08/20/2026
Dear AUSD Families,
What an eventful first day of school.
As the school day came to an end and conditions related to the Dehesa fire changed, our teams immediately put our safety procedures into action. Out of an abundance of caution, we evacuated our ESS, ELOP, and Preschool programs, contacted families, and worked to ensure every student was safely reunited with their family.
I am incredibly grateful for our staff, families, law enforcement partners, and everyone who worked together today. Our safety procedures worked exactly as intended, and most importantly, our students were kept safe.
We recognize that many members of our AUSD community are being directly impacted by the fire tonight, including families and staff members who have had to evacuate their homes. Please know that all of you are in our thoughts and prayers tonight. This is a strong community, and I know we will continue to look out for and support one another.
Since many families have reached out asking about tomorrow, all AUSD schools will be open tomorrow and operate on their regular schedules. Should conditions change in a way that impacts our schools, we will communicate with families immediately.
Thank you for your patience, trust, and partnership today. On a first day none of us could have anticipated, our community came together when it mattered most.
Please stay safe tonight and take care of one another. Make every minute count!
Rich Newman, Ed.D.
Proudest Superintendent on Earth
Alpine Union School District
The Destination District of East County
