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RHS Grads Receive 2020 Diploma Cases
Back To School Days
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Front office staff member Donna Young-Bigelow hands out 2020 senior class diploma cases to families participating in the drive-by event on Friday, July. 24. Bigelow teamed up with fellow staff member Suzy Andalon. The cases recently arrived from the manufacturer, delayed by complications caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. Diplomas, along with other end of year documents, were previously handed out to seniors on what would have been the last day of school, May 22. Ric McGinnis/The News

Riverbank High School graduates, or their families, lined up in the parking lot on campus this past week to receive the cases for their 2020 diplomas.

Greeted by front office staff members Suzy Andalon and Donna Young-Bigelow, the pick-up was designed to adhere to “social distancing” guidelines, with no one getting out of their cars. It was held on Friday, July 24 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the parking lot on the Claus Road side of the RHS campus.

Students expecting to return to schoolwork this fall will be visiting campuses later this week to pick up their schedules, Chromebooks and other necessary supplies. They’ll be preparing for “distance learning” that will be the order of the day again this fall, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Riverbank Unified School District (RUSD) will be distributing Chromebooks to all students prior to school starting on Aug. 6. The TK/K students should be receiving a Chromebook as well to be able to view lessons virtually. RUSD Superintendent Christine Facella expressed that the TK/K students most likely will not be completing assignments using the technology as they are not developmentally appropriate for that age group.

Facella added that the start of the 2020-21 school year will begin with distance learning under the directives provided through legislation Assembly Bill (AB) 77 and Senate Bill (SB) 98.

In a letter to RHS families from Principal Greg Diaz on July 23, it stated that due to COVID-19, Bruin Day would be different with a scheduled drive thru book distribution and book return. The Chromebook distribution will be held on Thursday, July 30 for incoming freshmen and sophomores and on Friday, July 31 for juniors and seniors at RHS in the parking lot on Claus Road. Each student that receives a Chromebook must pay $15 insurance and there is a cap of $45 for families with more than three students within the district schools. Students are advised to adhere to the times scheduled. Incoming freshmen are scheduled for Thursday, July 30 from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., with sophomores from noon to 3 p.m. that day. On Friday, pick-up for juniors is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and seniors from noon to 3 p.m.

Cardozo Middle School students, meanwhile, will be able to pick up their Chromebooks, schedules, supplies, and books on July 30 for seventh and eighth and on July 31 for sixth graders between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Everyone must wear a facemask when they attend the drive thru and stay in their vehicles.

Diaz also wrote in his letter that “Emergency Information Updates will be done online” and asked families to “please take a few minutes to review your students’ information and update if necessary” before the first day of distance learning on Aug. 6.

 

News Reporter Virginia Still contributed to this story.