March 16th, 2020

The Northern Humboldt Union High School District is working to keep families as informed as possible during the Coronavirus school shutdown. Below are the answers to some frequent questions Pepperbox received over Instagram. This will be updated as we learn more.

What does the shutdown mean for athletics?

Athletics are suspended during the closure. Individual coaches should be in contact with their teams. 

Will this effect time off over summer?

Currently the district does not believe the shutdown will affect time off over summer, but everything is subject to change as we get more information from Governor Gavin Newsom and other sources. 

Will we be doing online school?

Yes. Teachers should be in contact with their classes over the next week. Online instruction will begin on Monday, March 23rd.

How will online classes work?

Teachers are currently working to get information to their students and train themselves in online education. Students without devices can borrow from the school and information for students without internet will be released soon. Online instruction will begin on the 23rd of March. You will be graded on work done during the closure.

What events are canceled? Senior events?

All events that were supposed to take place during the closure are cancelled. The spring plays for both McKinleyville High and Arcata High are postponed until after school reopens. As for senior events like prom and graduation, they are all still possible. The district does not want to cancel events unless necessary. 

What about food?

There is free and reduced lunches available at both school campuses between 11:30 AM and 1 PM.

Why are we shutting down without confirmed cases?

“We believe that we are being responsible for the health of our students and our staff and we believe that we are contributing to limiting the exposure to Coronavirus in our community,” Superintendent Roger Macdonald explained. 

In an earlier meeting, Senator Mark McGuire explained to school districts that he and the legislative body are in support of the schools’ decisions to close and that schools should lead this effort. The goal is to slow the spread of Coronavirus enough that hospitals are not overwhelmed. 

The district wanted us to add that support staff is currently working on a way to help students who are feeling stressed and isolated during this time.