The Fresno Unified School District announced Thursday that on-campus instruction will resume August 17.
Superintendent Bob Nelson said based on parent survey results, the district expects 75 percent of kids to return to school in the fall. However, school will be a little different.
“Recommendations for safety include physical distancing of six feet, or as close to six feet as is feasible in all cases,” said Nelson. There will also be “daily self-administered health screenings for all of our students and staff, [and] conducting our staff meetings virtually when physical distancing might not be possible.”
Also, barring health and sensory issues, everyone will have to wear a mask. There will also be lots of hand washing and one-way hallways. Nelson said, while no one recommendation is foolproof, each will lower the risk of spreading the coronavirus.
He also emphasized that sick kids need to stay home. “We’re not giving awards for perfect attendance in the COVID-19 crisis that you need to like, work that hustle.”
Since March 13, over 60,000 devices have been distributed to families so those who want to continue learning from home can. Nelson said there will be more announcements in mid-July.
The district’s board of education discussed the changes and recommendations in its meeting Wednesday; the presentation given by the district is available through the board’s website.
