Glendale Unified To Offer Free Childcare Despite Closing Campuses

GLENDALE (CBSLA) – While the Glendale Unified School District will start the upcoming academic year entirely online because of the coronavirus pandemic, it will still be providing some students with on-campus childcare.

The GUSD board Tuesday voted to keep its campuses closed and have all its students learn virtually when their new school year kicks off on Aug. 19.

However, the district said it will still be providing childcare to certain elementary age students during this time, such as homeless youth and those in foster care.

"The district will offer on-campus childcare during the regular school day for elementary-age students, prioritizing students currently enrolled in state-subsidized childcare programs, foster/homeless youth, and children of essential workers," the district said in a news release.

The district Wednesday confirmed to CBSLA that it is sending out forms to all its families to determine how many students will need childcare. Based on those numbers, it will then develop a program from there.

"Families, it's hard on them because parents got to stay home, can't work and what not," parent Melissa Montijo said. "So, it's a tough decision."

The students will be placed in small, supervised groups where they can keep their distance and safely take part in the online curriculum, GUSD said.

Some parents are unsure if the program will work, however.

"What's the difference of having the school closed, but still dropping off your child at a location where there are going to be a lot of kids?" mother Hasmik Matsakayan asked. "They might as well just open up the schools."

"I'm a little concerned only for the younger kids, because I think it's harder for them to keep masks on and stay the distance, they don't quite understand," Montijo said. "It's going to be tricky."

Along with GUSD, Los Angeles Unified, Pasadena Unified and Long Beach Unified have all announced that they will also be in a solely online teaching format when the 2020-21 school year begins next month.