SRJC, Sonoma County schools report little damage from quake

All Sonoma County public schools were open as usual Monday morning following Sunday’s earthquake outside Napa, according to the county Office of Education.

County Superintendent Steve Herrington said in a statement that his office had received no reports of damage from the various school districts Monday morning. However, he said some school buses, especially in the Sonoma Valley Area, could be delayed by road repairs.

Santa Rosa Junior College will also be open as usual, including its Petaluma campus, Shone Farm, the public training and safety center, and southwest Santa Rosa center. Spokesperson Ellen Maremont Silver said staff on Sunday evaluated all the college’s campuses and found that they were operating well, with minimal issues reported.

Staff will continue assessing buildings for cracks, strange smells or broken watering systems.

“Something that was working normally yesterday could turn out to be damaged today, especially with our many older buildings and the possibility of aftershocks,” she said.

The Napa Valley Unified School District closed all its schools Monday as teachers and staff evaluated the facilities for damage. The district was expected to announce by 1 p.m. Monday whether schools would be open the next day.

Schools normally receive state funding based on how many students show up each day, but State Superintendent Tom Torlakson said Monday that Napa schools will not lose out on any money because of the closures.

“Our thoughts and our prayers are with the people in Napa as they deal with the aftermath of the weekend’s earthquake,” he said in a statement. “While the California Department of Education has not received any reports of deaths, injuries, or serious damage on school property, I want to assure local educational agencies that they will not lose funding if their facilities are closed or used as emergency shelters during this disaster.”

You can reach Staff Writer Jamie Hansen at 521-5205 or jamie.hansen@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jamiehansen.