The Glendale Unified Board of Education made a decision Tuesday to start the 2020-21 school year with all students participating in an online distance learning model.

“The health and safety of our students, employees, families, and our broader community is and always will be the utmost important factor in all of our decisions,” said Glendale Unified Board President Dr. Armina Gharpetian. “We are committed to offering a robust online curriculum for our students this fall and we look forward to returning to on-campus classes as soon as it is safe to do so.”

“We recognize that we do not all agree on the path forward but we remain committed to each and every one of our students and we look forward to the day when we can safely welcome students back for on-campus learning,” said GUSD Board Vice-President Shant Sahakian in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

“Thank you to our Glendale Unified family who provided valued feedback to help us make an informed decision on behalf of our school community during these unprecedented and challenging times,” added Sahakian.

The district will offer on-campus childcare during the regular school day for elementary-age students, prioritizing students currently enrolled in state-subsidized childcare programs, foster/homeless youth, and children of essential workers.

Students reporting to campus for childcare will be grouped into small, supervised technology learning pods to ensure proper physical distancing. Whether students report to campus or stay at home, they will all participate in the same online curriculum.

The district will distribute Chromebooks and internet hotspots to all students who need them, and will continue to provide free meals for all children. The first day of school for the 2020-21 school year will be August 19.

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