Vallejo school campus closed for at least a week following copper theft
Classes at school campus in Solano County have been canceled for at least a week, as crews repair damage from a reported metal theft.
The Vallejo City Unified School District announced Saturday that a copper theft at Solano Widenmann Leadership Academy has "severely damaged" the school's electrical systems.
District officials said repairs are expected to take about a week and is looking at a $150,000 to $250, 000 price tag to fix it.
In the meantime, Celina Baguiao, a spokesperson for the district, says the school is developing a plan to avoid disruptions in learning.
"All the teachers have worked together to create packets for the students to work on," Baguiao said. "So essentially, it's like an independent study."
If the closure is extended, the district said it would arrange "alternate student placements to minimize disruptions."
In an update Monday afternoon, the district announced that "alternative learning hubs" for affected students will open Wednesday at six schools: Cooper, Dan Mini, Federal Terrace, Highland, and Patterson Elementary Schools, along with Loma Vista Environmental Science Academy.
District officials said families are encouraged to sign up via an online form sent directly to parents and guardians. Officials later announced that the school would reopen on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
"We are committed to ensuring that our students' education remains as uninterrupted as possible," Superintendent Rubén Aurelio said in a statement. "The dedicated staff at Solano Widenmann Leadership Academy has worked rapidly to prepare learning materials and establish a system that keeps our students engaged during this temporary closure."
The district said it is also contacting families with students in special education day classes about alternative site arrangements, which will be relocated Tuesday.
Families are being urged to contact the school or the district office with any questions.
Nearly 600 students from kindergarten through 8th grade attend the school located at 1025 Corcoran Avenue, according to enrollment data from the California Department of Education.
The changes are expected to go into effect Tuesday for special needs children and Wednesday K-8th grade students.
