SBUnifiedUpdate by the Santa Barbara County Education Office
5:00 p.m., January 10, 2023
An update to a prior news release shared this evening regarding Santa Barbara County public schools reopening tomorrow after a one-day closure today due to severe weather conditions.
We learned that Cuyama schools will continue to stay closed tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, due to information just received that Highway 166 will likely remain closed until the morning, which would impede student transportation to school.
As stated in the earlier news release, Santa Maria Joint Union High School District students return on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023 due to a previously scheduled staff workday on Wednesday.
All other Santa Barbara County public schools are set to reopen tomorrow.
—
Due to improving weather and road conditions, Santa Barbara County public schools are reopening tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, following a one-day school closure today.
Santa Maria Joint Union High School District students will return to school on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023 due to a pre-scheduled staff workday on Wednesday. Many private schools are also set to reopen tomorrow, but families should check in with their individual schools for updates.
At 2 pm today, county officials announced that all evacuation and shelter in place orders have been lifted for Santa Barbara County. See the following press release for details. As conditions can change rapidly, officials advised residents to check for road condition updates with CHP and CalTrans for the latest information. Some roads will still be closed due to flooding and debris.
Officials say a new storm is expected to hit the region this weekend and reminded residents to register for countywide emergency alerts at readysbc.org.
SB Unified to Resume Classes Wednesday
Update by the Santa Barbara Unified School District
2:30 p.m., January 10, 2023
We encourage everyone to follow all safety orders from Emergency Personnel.
Staff will receive updates from their direct supervisors. Please continue to monitor your Parentsquare, email, and other forms of communication for updates.
Update by the Santa Barbara County Education Office
6:45 p.m., January 9, 2023
Based on extreme and unpredictable weather conditions expected in the morning hours, and continued road closures and flooding, county Sheriff, Fire and EOC (Emergency Operations Center) officials advised schools to close tomorrow.
All 20 Santa Barbara County public school districts have confirmed that they will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023.
Outside of a mandatory evacuation order, decisions about school closures are made on a school-by-school basis.
Families in private schools should look for updates from their individual schools.
We will continue to provide updates as we learn more.
Important reminders:
-
Register for countywide emergency alerts at https://www.readysbc.org/
-
If you have questions about emergency orders and warnings, contact the county Call Center at 833-688-5551.
-
Always follow the directions of local authorities – if you’re told to evacuate, do so.
-
Prepare for power outages by keeping cell phones, etc. charged.
-
Be aware that travel routes could be impacted by the storm. Check for road closure updates: https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/
-
For Evacuation Center information, contact the American Red Cross at (805) 678-3073.
-
For animal evacuation information, call Santa Barbara County Animal Services at (805) 681-4332, Monday-Friday from 8 am-5 pm. If you need animal evacuation support outside those hours, please call the County Animal Services after-hours phone line at (805) 683-2724
-
The National Weather Service reports that the storms may continue in the coming days. For the latest weather outlook, please visit: https://www.weather.gov/lox/
Update by the Santa Barbara Unified School District
5:00 p.m., January 9, 2023
Due to the current weather emergency, and out of consideration for the safety of our students and staff, schools will be closed on Tuesday, January 10.
*The board meeting will also be on Zoom Tuesday, January 10th. For more details, click here.
Based on extreme and unpredictable weather conditions expected in the morning hours, and continued road closures and flooding, county Sheriff, Fire, and EOC (Emergency Operations Center) officials are advising schools to remain closed tomorrow. When considering closing, we factored in the following:
-
California Emergency Declaration by Federal Government
-
Road Closures
-
Ongoing rain with the maximum amount of impact occurring on Tuesday, Jan 10, between 6 am to noon
-
Staffing availability
-
Transportation – staffing shortages tomorrow with MTD
We will continue to monitor this developing situation and will continue to provide updates as they become available. Please continue to monitor ParentSquare, email, and our website for more information.
SB Unified Classes Cancelled, Families Encouraged to Pickup Children
By the Santa Barbara Unified School District
12:00 p.m., January 9, 2023
The below message was sent to families of SB Unified students:
Families,
Today, due to the intense band of rain approaching our area, we are encouraging everyone to pick up their children as soon as possible. Students will not be allowed to walk home. Please call your school’s office for questions.
