Local elementary schools reopen

Elementary schools in both Clovis Unified and Sanger Unified school districts are reopening campuses for in-person learning.

Each Clovis Unified school has its own reopening process based on the survey responses they received from parents and teachers. Face masks, physical distancing, and hand washing are mandatory on all campuses.

All students were given the option to continue distance learning for the rest of the year or return to campus. For some parents, in-person education is worth the risk of exposure.

Clovis Unified mother Heather Emerson said, “It’s been great in the fact that they have some normalcy, but this entire time their education has been lacking and suffering.”

The district hopes to have all students on campus by January, but will continue to offer distance learning for those not comfortable going back.

Teachers in the Sanger Unified school district were required to return to campuses in early November.

Unlike other districts, parents and teachers were not involved in the reopening planning process. Parents were surveyed after complaints were made.

Sanger students are on campus four days a week either in the morning or afternoon for about three hours at a time. The rest of the day students work independently from home, and Mondays are entirely online.

Despite the frustration with the re-opening process, some parents are happy to have their kids back in the classroom. 

Sanger Unified parent Angie Mendez said, “My kids love school, so I don’t want to take that away from them and I do feel like the school is doing as much as they can to keep them safe.”

Each grade is being brought back one at a time. Sanger Unified hopes that all elementary grades students will be on campus together in January 2021.