South county districts keep distance-learning
SAN LUIS, Ariz. – Elementary schools here and Somerton will continue to teach students online at least through this month, even though the state Department of Education is allowing them to adopt a hybrid model consisting of virtual and in-person classes.
“There’s still a risk (getting COVID-19) for the students, teachers and employees,” said Raymond Aguilera, superintendent of the Gadsden Elementary School District that serves San Luis. “We confirmed that in one of our schools which had to close after seeing a possible case.”
Aguilera was referring to San Luis Preschool, which closed Aug. 21, four days after opening for the new academic year, after a transportation worker was believed to have been infected.
The employee ultimately tested negative for the coronavirus and the school reopened Aug. 24, Aguilera said, but the district is not ready to reopen its school just yet, even as the number of cases in Yuma County are declining.
Laura Noel, superintendent of the Somerton Elementary School
District, said Somerton elementary schools will continue to provide distance learning.
“The (district’s) governing board decided (this month) to continue distance learning,” Noel said. “We want to make sure that the risk level, which dropped recently, remains low during the flu season and season of festivities.”
Both districts provide internet classes in the schools for a limited numbers of students who lack computers or internet access in the home or who require a place to go during the day when parents are away at work.
“Our students and familes are beginning to make good progress ( through virtual instruction), and we want as little interruption as possible,” said Noel, referring to the board’s decision to continue with distance learning.
Although the Departmnt of Education has established benchmarks for when schools can resume for in-person learning, the decision about when to reopen is left to the individual districts.
Aguilera said most families in San Luis and teachers within the Gadsden district still don’t feel comfortable with schools reopening. He said they favor a limited reopening under a hybrid model in October, provided there is no new spike in COVID-19.