Clovis schools are expected to announce more information as early as next week about how they will keep students and teachers safe when campuses reopen next month.

The Clovis Unified school board voted unanimously late Wednesday to reopen campus five days a week on Aug. 17. Parents not comfortable sending their children back to the classroom as the coronavirus pandemic develops will have the option of keeping their children home for online learning full time.

It wasn’t immediately clear late Wednesday what options would be available for teachers. Trustees discussed the likelihood of having teachers — especially those particularly vulnerable to the virus — leading online classes full-time and from their homes.

Elected officials cited “loss of learning, slowed academic progress, food insecurity, increases in social-emotional struggles and inequity in technology and other issues as reasons for why students needed to return to school.

“Online education is not equal to onsite education,” Trustee Steven Fogg said. “I strongly support our schools opening five days a week. No child should be forced to go to school, but no child should be forced to stay at home.”

Clovis schools will beef up sanitation efforts, schedule handwashing and require face coverings for all students and staff.

Health screening will be mandated. Physical distancing will also be required.

The district staff also will prepare to implement contact tracing practices in the event of a coronavirus infection — which they acknowledged is inevitable.

Class times may be shortened, and enrollment may be capped to ensure proper social distancing, district officials said.

Classes may also be taught outside, in gymnasiums and cafeterias.

“Our goal is to be as close to normalcy as possible. I am not sure how our meals will work, but we are looking at meals outside. There is a lot we can do, too, with social distancing and masks,” Superintendent Eimear O’Farrell said.

Deputy Superintendent Norm Anderson said the district would be prepared to transition quickly back to a fully online education model, if necessary.

O’Farrell said staff would do everything possible to protect students and teachers but also acknowledged “it’s not a matter of if but when” infections occur.

“When there are exposures and cases, it would be very frustrating for us to have to shut down classes all the time,” O’Farrell said.

Parents want kids to return to school

Parents who spoke at the board meeting expressed concern over the mental health and educational repercussions of continued distance learning.

Parents also had concerns over the safety of teachers and students returning to school.

Parents asked if the district would give COVID-19-related cover leave for teachers. One parent asked a string of questions, including what the district would do if a teacher became infected? Would all the teacher’s students have to quarantine? Would substitute teachers be hired?

Would the district require coronavirus testing for all those students, and would the district pay for the test?

District officials said they would answer those questions and many others next week when they host an online town hall presentation. The exact date and time have not been finalized.

Clovis Unified spokesperson Kelly Avants said the district is finalizing an extensive plan, detailing how classes would operate — in person and online — in the fall.

The move bucks a growing trend of California public schools beginning the school year online. Other large districts across the state, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento and in the Bay Area, have decided to keep students online to start the school year.

This week, Selma Unified and Central Unified in Fresno also voted to keep students at home to start the school year. In both districts, officials say that as soon as it is safe to do so, they want to transition kids back to school.

However, in Clovis, most parents surveyed by the district — more than 70% — favored returning to students to campuses, officials said Wednesday.

Fresno County reported 123 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. Fresno County leads the counties in the central San Joaquin Valley with 8,941 cases, the state numbers show. A total of 91 people have died in Fresno County in connection with the virus.

The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Learn about The Bee’s Education Lab on our website.

This story was originally published July 16, 2020 at 4:00 AM.