We will accommodate any student whose parent/guardian is NOT able to pick up their student. The A-OK and after-school care will be available. Student Transportation of America buses will be at schools by 1:30 p.m. We are working with MTD to send buses sooner than the 3:30 normal release time. Please let your school office know if no one will be home to greet your students.
Schools continue to be safe for your children. There will be food and staff to watch over your students. Please know that your children are safe until you can pick them up.
Just heard it took about 30 minutes to get out of the student lot at DPHS. Are these constant alerts and emergency actions needed for everyone? Seems more sketchy having a bunch of freaked out parents and student drivers trying to get out of school parking lots than just riding out the rain and proceeding as usual. If the schools were in burn scar areas, I could understand, but is this a little drastic?
The more people able to get home before the major deluge from 4-6pm, the less of a chance of people needing emergency assistance overwhelming the system. A little chaos now is worth saving everyone from a lot of chaos in 2 hours. Common sense.
Jamming the roads up with panicked parents in a storm isn’t really “common sense” to me. Yeah, good we get the kids home safe, but doing it at the last minute creates a mess. The schools aren’t going to flood. Probably more safe for them to be at school than out on the road or back at home if they live in a flood zone area.
Maybe it’s just me? Oh well.
@2:38pm, apparently that’s too much common sense for most, who have nothing better to do than complain.
SEABIRD – I’m not complaining, just wondering aloud whether this was the best way to handle it. I know nerves are strung tight today with all the constant alerts and flood evacuation warnings. Crap, sorry for even questioning it…..
Same here in SYV. When I drove my kid to school at 8:30am roads were already flooding. Watching the forecast for heavier downpours in mid-late afternoon (normal pickup time) was smart, not an over-reaction. Anyone here commenting that it wasn’t necessary, obviously was not faced with the possibility of not being able to reach their kid at 3:30pm. It was only becoming more unsafe. But y’all will complain about literally ANYTHING.
We’all (face palm) just wondering how effective it was after seeing thousands of cars jamming up the roads near the school and in the surrounding neighborhoods. Glad you never once questioned a decision.
Oh Sac. I made my OWN decision before it was even called. These folks would have been jamming up the roadway during peak deluge. I used to think you were reasonable. You lost me here with the passive aggressive whining. Did you have kids to get home? No? Weird.
SEABIRD – yeah, 2 kids at 2 different schools, both completely above water. Why are you so rude and snippy? I simply asked if anyone else thought it was a bit much. Not complaining, not even opposing it. Yet here you come high and mighty to ridicule those who question a decision that affects thousands of student drivers and parents. You’re awesome.
“These folks would have been jamming up the roadway during peak deluge.” – No, not really. With the “Students will not be allowed to walk home” notice, you greatly increase the number of panicked parents that otherwise wouldn’t have been driving to pick up their kids. Sorry if my post “ruined” how you think of me, but seriously……? You must not have thought very highly of me to begin with for my questioning an undoubtedly last minute urgent order by the district lol!
This is probably a good decision. My kids got the grandchildren home before the deluge and they are very happy they did. Shame on these cranky people on Edhat immediately criticizing every move the SBUSD makes. Can’t they even wait until the weather crisis has passed. Edhat, I urge you to muzzle ( vote down) them at least for a few hours.
FITZ, if only…….so sick of these 3-4 commenters and their nastiness
Just got back from some errands – 101 North is closed at the Winchester exit. I feel bad for those who commute from up north!
Seeing the roads, it’s a mess out there. While I still think waiting an extra hour or so until school normally ends would have been less chaotic, I can see why some have gone into emergency mode. Good thing they’re closed tomorrow, I think it’s going to be worse in the AM than it is now even.
Stay safe everyone!
It’s some rain… I get freaking out about burn areas and feel bad about those stuck here due to road closures, but jeezzz. Maybe Goleta is sheltered, but it hasn’t really rained that much. High school kids walking home in the rain sounds fun! I get the elementary kids, I guess, but this isn’t Katrina.
GT – exactly! That’s how it was at Goleta Valley Jr. High. What a ridiculous process that was! Could have waited a bit and the weather was still OK.
Not sure why schools were open today in the first place. It was coming down pretty good this morning and they knew more was on the way so instead of keeping everyone safe at home we had all those cars on the road this morning and then again this afternoon.