Dist. One, YUHSD still offering hybrid learning options this fall

Yuma School District One and Yuma Union High School District confirmed Wednesday that both districts are sticking to their initial plans to provide hybrid learning options after Aug. 17, the state’s target date for returning to inperson instruction.

Pursuant to Gov. Doug Ducey’s Executive Order 2020-41, districts are obligated to provide a space for students opting for hybrid learning but lacking internet access at home to go on remote learning days in order to maintain stability grant funding for the hybrid model.

“If you’re offering hybrid, that’s the contingency — there has to be the availability of access to the campus five days a week for the students,” said YUHSD Chief Communications Officer Eric Patten. “It does not apply if you’re doing distance (learning) only. What it’s trying to focus on is equity.”

YUHSD plans to provide this equity to hybrid learning students in designated, “appropriately staffed” areas on each campus.

“For some schools that could be an empty classroom, for others it could be the auditorium or cafeteria or library,” Patten said. “That’s something that we have prepared for and all of our campuses already have places in mind where we would host those students as needed. It would be the same as if they were at home for those (remote learning) days, it would just be at school for the internet access and a safe place to work.”

Similarly, District One will provide workspaces for hybrid students through its 5-day, school-connected hybrid learning track, which physically brings students to school five days a week — two to receive in-person instruction and three to complete schoolwork digitally in a staff-monitored area.

“That’s going to look a little different from school

to school,” District One Superintendent James Sheldahl said in a district governing board meeting Wednesday.

District One will also provide a 2-day hybrid learning track, in which students receive two days of in-person instruction at school and three days of remote instruction at home. According to Sheldahl, 62.8% of families contacted last week opted for one of the two hybrid learning models.

“(There is) the understanding and acknowledgement that conditions could change, resulting in modifications,” Sheldahl said. “One thing we know is that during this time, things have changed. It’s very fluid.”

Additional information on the districts’ learning options can be found at yuma.org/Return-to-Learning for District One and yumaunion.org/ Page/3170 for YUHSD.