The San Diego Unified School District announced Sunday it will delay the first day of school until Tuesday because of uncertainty about the impact of the now tropical storm Hilary on the region.
“I remain hopeful that the storm will continue to decrease in its intensity as it moves through our region. However, given the uncertainty of the weather and our need to thoroughly assess any impacts to our facilities, all schools will be closed to students on Monday, August 21,” Superintendent Dr. Lamont Jackson said.
“The first day of school brings joy and excitement for students, families and staff. I thank our entire community for their understanding, and for our collective desire to have the best first day of school possible for our students, staff, and families,” he said.
Officials said the school district will continue to monitor the storm and its impact in the region.
“As eager as we are to welcome students and staff back to school, safety must come first,” said Board of Education President Sabrina Bazo. “I would like to thank our entire San Diego Unified community for their understanding as we work through this unprecedented weather event.”
In addition, the San Diego Community College District postponed Monday’s scheduled first day of classes until Tuesday.
All classes at San Diego City, Mesa and Miramar colleges, along with the Continuing Education program, are instead expected will shift to Tuesday, the district said in a statement Sunday night.
“The health and safety of our students and employees is our highest priority,” said SDCCD Acting Chancellor Gregory Smith. “While we have received no reports of damage to any district facilities, we believe it best for the community to keep as many people as possible off local roads and highways.”
Additional updates will be posted on the district website and on the individual college sites, the district statement said.
San Diego State University and Cal State San Marcos already had switched to online classes for Monday because of the storm.
Updated 7 p.m. Aug. 20, 2023
