CUSD Sets Official Date for In-Class Learning

CUSD boardmember Steven Fogg (center) speaking on school reopening at the CUSD Board Meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020. (CUSD)

At last night’s Clovis Unified School Board meeting, the official date for all students to return following the in-person hybrid model will be January 19.

“At every school site, we have students wishing to return, and we need to start the conversation on how to get them on campus, but our official date with students being returned using that in-person hybrid model will be January 19,” Corrine Folmer, Associate Superintendent for School Leadership.

Folmer says the in-person hybrid model is implicated because of the social, emotional, and synchronized learning.

As stated in the last board meeting, there will be safety protocols intact with the six-feet social distancing; all students will be required to wear a face mask. Sanitation will be done before and after all shifts.

A survey conducted by CUSD showed 46 percent of parents and staff approve for students to return for the in-person learning by November 3 while 53 percent agreed on waiting until January 19.

“Even though you want to come back, you may not have the opportunity to come back until we have space for your kid to do that. If there are not enough teachers,” says Steven Fogg, CUSD Board Member.

The number of students and staff for in-person learning will vary among the schools once students are able to return. One campus might have a return of 70 percent, while another has only 20 percent.

CUSD is currently working on finding the best solution to bring students back on campus safely and efficiently.

“We are trying to come up with an intentional plan that when we roll this out, it will be as successful as possible. It will have truly been processed, and it will meet the needs of each of the communities’ sites in which we have because they do differ, and that is what the data told us,” says Folmer.

The official secondary school plan for return is on January 5 of next year.

A master schedule will be presented based on surveys from parents in December. Scheduling is different for secondary school since most students will have more than one teacher.

There will be exceptional instructional minutes for in-person learning. Content coverage is essential, like AP classes and ones that need more attention.

Tori Lavon is a Multimedia Journalist from Reedley, California. She received her Bachelor's in Mass Communications and Journalism with an emphasis in Broadcasting from California State University, Fresno. Currently, she is a radio intern at One Putt Broadcasting. On occasion, Tori has the opportunity to be on-air with talent. She is getting her start in media. She has a passion for reporting, photography, and videography. Tori also has a love for art; she loves to draw, paint, and does pottery on the side. One day she hopes she can be on-air talent at a radio station as well.