Clovis Unified changes plan for many students’ return to classroom due to COVID

Clovis Unified School District has delayed the return to in-person learning of many older students who were scheduled to come back to campuses next week, the district announced Thursday.

In a message posted online, Superintendent Eimear O’Farrell said new guidance from the health department triggered the change.

“As a result, following the governor’s announcement Dec. 30 for his proposed safe return to schools and today’s new guidance from local health officials that Fresno County schools should delay for two weeks the addition of any new in-person instruction, the below plan is in place for in-person instruction immediately following Winter Break,” O’Farrell said.

Of note: Students who were attending in-person classes already will continue to do so, O’Farrell said.

“Any student who was already attending in-person instruction for any reason, will continue to do so. Any student who was scheduled to phase into in-person instruction (grades TK-12) after January 4, will continue with online learning (under any teacher or grade 7-12 schedule changes in place for the start of the second semester) until at least January 19 pending additional guidance from public health officials,” the message reads.

Small groups of Clovis Unified School District elementary students returned to campuses last month and have been phased back into classrooms slowly, with a near full return of elementary students by Jan. 19.

This story was originally published December 31, 2020 at 4:36 PM.