Visalia Unified students return to classrooms Thursday with new start times, dress codes
Back to school is finally here as thousands of Visalia Unified students return to campuses and classrooms Thursday.
Students and parents should be prepared for the usual back-to-school traffic, as well as a new dress code policy and leadership.
“On Aug. 11, when we open the doors, we’re opening them for everybody, all students, everybody at one time,” Superintendent Kirk Shrum said. “I know there’s a lot of excitement ... bring that excitement, bring that patience with you for those first few days.”
Parents driving their students to school should plan to arrive earlier than usual and expect longer than normal drop-off and pick-up times.
Students taking the bus should arrive 15 minutes before pick-up time, although the bus may arrive shortly before or after the scheduled pick-up time.
Previous coverage: Visalia Unified hones in on student safety before first day of school
Parents are allowed to walk their children to their teachers' classrooms on Thursday, while parents of TK and kindergarten students will be allowed to walk their children to their classrooms on both Thursday and Friday.
Visalia Unified will be enforcing its visitor policy following the first day of school.
On top of being patient and arriving at campus early during the first week of school, students should also be ready for some of the changes Visalia Unified and the state have implemented, including a new dress code and later start times.
Class start times for high school students is 8:30 a.m., later than years prior. High schools open their campuses to students at 7 a.m., while elementary and middle schools open their gates at 7:30 a.m.
Start times for elementary and middle schools vary. To view a specific school’s bell schedule, click here.
Visalia Unified also launched its new dress code policy over the summer after receiving feedback from students, staff and stakeholders.
Read more: Visalia Unified revamps dress code prior to 2022-23 school year
Tops that reveal midriffs, as well as strapless and backless tops, are now a violation. Sagging pants or shorts that reveal undergarments or are “over-revealing of body parts” are not allowed.
Students cannot have clothing or personal items on campus, including brands that promote any of the following: images or language depicting violence, vaping, drugs, or alcohol, hate speech, profanity, pornography, and/or language that creates a hostile or intimidating environment.
Visalia Unified staff and administration should have a "calm, respectful conversation" with a student found to be out of dress code rather than "calling them out," Gridiron said during a June school board meeting.
If a student is found in violation of the dress code, they have three options: change into other clothing they personally own, borrow clothing from the school, or have a parent bring alternative clothing.
Temperatures are expected to hit triple digits this week, so students should dress accordingly.
Students are also no longer required to wear masks while on campus or in the classroom, a change implemented late in the 2021-22 school year.
“Following our California Department of Health (CDPH) and other requirements, it is 'mask optional,'” Shrum said. “Should a student want to wear a mask or a staff member we will have masks available."
If a student tests positive for COVID-19, the CDPH recommends the student stay home and isolate for at least five days after the start of symptoms or after the date of the first positive test.
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Isolation can end after 10 days without testing if the student is fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications. Close contacts should monitor potential symptoms and consider testing after 3-5 days after the last known contact.
"We are in person, we are following the COVID protocols that are required," Shrum said. "This is about people making choices that are right for them. Just be aware of the environments that we're in and take the precautions that are right for you as an individual."
Lauren Jennings covers education and news for the Visalia Times-Delta/Tulare Advance-Register. Follow her on Twitter @lolojennings. Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Visalia Unified students return to classrooms after online learning