Classes begin this morning for about 3,300 students in the Ripon Unified School District.

Included will be the COVID-19 prevention protocols – face coverings for most (those with a medical exemption and in need of accommodations can RUSD human resources at 209.599.2131) regardless of vaccination status are to be worn indoors – with students and staff required to do temperature checks prior to entering a building.

Physical distancing from others, when possible, along with frequent handwashing and sanitizing and disinfecting all work surfaces will also continue to be practiced.

The prevention protocols were approved at Monday’s Ripon Unified school board meeting to “reflect the agreement with our bargaining unit,” Trustee Chad Huskey said.

Students will see some physical improvements to their campus.

For starters, the playground at Ripona Elementary School was modernized over the summer with new asphalt, according to Director of Facilities, Operations & Safety Services Andy Strickland.

The San Joaquin County Office of Education’s Head Start Building is also being built on Ripona.   

Ripon High received a fresh coat of paint to the North Gym – the “Ripon” lettering under the eaves was also repainted and can be seen from Freeway 99, Strickland added – not to mention a modern video marquee in the front of the school.

A new heating and air conditioning unit was just installed at the RHS Multi-Use Building, which, Strickland noted, houses food services for the entire district.

In addition, Weston Elementary School has a new concrete – it was once the grass area where students often crossed to get to their classrooms, Strickland said.

Superintendent Ziggy Robeson, in order to accommodate growth throughout the district, announced that the school year will feature 62 new employees, of which 23 are classified.

“This is the most (new) employees we’ve had to open the school year,” she said.