A Message from Superintendent LeDoux –

On behalf of the El Centro Elementary School District, I want to welcome you back to our campuses for the 2021-2022 school year. Our teachers and support staff have been working hard to ensure that your child has a great school year, while being as safe as possible, while at our schools.

In this message, I would like to address some questions that have come up in the past few days.

Can you guarantee that my child will not test positive for COVID-19?

Absolutely not. While we are working hard to ensure each child is safe and healthy while at school, no one can guarantee that this virus will not find our students or staff. In fact, with almost 6,000 students and employees at our schools, we can expect that our COVID-19 positivity rates will be very similar to the numbers found in our community. Most likely we will hear of one or more positive cases somewhere in the District, on daily basis. What we can do as a District, is provide the facilities and processes to limit the spread of the virus on our campuses.

What has been done to make the campuses safer for my child?

We have invested in many ways, to provide a safer campus for each child to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our District, including:

Installation of sinks in classrooms that did not previously have them – this was a major plumbing and installation project to ensure all students could wash their hands in their classrooms. Approximately 120 sinks were added to classrooms around the District. Additionally, touchless soap and paper towel dispensers were installed district-wide
Chilled water bottle fillers – we added multiple points at every school where students can fill their water bottle throughout the day. This allows us to turn off “drinkers” and have a more sanitary dispensing of water. Every school will be providing water bottles with a school logo for each student.
All air conditioning units in the district have had “air scrubber” enhanced filtration systems installed to help with fresh air circulation and filtration.
11 Health Assistants have been hired to have one at each of our schools to help with identifying students with symptoms, screening staff and students as they come on campus and providing information to parents, as needed.
Additional custodians have been hired to enhance cleaning and sanitizing efforts.
Enhanced training on disinfection and sanitization processes have been provided.
Masks and other PPE are available at every school site for any student or staff member that does not bring their own.
Lunch shade structures are being installed across the District to allow students to eat outside instead of inside school cafeterias.
Desk shields are provided for use by students whenever they are eating or if they otherwise choose to use them at their desks.
Sanitizing stations are located throughout every school and office in the district.
Walk through temperature checkers are at entrances to each school so students and staff can quickly determine if a high temperature is present.
All classroom furniture in the District is in the process of being replaced with desks that feature anti-microbial desktops.

What happens if a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19?
If the District is informed that a student or staff member has tested positive for the virus, many actions take place, as per the California Department of Public Health. First, the individual is removed from the classroom or school site and sent home to recover, with advice to seek medical attention. Then, depending on the circumstances, parents of the remaining students in the classroom that are considered to be “close contacts” are notified by a letter and phone call that someone has tested positive. You can view a sample note home HERE. Directions are then given based on the details of the case, as per the CDPH guidelines for schools, which can be found online at: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Schools-FAQ.aspx Please know that our Health Services staff stays in constant contact with the Imperial County Public Health Department to ensure proper protocols are being followed.
Where can I have my child tested for COVID-19?
Several doctors’ offices provide the testing to their patients. The Imperial County Public Health Department maintains a webpage with testing information and available locations. The ECESD is working on being able to test our own students and staff and believe we will be able to make that service available in the next few weeks.
What can I do to help our schools stay as safe as possible?
If your child exhibits signs of ANY illness, no matter how small, please KEEP THEM AT HOME and seek medical care. DO NOT SEND THEM back to school until the symptoms are gone and/or their doctor releases them to return. Oftentimes, this release will only happen when there is a negative test result. If ANYONE in your household is sick and it has not been ruled out that it is COVID-19, KEEP YOUR CHILD AT HOME. If you or children have been around anyone who is sick, KEEP YOUR CHILD at home until the reason for the illness is confirmed to not be COVID-19. Please call in any absences to your child’s school as soon as possible. Also, if there is a positive case, please let your child’s school know or contact our Coordinator of Health Services via email at [email protected] so that we can ensure our protocols are followed.
Working together we can ensure our schools are as safe as possible.
Thank you,

Jon LeDoux
Superintendent of Schools
El Centro Elementary School District