MADERA - At a special emergency meeting of the Madera Unified School District Friday evening, Superintendent Todd Lile called these times unprecedented as he announced the Board of Trustees voted to follow the paths taken at Fresno Unified and Central Unified School Districts and close down all the Madera schools until April 14th.
Lile said in a written statement following a closed session meeting, “After careful deliberation with health agencies, neighboring school districts, local officials, and an emergency board meeting, effective immediately, Madera Unified will close all schools and programs and plan to reopen Tuesday, April 14, 2020. The closure is a measure to help limit the spread of the new coronavirus or COVID-19. We do not have any presumptive or confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in our schools, but we are taking this step to help protect public health. We believe this is a short term sacrifice for long-term gain.”
The superintendent said to minimize the loss of learning the district will be working with staff to provide learning activities for students to do at home while schools are closed. He also said that during the school closure, all students including any children under the age of 18 will be able to pick up packaged lunch, and breakfast for the following day. More details about exactly how this will work will be released by the district later this week in future communication via email and connect-ed phone calls.
Students are advised to stay home when possible and minimize social contact to keep caregivers and adult family members safe. Children are not a high-risk group for serious illness from this virus. However, they can transmit the virus to those most vulnerable. Public health officials recommend that families make arrangements for childcare during closure that avoids leaving children with elderly people who are more vulnerable to the impact of the virus.
“To our families, we thank you for your patience and trust as we work together to maintain some sense of normalcy in these difficult times. These next few weeks will be difficult and we are not certain what lies ahead. You have my unwavering commitment to do all we can to help you and your children”, Lile continued.
The closing of all Madera Unified campuses followed the closings of both the Fresno and Central Unified School Districts’ schools, and the conversions of in-person classes at the State Center Community College campuses, including the Madera College Center, to online-only instructions for the next month.
A spokesman for the SCCCD Mary Haynes said, “While there are currently no community transmitted cases of COVID-19 in Fresno and Madera counties, State Center Community College District is planning to make some changes in response to the growing threat of coronavirus. We will be temporarily suspending in-person, on-campus classes from Monday, March 16 through Thursday, March 19. During these four days all faculty, staff, and administrators will use this time for further preparation to move toward online instruction.”
Classes at the SCCCD will resume on Friday, March 20 using an alternate online delivery method when possible, in-person when necessary. The campuses will remain open and allow students to come to school for use of Wi-Fi. The Child Development Centers, food pantries and limited student services will also remain open.
The college district is anticipating the resumption of regular operations on Monday, April 27; however, that may change depending upon the status of the situation and recommendations of our health agencies.
