Most high school sports came to a screeching halt in mid-March with the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic — cutting short the state basketball playoffs and pre-empting spring sports — but some students kept on playing. In eSports, social distancing is the rule, not the exception. Monday marks the start...
High School Football in January? FUSD Superintendent Says It’s an Option
Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson knows how important high school sports are to students, their families, and the community, and how disappointing it will be if COVID-19 forces districts to cancel yet another season. Nelson said he's considering alternatives, such as supporting a delay of the football season until January...
FUSD Plans to Roll Out Buses as Wi-Fi Hot Spots
Fresno Unified school buses haven't transported kids since schools closed on March 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but some of them are going back on the street with a new purpose sometime soon. The district plans to park a couple of Wi-Fi-equipped school buses in a shady area near...
Valley Schools, Fresno State Face Big Cuts Under Budget Revision
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced massive cuts to California's education budget due to revenue losses in the economic recession sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. The May Revision of the 2020-21 proposed $203 billion budget includes $99.7 billion for K-12 schools and $18.6 billion for community colleges and public universities....
Fresno Unified: We’re Working Hard to Connect Online With Students
It has taken time for Fresno Unified School District students and staff to settle into the realities of distance learning, which became necessary after the COVID-19 pandemic led to school closures, district officials said Monday. To make sure no students are falling through the cracks, school sites are keeping logs...
Fresno Unified Graduations Move From Stage to TV Screens
Fresno Unified's Class of 2020 graduates won't get to cross a stage to collect their diplomas, but district and school officials will make sure that their graduation is memorable — even though it will be virtual. Meanwhile, summer school is expanding to include all students who want to keep learning...
Distance Learning Resumes for Fresno, Clovis Students on Tuesday
Spring break ends on Tuesday when students in Fresno and Clovis schools will go back to distance learning, but some will work more independently than others. In Fresno Unified, some students will interact with their teachers in online classes for the first time since March 16 when schools were closed...
Fresno State Student Cupboard Fundraiser Sets Record, but COVID-19 Creates More Need
Last month's annual fundraising campaign for the Fresno State Student Cupboard set a record with $327,275 contributed by 434 individual donors and community partners. But even though the March Match Up is officially over, the need to support students continues because of pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many students...
Fresno Teachers Build Website for Kindergartners. Yes, There Are ‘Baby Sharks.’
With schools closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, students of all ages are turning to the internet for online learning and lessons. But distance learning can be particularly tricky for the youngest students who are just learning how to learn, and for their parents who have had to become more...
Central Unified Board Extends School Closings Through End of School Year
Central Unified School District has joined with most other Valley school districts in extending school closures through the end of the school year in June due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Central Unified board voted at a special board Thursday evening to extend the closures, which began March 16. The...