Dear Parent/Guardian:

You may have heard on the news this week that California Governor Gavin Newsom shared his opinion that schools may not reopen this school year. We understand this information is unsettling, but as of now, there is no definitive date on when schools will reopen.


Yesterday, the Governor mandated a statewide stay at home order. As of now there is no end date to the order; the need will be reassessed at the state level. The O’Farrell Charter Schools will continue to follow these directives. This likely means our campuses will not reopen on April 6, as originally planned. All decisions about reopening will be made in conjunction with state and local public health officials.

While we are uncertain how long this closure will last, we are putting plans in place that will provide students with resources they need, during this closure. We encourage you to think in both the short- and long-term as well. Here are some resources to assist you.

*There are many sites across the county set up to provide school-aged children with breakfast and lunch. Lunch is served drive-thru style, or walk-up, in the O’Farrell School parking lot. 6130 Skyline Drive. Monday-Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

*We have digital learning resources available that we encourage you and your student to utilize while schools are closed. If you need internet in your home, please contact your local internet provider; many are providing free internet for homes with K-12 children during this time.

*In partnership with KPBS and the San Diego County Office of Education, we welcome you to access 12 hours daily of state standards-aligned television programming scheduled by grade level. A student does not need access to a computer or the Internet to watch. Tune into KPBS 2 with an antenna at channel 15.2, or on Cox 811 or Spectrum 1277. Additional digital content is also accessible through PBS LearningMedia.

*We encourage you to stay informed of the situation by regularly checking updates from San Diego County Public Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The San Diego County Public Health Department updates its website daily with information about COVID19 and related emergency orders. Please check this site regularly and adhere to all orders and recommendations.

We appreciate your patience and understanding during this unprecedented time. We will continue to communicate regularly as we learn new information.

1) Cox, Comcast and Spectrum have offers for free internet/wifi during this time for families with K-12 children. Please visit the individual company website for more information.
2) AT&T has opened their public hotspots for free access. See their website for more information.
3) Contact your wireless provider to ask about unlimited data. Some providers are offering a change of plan to unlimited data for households with students in grades K-12.

Parents, please refer to the new "School Closure-Curriculum Plan for Students" on the tab at the right side of our middle school page. This resource will help you support your child at home with their continued learning opportunities. Principal Jill Andersen also sent this information via email. If you did not receive the email, please contact our office to update your email address in our system or contact Mrs. Andersen at jill.andersen@ofarrellschool.org

Breakfast and lunch will still be available to students during the school closure. Grab and go meals may be picked up Monday through Friday between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. in our school parking lot at 6130 Skyline Drive. A station will be set up for you to come pick up food. One lunch and one breakfast per student, per day. Students must be present to pick up the meal.

As of today, the CDE has processed requests for more than 3,100 emergency feeding sites throughout the state. As school districts continue to update the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System, these sites will be populated into the “Meals for Kids” app.
The “CA Meals for Kids” app was originally released in 2018 to help users to find the locations of California’s Summer and Afterschool Meal Programs, which are spread throughout the state. These programs provide no-cost meals to children aged eighteen and under. The app is available for free download through Apple’s App Store, Google’s Play Store, and Microsoft’s App Store web pages.