Clovis Unified votes to submit waiver to bring students back to campus

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Clovis Unified will be the Central Valley's next school district to apply for permission to bring students back to campus.

After almost five hours of discussion and public comment on Wednesday night, the board unanimously voted to move forward with the waiver application.

The vote marks the first step in getting students in Transitional Kindergarten (TK) through the sixth grade back to in-person instruction.

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For now, the district plans to split kids up into morning and afternoon sessions.

"Half of the students would be in a live instructional model, then there would be time in between, students can grab a lunch and a breakfast and go home," explained Deputy Superintendent Norm Anderson. "Then the PM shift would come in for an afternoon shift."

Cleaning would happen in between the two sessions, with an online version still available for families that don't feel comfortable returning.

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"This isn't just a teacher decision; it's a custodial decision, a transportation decision, a food resource decision, everything has to be taken into consideration," said Anderson.

Social distancing, masks, and temperature checks will all be mandatory. Campus Club will also still be offered.

A start date is still up in the air and will depend on how quickly a waiver is granted.