Tamalpais Union High Closes Schools Due To Coronavirus Concerns

MARIN COUNTY, CA — Tamalpais Union High School District closed schools Friday to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, the district announced. The closed schools include Redwood High School and San Andreas High School in Larkspur, Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, and Sir Francis Drake High School in San Anselmo.

"As a learning institution, we did not take this decision lightly," the announcement said. "There are no known cases of diagnosed coronavirus (COVID-19) among TUHSD staff or students at this time. However, as the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation has unfolded and we gathered more information at the state and local level, it has become clear that the most responsible action, at this moment, is for us to take a proactive versus reactive approach to social distancing and other containment measures."

Classes are expected to resume March 30, according to the district. District officials will provide families updates via email and posts on the district's website during the closure. Officials will give families notice by 4 p.m. March 27 regarding the reopening of the schools on March 30.

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Students will not be allowed on campuses during the closure, according to the district.

Teachers will email assignments to students via eschoolPLUS and students are expected to complete them during the closure. Teachers and counselors will also respond to student emails sent during regular school hours, according to the district.

Sporting events, rehearsals and practices are postponed until schools reopen. School facilities, including swimming pools and sports fields are closed to the public during the closure.

As of Thursday, there were three confirmed cases of coronavirus in Marin County and no cases from local transmission.

The first positive case was a passenger who went on a cruise in February to Mexico, and the other two positive cases are people who lived with the passenger, according to the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services.

Also read: 2 More Coronavirus Cases Confirmed In Marin County

The Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday opened a drive through COVID-19 field testing center at an undisclosed location in the county.

The testing center is a collaboration between Marin Public Health and local hospitals and physicians. It was inspired by similar testing models in South Korea and was created to support clinicians and physicians.

When a medical provider determines a patient needs testing, they send the patient to the drive-through testing site. The patient will be tested by a nurse without leaving their vehicle.

Bay City News Service and Patch editor Kristina Houck contributed to this report.