Ripon High students can expect to return to campus after Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Trustees of the Ripon Unified School District narrowly agreed on that plan at Tuesday’s special meeting, voting 3-2 for Jan. 19 as the first day of in-person instruction.

The initial plan amid the COVID-19 pandemic called for high schoolers to return to full instruction at RHS on Monday, Jan. 11. Board Vice President Chad Huskey and his colleague Vince Hobbs supported that earlier date, believing it’s better for older students to be back in the classroom for their own wellbeing.

Prior to that, the board unanimously voted 5-0, re-affirming that youngsters in kindergarten through eighth grades will be back at school on Monday, Jan. 11, for in-person instruction. All students were back this week via distance learning for the exception of those enrolled in Career Technical Education and Tier 3 special education classes – they’re already back in the classroom.

Trustees also voted 5-0 for distance learning, if needed, to continue through the end of the school year, in particular, to those choosing the stay-at-home option.

As for the high school?

“Our goal is to open and not close – what’s the best way to proceed and achieve that goal,” said Trustee Kit Oase.

RHS opened briefly beginning on Nov. 30 only to close down after a week following reports of one person who tested positive for the coronavirus impacted several students and teachers.

RUSD receive reports a week or so later of a non-school gathering of around 50 students, bringing on concerns of a super-spreader event – holiday gatherings were also described in the same manner.

“Folks need to follow the protocols. They need to take (COVID-19) seriously,” Oase said.

Superintendent Ziggy Robeson indicated that coronavirus cases were minimal prior to Thanksgiving. “Based on the cases reported to us, we more than doubled – from 13 to 29, students and staff,” she said.

According to the California Department of Public Health, those who are laboratory-confirmed with the virus have “at least 10 days” passed since symptoms (cough, shortness of breath) first appeared and at least 24 hours since the last fever without the use of fever-reducing medication.

Trustee Christina Orlando, based on that, was OK with allowing high school students to be back on campus after Jan. 15 and “follow that guideline,” she said.

Orlando added: “We don’t want to go back and forth on opening and closing (at RHS).”

Either way, Huskey believes those issues could still come up regardless of the opening date. “Adding a few days will not make a difference,” he said.

The board did agree that it will take a team effort from all in order to keep the classrooms open upon the return of students at the high school.

“If kids don’t feel good, don’t send them to school,” said Huskey to parents on doing their part as a safety measure.

Along with any feeling of sickness (flu, cold, etc.), the CDPH guidelines also calls for wearing a face mask, practicing social distancing, and washing hands frequently.

Earlier, Robeson noted that teachers in the district could soon receive the vaccine. “It could be as soon as next week – I hope so,” she said.