Update to Evacuated Schools - May 23, 2026

Sunday, May 24, 2026

Today, district officials attended a meeting with emergency responders and law enforcement at the Incident Command Center regarding the ongoing hazardous materials incident in Garden Grove. Emergency crews continue working around the clock to prevent the tank from leaking or exploding. According to authorities, temperatures inside the tank continue to rise, and while experts are exploring every available option to stabilize the situation, they have advised community members to adhere to the evacuation orders.

District leaders hosted a command center yesterday with principals of evacuated school sites and are working all weekend to prepare for the remainder of the school year and to provide as much support as possible to our school communities during this difficult time.

Evacuation Update: While Skylark Preschool was originally on the list of evacuated schools, it is located outside of the evacuation zone and has since been cleared by fire officials to reopen on Tuesday. The list of evacuated schools as of now is Alamitos Intermediate, Barker Elementary, Bryant Elementary, Bell Intermediate, Carver Early Childhood Education Center, Enders Elementary, Garden Park Elementary, Lawrence Elementary, Pacifica High School, Patton Elementary, Rancho Alamitos High School, Wakeham Elementary as well as our Maintenance and Operations Center at Chapman-Hettinga and the Lampson Bus Yard.

Distance Learning: Based on the guidance of emergency responders, we are preparing to pivot to distance learning on Tuesday and Wednesday for our evacuated schools. You/your student will receive details directly from the Principal or teacher with more information. We understand if conditions prevent students from joining and students will be held harmless in respect to attendance and grades during this challenging time. We understand how stressful and unsettling this situation is for families, and we want to reassure you that the safety of our students, staff, and community remains our highest priority. Due to the unpredictable nature of this emergency, these plans are fluid and we will update you of any changes.

Graduations: At this time, high school graduations will continue as planned. School principals will communicate directly with families regarding adjustments to end-of-year activities or commencements scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Meals: To continue supporting students and families, Grab-and-Go meals will be available Tuesday and Wednesday at Hare High School from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. We may add additional Grab and Go Meal locations and will keep you updated as plans are made. Click here for additional information about local food banks.

Evacuation Centers: Our hearts go out to all those impacted by the evacuation orders. Please know that we are here to support our families in every way possible during this difficult and uncertain time. We have been informed that the evacuation center with the most availability is currently Ocean View High School, 17071 Gothard Street, Huntington Beach. For the latest updates on evacuation centers closest to you, please visit: https://ggcity.org/emergency.

We will continue to keep families updated as additional information becomes available.

Thank you for your patience, resilience, and continued partnership.