Distance learning optional, staff urged to work from home, and other Fresno Unified updates

As students and staff faced their first day of school closures Monday in an attempt to quell the spreading coronavirus, Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson doubled down on the steps the district is taking to help families during this difficult time.

Nelson said the district will send out resources to families so that students can learn outside the classroom, but it still remains optional.

“This is really not about assignments that there is a mandate to complete, then get graded and are part of a child’s educational profile,” he said. “That is not the intent. The intent is to work with families to provide optional educational content by grade and subject area that they can engage in at their own leisure.”

Nelson said all school sites were open Monday to feed kids drive-thru style. In the days that follow, several schools will close so fewer staff members will be on site, but he is welcoming the public, no matter what age, to grab a breakfast and lunch for their family.

“You need to hear me say the last thing that will go down at Fresno Unified is feeding kids every day,” he said.

The rain poured from all sides around Nelson as he, board president Keshia Thomas and a sign language interpreter spoke with a small group of media on a dock outside the district office.

“Once this press conference breaks up, you will need to disperse,” he told reporters. “We’re trying to be in accordance with the social distancing norms that are mandated by the times right now.”

Nelson said on-site staff is being limited to payroll, building functions and food service. There are managers at each site, but he is advising that they start rotating shifts so only one person will be on campus at a given time.

All staff 65 or older or with chronic conditions must remain home, he said.

“At this time, only those crucial functions in the district will be reporting to office spaces. I’m telling you, if you can work from home, you need to do that. There is no additional merit for being physically present if you don’t have to.”

All permanently employed staff will remain paid, he said. “Whether you’re the home or the office, we will take care of you at this unprecedented time.”

The exception is substitute teachers, but Nelson recommended substitutes file for unemployment benefits. He says the district normally contests those types of filings, but in light of the situation, they would not be.

“We absolutely understand the difficult situation that places our long term substitutes in and we are working with our teams and legal to identify any options to retain and support our substitute staff,” Nelson said.

The district set up a COVID-19 call center at 559-457-3395 for questions or concerns from the community. It’s available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Anyone who needs to pick up medication from a school is advised to go Tuesday between 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. when nurses will be in, Nelson said.

“If you don’t need that medication, you’re welcome to leave it in a secure position at the school site.”

Though the situation remains “fluid,” Nelson said, at this point, he doesn’t believe there will be school days to the end of the year, or that children will have to make up for lost time.

The governor passed an executive order Friday that will help districts keep their funding even with the closures.

“But at this point, remember, we are really nine days into the COVID-19 crisis,” he said. “Nine days from now may look very, very different and nine days from that different still. So I think the one thing that we can assure you again, is that we don’t know all the answers to everything that’s going to transpire in the future.”