Update: Mother Lode School Officials Assess Power Shutoff Update
Update at 5:15 p.m.: Columbia College evening classes have been canceled, but classes will resume Friday as regularly scheduled.
Tori James wrote the below information for this article.
Update at 3:50pm: Many schools now have power and others are still waiting to find out if power will return soon.
The School Delays page will be updated as information comes into the news center. Make sure to check it early Friday morning.
Update at 3:18pm: Although electrical service is slowly returning to local areas, it won’t be in time for evening community college classes.
Columbia College officials say evening classes are canceled because as of the 3 p.m. hour, power was not restored, adding that no decision can be made about Friday classes until the lights are back on and systems are able to be checked out.
Original Post at 2:49pm: Sonora, CA — As PG&E crews do their powerline inspections ahead of re-energizing local lines, schools remain in limbo.
As Tuolumne County Schools Superintendent Cathy Parker points out, some customers may need to wait a few hours for full restoration but it might take multiple days for that to happen in some areas.
“County school programs co-located on school district sites will follow that school site’s closure or nonclosure schedule,” Parker says. “If Sonora High School is closed, all county-operated school programs will be canceled since we are linked to their transportation. Stand-alone programs will receive guidance from supervisors.”
She indicates that when power is restored to Tuolumne County Schools’ main office, it will open as usual regardless of whether schools are open or closed.
“School districts will be communicating with their families to let them know the status for tomorrow. Expect updates through tomorrow morning from those districts,” Parker adds.
Calaveras County Schools Superintendent Scott Nanik earlier reported that none of the schools have generators for operation. So, as far as school closures go, if there is no power at a school, there is no school. Calaveras Unified school district schools are currently on fall break.
