School is almost back in session.

In school districts throughout the San Gabriel Valley and Whittier districts, many students are returning to the classroom sometime in August. The earliest school district returning to instruction is Hacienda La Puente Unified School District, which begins today, while the latest is Temple City Unified School District on Aug. 24.

Many school districts will be offering in-person instruction for the 2022-23 school year. Several districts started their return to in-person instruction for the 2021-22 school year after the coronavirus pandemic caused many schools to shift to online or hybrid learning beginning in 2020.The pandemic isn’t over yet though, and schools have guidelines and regulations in place to ensure safe learning.

According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, K-12 schools can recommend students to wear masks indoors and are also required to have plans or protocols in place to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus on their campus.

At Hacienda La Puente Unified School District schools, there will be air purifier machines in common spaces and classrooms and also plans to send notices home when the schools report any positive cases, according to the district’s COVID-19 protocols for students.

The Alhambra Unified School District is also preemptively planning for changes caused by the pandemic, said Toby Gilbert, head of media relations at Alhambra Unified School District.

“We historically know you have to shift gears on a moment’s notice,” Gilbert said.

Throughout the 2021-2022 school year, the district had opportunities for parents to voice their feedback and are using that information for the 2022-2023 school year, Gilbert said. Those changes included adding more staffing positions — such as assistant principals at all the elementary schools, supervisors, counselors and instructional coaches.

While schools are staying ready for changes the pandemic may cause during the year, school will already be changing for some in the San Gabriel Valley.

In Azusa, students entering their freshman year of high school will be attending Azusa High School, after the school district reorganized itself to only include one high school — Azusa High School.

The district plans to have all high school freshmen attend Azusa High for the 2022-2023 school year, and then blend Gladstone High School into Azusa High for the 2023-2024 school year, where Gladstone High will then become a middle school.

Despite all the changes the school year will bring, in her letter to parents, Alhambra USD Superintendent Denise Jaramillo celebrated the ability of schools to adapt, even amid the challenges of a pandemic.

“While there is still so much to be done, let us not forget to cheer for what is amazing, while we problem-solve what isn’t working — during a time when we have to reinvent everything,” she said.

Here is a rundown on when K-12 school districts in the San Gabriel Valley and Whittier area are going back to school:

• Hacienda La Puente Unified School District: today

• Rowland Unified School District: Monday

• Walnut Valley Unified School District: Monday

• Alhambra Unified School District: Tuesday

• Duarte Unified School District: Aug. 10

• El Rancho Unified School District: Aug. 10

• Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District: Aug. 11

• Pasadena Unified School District: Aug. 11

• South Pasadena Unified School District: Aug. 11

• Whittier City School District: Sixth-graders: Aug. 10, Every other grade: Aug. 11

• Bassett Unified School District: Aug. 15

• El Monte Union High School District: Aug. 17

• Glendora Unified School District: Aug. 17

• Monrovia Unified School District: Aug. 17

• Whittier Union High School District: Freshman: Aug. 16, Other grades: Aug. 17

• Azusa Unified School District : Aug. 18

• Baldwin Park Unified School District: Aug. 18

El Monte City School District: Aug. 18

• West Covina Unified School District: Aug. 18

• Arcadia Unified School District:

• Arcadia High School: Aug. 17

• Elementary and Middle Schools: Aug. 18

• ABC Unified: Aug. 22

• Bonita Unified School District: Aug. 22

• Covina-Valley Unified School District: Aug. 22

Temple City Unified School District: Aug. 24