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California District Passes Resolution Authorizing Construction as “Essential”

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By SCN Staff

PLEASANTON, Calif.—The Pleasanton Unified School District recently passed a resolution that authorizes construction projects to continue as “essential” during the current shelter-in-place order due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to an article in the Mercury News, the board held a virtual emergency meeting on April 1 to approve the resolution that outlines construction projects throughout the district. In California Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent executive order requiring people to shelter in place, only essential businesses are allowed to continue.

However, Bay Area counties imposed a stricter mandate that prohibits most residential and commercial construction. Exempted from that mandate are public works projects “specifically designed as an essential government function by the lead governmental agency.”

In its article, the Mercury News wrote that Pleasanton Unified has interpreted this to mean that its construction projects are essential because they will provide “educational programs and safe, accessible and structurally sound facilities” available to students after school schools are allowed to reopen.

The list of projects includes the following:

  • a library rebuild at Harvest Park Middle School;
  • roof replacement at Fairlands and Alisal Elementary schools and Pleasanton and Harvest Park Middle Schools;
  • phase one of the Lydikensen Elementary School rebuild;
  • fencing at Hurst and Valley View elementary schools and Pleasanton Middle; and
  • follow-up work to Amador Valley High’s solar.

Distance learning will continue at schools as students receive instruction from at-home teachers. School buildings throughout the state are expected to remain closed through the end of the academic year.