Aztec to begin spring semester Wednesday via hybrid learning

While most Yuma County schools will begin the spring semester via distance learning, Aztec High School will resume the school year Wednesday in a hybrid format, with students returning to the 2440 W. 28th St. campus in Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday cohorts.

Similar to the way Aztec has conducted classes since October when the hybrid format was formally adopted, students will work on their assignments at home on the days they aren’t on site.

“We’d like (the options) to be better, but it’s giving the opportunity for the kids to come,” said Principal Steve Pallack. “In the first quarter when nobody was on site, we lost a lot of kids, and I know that’s prevalent across the country. We had kids asking if they could come to campus to get help. Having them just working from home wasn’t working, especially for kids like ours who are struggling anyway.”

Housed by the Yuma County Juvenile Justice Center, Aztec High School was chartered in 1995 to afford educational opportunities as well as career and technical training to students on probation.

According to Pallack, 91 students are currently enrolled at Aztec, about 10 of which are slated to graduate in May.

Despite the protocols imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the requirement of face masks on site, temperature screenings at the door, socially distanced classrooms in which no more than 10 students are taught at a time and sanitizing between each class period, Aztec has continued to provide the same level of vocational training via opportunities like science labs and trades classes.

“The ones who have shown up have benefited from it,” Pallack said. “The teachers want the kids here. We do all the precautionary stuff like making sure everybody’s wearing their mask all the time and using lots of sanitizer, but the teachers know the kids need to be here and that they need their teachers.”

Pallack’s personal philosophy is that students are better served on campus than off.

“Everybody’s kids need to be in school, that’s my feeling,” Pallack said. “They’re missing out on so much and if they’re already behind, they’re just falling farther behind and it’s so much harder when we do get back to campus to get them to understand that they can still be successful. The bottom line is: What are they gaining from sitting at home, when we can offer them something here that will help them, especially in relation to the trades?”

With hands-on opportunities in welding, construction and other realms, Aztec’s students aren’t only equipped to enter the workforce; they’re eager for it as well.

“Despite what you might hear from other places, the kids want to do something,” Pallack said. “The kids aren’t all just slugs; sometimes we want to think they are, but they’re not. When we’ve offered them the opportunity to come work with the trades stuff here, they’ve jumped on it and embraced it.”

According to Pallack, students should already be able to view their schedules online via their school-based Google accounts; paper copies are slated to mail out this week.

For students needing to stay home with younger siblings who are learning remotely through other area schools while their parents are at work, solely remote learning opportunities are available with administrative approval.

Students and families are encouraged to contact the school office at 928-3141918 with any questions regarding the upcoming semester.