State roadmap guides quad-city schools on reopening amid COVID-19

(YCCHS/Courtesy)

(YCCHS/Courtesy)

Each Sunday, The Daily Courier plans to provide an update on the quad-city area district’s reopening plans for schools based on the Yavapai County Health Department COVID-19 benchmarks rooted in three-fold guidelines set forth by the state Department of Health.

District options include remote only, hybrid model or full in-class instruction, which also includes transition time for teachers.

Remote learning for those families who so choose to do so will continue to be an option in all districts. District leaders said that decision can be made at any time, however, families who opt for remote who later wish to return to classroom instruction need to arrange that on a quarterly basis.

The proposed plans based on current COVID-19 status are as follows:

Chino Valley Unified School District: Remote learning until at least Tuesday, Sept. 8, the day after Labor Day when the district will offer a hybrid model, dividing students between in-class and remote instruction during the week.

A full return to in-class instruction on Monday, Oct. 19, after the scheduled fall break. The CVUSD Governing Board will have a special meeting Tuesday, Aug. 18, to vote on the administration recommendation.

Humboldt Unified School District: Remote learning is scheduled until at least Monday, Oct. 19, following the scheduled fall break. At that time, the district intends to return to in-class instruction. Remote instruction will continue to be an option for those who prefer that choice. The option can be changed on a quarterly basis.

Prescott Unified School District: Remote learning is set until at least Tuesday, Sept. 8, the day after Labor Day. At that time, the district would offer the hybrid model dividing students in shifts between in-class and remote instruction. Full in-class instruction is expected to then begin on Monday, Oct. 19, after the scheduled fall break.

SUPPORT LABS

As of Aug. 17, all three district schools are providing what most call state-required student support labs for students who are a-risk, special needs or whose parents are essential workers.

Chino Valley is providing an area on each of its four campuses for up to 45 students; Humboldt is providing spaces in three district locations for a total of 250 students, and Prescott is partnering with the city, Boys & Girls Club, the YMCA, the Launch Pad Teen Center and the city of Prescott to host programs at five locations, including school spaces, for just over 100 students.

Chino Valley and HUSD are not offering bus transportation; PUSD will offer it on as-needed basis. These programs follow school schedules.

All of the districts said they will accept additional applications but must assure adequate space and support staffing to accommodate additional students.

BENCHMARKS

Yavapai County Community Health Services officials said the county, and area communities, are nearing the benchmarks for both the hybrid model, and soon the in-class instruction parameters.

On Friday, Aug. 14, Yavapai County reported 28 new cases, with the average for the week about 15 cases a day, with an estimated 5.5% positivity rate. Yavapai Regional Medical Center West Campus is caring for 10 COVID-19 patients, and the East Campus had four with five under investigation. The Health Department did state that there has been an increase in cases in the 0-17 age groups, and about 15% of cases in the 25-34 and 55-64. The majority, though, still fall in the older age groups.

Benchmarks for reopening:

Hybrid model: Yavapai County is now meeting two of the three state benchmarks – less than 7% positivity rates – those must be maintained for two weeks – less than 100 cases per 100,000 population and less than 10% of hospital cases are COVID-19 illness.

Full return to in-class instruction only: Yavapai County would need to reach less than 5% positivity rates; less than 10 cases per 100,000 population, or 24 cases a day; and no more than 5% of hospital patients are treated for COVID-like illness for a two-week period.

Health officials said the county has not reached that level yet, but some communities are nearing those benchmarks.

For COVID-19 updates, visit dCourier.com.


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