Clovis schools set return to remote learning

Clovis Municipal Schools will be returning to remote learning after the Thanksgiving break, the district announced in a news release. The decision comes after the state issued a “stay at home order” but left school districts to determine how they will respond to increased virus cases.

“It is without question that in-person learning is best for students, and Remote Learning places strains on students and staff. To that end, the District has worked to prolong in-person opportunities as long as possible, however the current climate calls for a strategic approach to avoid what seem to be inevitable state-imposed closures,” the CMS release said.

CMS students in preschool through fifth grade were the only ones to have returned to in-person classes through a hybrid model. The in-person cohorts, “A and B,” will take all personal belongings and resources needed for online instruction home before dismissal on Friday.

Beginning Nov. 30, both Cohorts will receive remote instruction for a minimum of two days a week, while using their remaining time to complete independent work. CMS officials said teachers will tell families what their students’ individual class schedule and online learning time will look like and will be contacted with more information.

All district employees are being encouraged to work remotely to reduce the number of individuals in school facilities.

The release said CMS’ decision was influenced by the more than 80 positive cases in the district that have been reported for November so far. The cases had “significant impact on attendance and the ability to conduct in-person learning.”

The news release stated that on Nov. 11 the state began requiring school districts return to “Remote Learning Mode” for any school or district facility that had four COVID-19 cases within 14 days. These schools that have closed can only return to ‘Hybrid Learning Mode when the surrounding county meets state requirements for case numbers.

However, if a district voluntarily moves to “Remote Learning Mode” then it can return to “Hybrid Learning Mode” at its own discretion without being dependent on county-level criteria.

“At this point, Curry County is notably far from the state’s gating criteria to reopen. If those conditions continue and the District were forced to go into Remote Learning Mode, there is little hope of returning to Hybrid Mode in the foreseeable future,” the CMS release stated.

CMS is planning to re-evaluate hybrid options in January.