Parent letter warns students sent near mowing equipment during PE; district says schedule updated

A parent letter read to the Loma Prieta Joint Union Elementary School District board described a safety incident in which children were sent to the track and instructed to run across grass while a ride-on mower was operating nearby.

The correspondence, identified as an April 18 email from Megan Marsh, said in part: "This is clear this is a clear safety risk." The email said her son and classmates were taken to the track while adjacent grass was being cut and that a coach told the class to run back to class on the grass while it was being cut. Marsh asked the district to adopt a policy to ensure students are not near landscaping equipment.

District staff responded that after receiving the letter on May 15 they updated the grounds schedule and communication with teachers. "We do have a schedule for work now that we adhere to," staff said, adding they had put processes in place to advise teachers not to send students outside during certain work windows.

The board did not take action at the meeting but staff said the schedule and teacher‑notification steps were intended to prevent recurrence. The email was entered into the record and trustees invited community members to submit follow‑up questions by email prior to the June 11 meeting.