BUHSD Families,
The Buckeye Union High School District knows that the optimal learning environment is with students and teachers in the classroom interacting on a daily basis, but we also know that families want to know the environment students are coming back to is reasonably safe (which is difficult during a pandemic). The District is actively planning to re-open schools with a modified in-person hybrid learning model that takes into account both learning needs and recommended safety precautions during this unique time.
The health benchmarks, as established by the Arizona Department of Health and reported by district on the Maricopa County Department of Public Health website, recommend that districts meet the following criteria before beginning to re-open schools:
- Cases: a two-week decline in the number of cases or two-weeks of a case rate of less than 100 cases per 100,000 population;
- Percent Positivity: two weeks of percent positivity of less than 7%;
- Covid-like Illness: two weeks of hospital visits due to Covid-like illness below 10%.
The school re-opening dashboard, with yesterday’s update, has downgraded the overall risk level in our district from “Substantial” to “Moderate” with the recommended learning scenario being “virtual with onsite support until <7% positivity for 2 weeks”.
With the data posted yesterday on the dashboard, here is our specific district’s progress towards meeting the public health benchmarks:
- Cases: we had an increase in cases from one week to the next, but are still meeting the benchmark with cases for two-weeks being less than 100 cases per 100,000 population;
- Percent Positivity: we have one week of percent positivity less than 7%, but need two weeks in order to meet the benchmark;
- Covid-like Illness: we meet this benchmark with Covid-like illness being below 10% for a few weeks.
At this time, as a district, we are meeting two of the three public health benchmarks. Once we are meeting all three of the public health benchmarks, more communication will come as the transition to in-person learning begins.
We anticipate that we will bring groups of students identified as highest need through education plans, such as students with disabilities, back on campus during the week of September 14th. If things continue to progress with us still meeting the benchmarks, we will bring all students back on campus for hybrid learning after fall break. The hybrid learning model will require us to assign all returning students to groups and bring them on campus in an alternating schedule to lessen the numbers of students on campus at a given time. Groups will be determined by the school and communicated to families, with the exact schedule to be used, prior to the start of the hybrid instruction.
More information will be forthcoming, but as we prepare for hybrid learning, we want to inform you of some of the protocols that will be in place and required.
- Daily health assessments, such as temperature checks, will need to be conducted at home to ensure that students and staff with Covid-like symptoms do not come to campus.
- Once on campus, the follow behaviors and expectations will need to take place:
o Cloth face covering required to be worn by all;
o Temperature checks;
o Physical Distancing whenever possible;
o Reduced numbers of students on campus at a time;
o Modified traffic patterns (possibly in the parking lots as well as in the hallways and around campus);
o No gatherings in common spaces;
o Frequent hand washing or use of hand sanitizer;
o Videos and signage to reinforce health and safety protocols and best practices.
The custodial department is implementing increased cleaning protocols that align with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The district will follow guidance from the Maricopa County Department of Health Services on steps to take if a student or staff member is diagnosed with Covid-19.
Again, we know that the optimal learning environment is with students and teachers in the classroom interacting on a daily basis, and we are excited that progress is being made towards the public health benchmarks, but we also want to be cautious and keep both students and staff reasonably safe.
At this time, we will continue with the Distance Learning model that we began the year with until you receive further communication with details regarding in-person instruction. Have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend! And please, for all of our sakes, be careful this long holiday weekend so we can keep the health trend in the right direction.
Sincerely,
Rob Roberson
Superintendent