One of the top priorities for local schools is to provide a safe and secure learning environment for students, which includes preparing for a variety of circumstances. In California, high winds and extremely dry conditions can create extreme fire danger, requiring schools to prepare for the varied and complex impact of wildfires, smoke, and/or poor air quality. All San Diego County schools have established a fire protection and evacuation plan and work regularly with public safety agencies to coordinate preparedness efforts to protect life, property, and critical infrastructure, and to clearly outline procedures and protocols for when evacuation or voluntary dismissal becomes necessary.
Schools should make sure their plan is updated before there is a fire event. If your district or school does not have an existing School Protection and Evacuation Plan, now is the time to collaborate with your local law enforcement and fire officials to create one. It includes an Evacuation Decision Tree, response protocols and procedures, communications supports, and other resources. Share this plan, along with your school’s Comprehensive School Safety Plan, with families each year. Contact San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) Safety Coordinator Tim Ware at tim.ware@sdcoe.net for additional assistance.
The following resources are intended to assist our school communities in preparing for wildfires, as well as the impacts resulting from poor air quality. For information on how a specific campus is preparing for these situations, please contact your district or school’s front office.
Skip to Section: District/School Preparedness Considerations Curriculum
Support from SDCOE Family Preparedness Resources
Air quality: AirNow, a web page supported by multiple government agencies, lists current and forecasted air quality for San Diego County.
Weather: This National Weather Service page provides current weather and forecasted weather conditions.
Regional emergency management: The San Diego County Office of Emergency Services provides updates on all local emergency responses on the sdcountyemergency.com webpage.
If there is a wildfire or if the Air Quality Index drops as a result of a fire, the The San Diego County Office of Education encourages school leaders to refer to guidelines in the School Air Quality Activity Recommendations, which were created by the California Department of Education in partnership with the California Air Resources Board, California Air Pollution Control Officers Association, California County Superintendents Educational Services Association, Association of California School Administrators, and California School Boards Association.
Decisions will be made on minimizing the risk for students and staff members. Some steps may include:
The decision to close schools is made by each local educational agency and is based on recommendations from local health, law enforcement, and fire agencies, as well as answers to questions such as:
If in-person instruction is temporarily unavailable due to poor air quality or other impacts of a nearby wildfire, each local educational agency (school district, charter school, or private school) would make decisions relating to opening or closing a school(s) or alternate learning formats (e.g., distance learning).
Be Aware, Be Prepared is a 4th-grade unit of study that builds students' knowledge about the geological systems of the Earth, natural disasters, and disaster preparation through print and technology sources and collaborative research. It was developed by the County Office of Emergency Services in collaboration with the San Diego County Office of Education. It’s free to download or order a printed copy. To learn more, please visit the Ready San Diego website or email Marielena Castellanos at the County Office of Emergency Services at marielena.castellanos@sdcounty.ca.gov. Other sites that can engage students with learning include CAL FIRE’s wildfire data and AlertWildFire, created by a consortium of universities providing fire cameras and tools to help firefighters and first responders. Teachers, students, and community members can check out the regional cameras in San Diego and follow fire updates across the state.
The more students know about the science of fire, the better they can prevent and prepare for wildfires. SDCOE has three environmental phenomena resources focused on wildfire that are aligned to Next Generation Science Standards: Grade 3 Grade 5 Middle school
SDCOE designed units of study in grades K-12 that are focused on grade-level essential learnings in each content area. These units were purposefully designed to integrate content, provide flexibility, and choice. The units of study connect content in the following areas: English language arts, English language development, mathematics, science, history/social science, arts, computer science, and physical education through integrated study in K-5 and thematic units in grades 6 through high school. Assessment opportunities (formative and summative) and student feedback are embedded and intentionally developed. They can be downloaded and personalized for free.
In the past, SDCOE has provided technical support and access to computers at our main campus; information on how to safely clean up after a fire, including descriptions of proper safety equipment and procedures; crisis support teams to help adults and children in affected areas; and materials on how to help students work through any anxiety or emotional distress the fires may have created or aggravated. In addition, during a wildfire event, SDCOE provides real-time updates on its website and social media channels, and works with the media to disseminate information broadly across the county. Should the state make personal protective equipment such as N95 masks available for distribution to school staff members, students, and community members in the event of poor air conditions, SDCOE will notify school leaders and coordinate distribution.
Districts and schools have emergency and wildfire preparedness plans and have drills regularly to practice evacuation routes and emergency procedures. It’s just as important for families to also be prepared in the event of an emergency or wildfire nearby. Get familiar with the plan at your child’s school as it may inform your own family’s emergency planning.
Be Prepared: According to the Red Cross, in a wildfire “you may have to leave your home quickly to stay safe. Know where you will go, how you will get there, and where you will stay. Have different escape routes from your home and community. Practice these routes so everyone in your household is familiar with them. Be sure to understand how your community will respond to a wildfire.”
The Red Cross offers tips and resources to support you in gathering emergency supplies and making a plan to stay connected.
Make sure your children are also part of the process. The Red Cross has created age-appropriate digital resources and videos on wildfires and other common hazards to help families and educators to help children be better prepared in an emergency. Visit redcross.org/youthprep for details.
The Burn Institute has family and community resources available to download in English and Spanish that focus on fire and burn prevention in the home as well as wildfire resources such as family fire escape planning.
Monitor local conditions: For the latest emergency updates in English and Spanish, visit www.sdcountyemergency.com, and download the SD Emergency app. If you are affected by the fire and need to talk to someone by phone about evacuations, shelters, road closures, and other non-emergency disaster-related services, call 211. If you are hearing impaired, dial 711 and ask to be connected to 858-300-1211.
You may also consider registering your cell phone and email address with AlertSanDiego to receive evacuation orders/warnings, protective actions, and disaster-related information. Listed and unlisted landlines are already included in the database and do not need to be registered.
During a wildfire: In the event of a fire, there are steps people can take to protect themselves from smoke and poor air quality.
August is National Immunization Awareness Month and Aug. 1 to 7 is HPV (human papillomavirus) Vaccine Week. During back-to-school season, it's an important reminder to everyone of the critical role vaccinations have in protecting our health and the community’s health.
Assembly Bill 376 requires California public schools to provide free pads and tampons in campus bathrooms. This resource guide contains requirements, templates, and resources.
The Transitional Kindergarten Pathway Program is a nine-month series from September through April in partnership with the University of San Diego (USD) that provides qualified teachers with the early childhood education units required to teach TK.
SDCOE gathered resources to assist our school communities in preparing for wildfires, as well as the impacts resulting from poor air quality.
Each month, the eight-member San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) District Payroll Services team assists with the payroll process for 48 school districts and charter schools across the county.