Fresno Unified closes all schools for one month to combat spreading coronavirus

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Fresno Unified, the third-largest school district in California, on Friday joined the growing list of schools to shut down classes as officials scramble to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Campuses would close until April 13, Superintendent Bob Nelson said Friday at news conference. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the district would extend the school year to make up for the missed days, Nelson said.

“We’re optimistic that we will be able to resume classroom instruction after spring break recess, but we will continue to evaluate what’s best for our kids and our community,” Nelson told reporters.

Nelson said district leaders are working on plans to help students who may need food during the interruption, saying he knows many of the district’s more than 70,000 students rely on their schools for meals.

He said officials on Friday were drafting a plan which will include how to get meals, staff schedules and what kind of learning can be done outside the classroom. He expected to release more details to parents and staff by Monday. He called the situation “fluid.”

“We realized the incredible significant impact that a decision to close schools creates on behalf of our families and our community,” he said, “and we don’t take that decision in any way lightly.”

Fresno teachers will continue to be paid during the interruption, the superintendent said. The closure will also affect early learning and adult school.

The novel virus is considered low-risk in Fresno with one confirmed case, as of Friday. However, the number of confirmed cases in California jumped to 247 positive cases, excluding those from the Grand Princess cruise ship, officials said.

Fresno schools have seen a larger number of student absences this week due to coronavirus concerns, Fresno Unified trustee Terry Slatic said.

The announcement came after President Donald Trump on Friday declared a national emergency.

A Clovis Unified official said they were waiting on updated guidance from public health officials, but no closures have been announced.

“We are in constant communication with health officials and continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure our actions continue to reflect the prudent, steady best course for our students,” district spokesperson Kelly Avants said. “We are prepared to act quickly if we are given differing guidance from public health officials.”

Sonja Dosti communications and public relations officer said Central Unified is also awaiting information from the state. In event schools close, officials are looking “at all options” on how to provide meals to students who face food scarcity, she said.

Other school closures

Schools throughout the state of California and the San Joaquin Valley have already started closing.

One hour after Fresno made its announcement, the Central Unified district followed suit, canceling classes until at least April 20.

Hanford Joint Union High School District announced its closure through April 13 as well.

Fresno State on Thursday canceled face-to-face classes beginning next week and said classes would soon move online.

Fresno Pacific University plans to move all classes online until at least April 12, they said in a statement Friday.

“Students who live on campus are welcome to stay, or return home if they would prefer and are able,” Fresno Pacific officials said in the statement. “Residence hall and dining facilities remain open, and service offices—including, but not limited to, the Student Financial Services Office, the Academic Success Center, computer labs, Hiebert Library and the Health Center—are open for their normal business hours.”

Fresno Pacific officials said they would work with students who don’t “have the resources to be fully functional in an online environment.”

“Those students are encouraged to contact their faculty members to see what accommodation can be made,” officials said in the statement. “Resources are also available for students with disabilities.”

All events between March 16 and April 12 where 50 people or more are expected are to be rescheduled or canceled.

News of the expected closures comes on the heels of Thursday’s decision from the district to postpone or cancel most student-related activities, including sports.

Dozens public school districts across the state have already announced at least partial temporary closures, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland and Sacramento.

At least three other public schools were closed Friday in the Central San Joaquin Valley and foothills.

Yosemite High School in Oakhurst was dark on Friday, after a school staffer visited a high-risk area. School officials stressed there was no known exposure and the staffer is believed to be low-risk, but said the move was out of an “abundance of caution.”

Parlier High and Brletic Elementary in Parlier also remained closed Friday in connection with a student’s recent travels to Europe. As in Oakhurst, there’s no evidence the student was exposed directly and the student is considered “an extremely low risk.”

Central, Fresno and Clovis schools already were limiting activities outside of class.

The California Interscholastic Federation told participating schools - including Sierra Pacific’s girls basketball team - the high school state basketball state championship games will be canceled because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Just before noon Thursday, the Mountain West Conference, which includes Fresno State, suspended all spring sports because of the virus.

Earlier this week, the California Department of Public Health issued written guidance for schools responding to the outbreak. Health officials have said older people and those with other compromised health conditions are at greater risks than younger people.

This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 1:41 PM.