Fresno Unified to dismiss early on Tuesdays: What else is new this school year?

FRESNO, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – Fresno Unified is one of the many school districts headed back to school next week.

Monday Interim Superintendent Misty Her held a press conference addressing important back-to-school information.

One of the many new additions to this academic school year is early dismissal every Tuesday on a five-day school week.

The district said every school schedule is different, so families will need to check their school’s website for an exact time.

Monday is the district’s first day of school and a new campus is set to open. The new Farber Educational Campus replaced the former Juvenile Hall.

“It’s a compilation of our alt-ed and continuation schools that are coming together,” Interim Superintendent Her added.

The school district is also stressing the importance of student attendance.

Fresno Unified School Board Trustee Andy Levine said one way they are working to make this possible this academic year, is by turning 14 schools into community schools; making 19 total in the district.

“The majority of our students are experiencing poverty and so between access to meals, clothing, alternative transportation options, we know that we can’t sort of, it’s not realistic for us to say we can only focus on learning in the classroom when so many of our students are really facing those more kind of pressing needs,” Levine shared.

For this school year, Fresno Unified acquired nearly $20 million for this model, allowing the district to bring in community coordinators.

This should help take the load off of teachers who help fill in those gaps on their own time, and with their own money, “allowing them hopefully to do more of what their actual job is to teach and educate our students in the classroom,” Levine expressed.

The district website is also new and improved, with the addition of the ‘Let’s Talk’ platform.

This will allow parents and guardians to put in their questions, comments, or compliments. The district said a response will follow within two business days.

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