All schools in the Escalon Unified School District have been shut down – as have all the schools throughout San Joaquin County.

The three-week closure comes in response to the coronavirus threat. As of now, school sites will be closed from Monday, March 16 through Sunday, April 5 with classes tentatively resuming Monday, April 6.

After careful consideration and consultation with San Joaquin County Public Health Services, the San Joaquin County Superintendent of Schools and school districts in San Joaquin County made the decision on Friday afternoon, March 13 to temporarily close schools.

Superintendent James Mousalimas issued the following statement:

“News of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and its spread across the country and the region has been a cause of great concern. In San Joaquin County, the concern continued to grow this week with the confirmation of six cases of COVID-19, which show evidence of community transmission of the virus in our county. After long and careful deliberation, it is my recommendation that all schools in San Joaquin County close temporarily for three weeks, effective Monday, March 16.”

Meanwhile, in Escalon, the high school’s Sports Boosters Club has revised its originally scheduled Saturday night, March 14 dinner-dance-auction to be a drive thru dinner.

Those with tickets to the dinner-dance can get their meals, drive-thru style, at the Escalon Community Center between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. Boosters Club members said they also will have the live and silent auction items available for either silent bidding or for purchase; those driving through to pick up their dinner will have the chance to see the items and decide if they want to bid or purchase.

The closure of the schools also means a curtailment to all sports activities, school teams are shut down for games and practices and no outside groups will be allowed to use school facilities during the three-week closure.