 4. 

"With more and more confirmed cases in our county, our state and our nation, now more than ever, it is important communities in Monterey County heed the stay-at-home/shelter-in-place orders to prevent further spread of Covid-19," according to MCOE's statement. 

It's important to note that each district makes its own local choice; 23 out of 24 superintendents agreed to coordinate and work together on a joint announcement. (The only public school district that did not sign on is King City Union Elementary. A number of charter schools signed on as well.)

“Schools play a vital role in our communities and balancing that role with the need for keeping our Monterey County residents safe and socially distanced is essential at this time when we have evidence of community transmission in Monterey County,” Moreno said in MCOE's statement.

During the closures, many school cafeterias are still offering meals for students to pick up. Thanks to a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued on March 25, students themselves no longer need to be present to pick up meals per normal USDA school lunch regulations; parents or guardians may now pick up meals on the kids' behalf. 

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