Glendale Unified School District is convening an advisory committee of trusted members of the healthcare community. The group will meet monthly and counsel the board of education and superintendent on best practices to ensure student and employee health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Glendale Unified is currently planning the careful and deliberate return of the District’s highest need students for on-campus instruction, following all guidelines from the California and Los Angeles Departments of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since August, the District has provided on-campus childcare in technology learning pods for more than 1,000 elementary-age students. Over the past month, high-need students, including English learners and students with special needs, have been allowed to return for on-campus instruction and services, both one-on-one and in small cohorts. Athletic conditioning resumed at the District’s three comprehensive high schools in early November.

“State and county health departments are the driver for reopening schools, but many operational decisions are left to the local level. By convening a Healthcare Partners Advisory, we have an opportunity to run these decisions by trusted partners in the healthcare industry to ensure we are acting in the best interest of student and employee health and safety,” said Glendale Unified Board President Dr. Armina Gharpetian.

“Health and safety is our top priority. We are incredibly grateful to our local healthcare partners for providing their expertise as we continue to navigate this pandemic and provide essential services for our students, families, and community,” said Glendale Unified Superintendent Dr. Vivian Ekchian.