Lodi schools stay open while other local schools close

Although University of the Pacific’s Stockton and Sacramento campuses will be closed today and San Joaquin Delta College will be closed until Sunday due to poor air quality caused by smoke from the Camp Fire in Butte County, Lodi Unified School District schools will remain open.

“LUSD schools will remain open with the exception of Middle College High School due to the San Joaquin Delta College closure,” LUSD spokesperson Chelsea Vongehr said in an email to parents on Thursday.

The school district monitors the air quality with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s RealTime Air Advisory Network (RAAN) — available on the front page of the school district’s website — which showed that the air quality in the Lodi and Stockton area was at a Level 5, or “very unhealthy.”

“While the air quality remains at Level 5, all outdoor activities have been canceled or moved indoors,” Vongehr said. “School personnel will do their best to keep all students indoors as much as possible.”

Galt Joint Union High School District, Galt Joint Union Elementary School District and Arcohe School District will also close their schools today, according to a Thursday press release.

Galt High School District schools are expected to re-open on Nov. 26, superintendent William Spalding said in an email to parents on Thursday, as the district’s Thanksgiving break takes place Nov. 19-23.

Also on Thursday, Stanislaus State announced that its Turlock and Stockton campuses will remain closed until Monday due to the air quality.