• Updates

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  • Superintendent Message Regarding Third Quarter Plans

    December, 10, 2020

    Good Evening Alhambra Families,

    This is an important message from Superintendent Yslas.  The purpose of this communication is to share Alhambra’s plans for the third quarter.  I will also share a few things we are considering for our fourth quarter.

    After much consideration and consultation with our leadership team and local health experts, I have decided that Alhambra will continue in the Distance Learning model for the entire 3rd quarter, January 4, 2021 through March 5, 2021.  We are planning to return to On Campus In Person learning for the 4th quarter.

    School staff are slated to be vaccinated quite early in the Draft Arizona COVID-19 Vaccination Plan.  Alhambra’s 4th quarter return to campus plans will align with Arizona's vaccination timeline. As soon as we are confident that all staff have access to the vaccine, the Alhambra teachers and staff will return to our sites and on campus instruction will begin for your child.

    We recognize that a vaccine may not be available for students, so we will continue to offer the Distance Learning option as a choice for parents.  Parents will have the choice to send their child back to campus OR remain in the at-home, distance learning model.  The district will send a parent survey in early February asking if you plan to send your child to campus or if you plan to stay in distance learning at home.

    Our teams are working on the timing of our 4th quarter plans.  As parents consider the options for their child, it is important they know that:

    • we will not be reducing the number of students in each classroom;
    • we will be returning to our typical school days with the start/end times that were originally determined for the 2020-21 school year in our 2-1-2 schedule;
    • we will follow all of our health and safety protocols (please visit our website for the AESD Plan for Reopening of Schools);
    • Distance Learning will still be available for students if parents choose.

    We have established three possible return dates to help us make our 4th quarter return plans.  Our target Student Return dates are as follows:

    • March 18th will be our first target date to return to On Campus In Person (OCIP) learning.  If staff are unable to get the vaccine in time for this return we will plan for the next date.
    • April 1st will be our second try. 
    • May 6th will be our last targeted date to try for an in person return.  If the Arizona Vaccination Timeline does not make it safe to return on the May 6th date we will remain on Distance Learning (DL) for the entire 4th quarter and finish the year on DL.

    The goal of this message was to provide families information about 3rd Quarter and the 4th Quarter tentative dates so families know what to expect.  

    Please remember, for the 3rd quarter we will remain in distance learning.  For the 4th quarter, teachers and staff will return to campus and parents will have the choice to send their child to campus or remain in distance learning.  Please look for a survey in early February asking for your choice of OCIP or DL for your child.  Please return the survey promptly so our staff can plan for a safe return. 

    Please reach out to your child’s principal if you have any questions.  We will be providing additional information as more plans have been made.

    Thank you…Mark Yslas, AESD Superintendent