"There's No Playbook For This": Superintendent's candid talk on school closures

Nogales School District Superintendent Fernando Parra talks finding a new normal during this pandemic.

ARIZONA -- AND ACROSS THENATION -- AFTER COVID 19 SHUTSCHOOL DOORS.

IT'S BEEN ADIFFICULT TASK -- FOR EVERYONEINVOLVED IN EDUCATION.

TONIGHT-- A CANDID CONVERSATION WITHTHE NOGALES SUPERINTENDENT --ON HIS CHALLENGES -- AS THELEADER OF A DISTRICT.IT'S A DISTRICT OF ABOUT57-HUNDRED STUDENTS.

82 PERCENTOF THEM ON FREE AND REDUCEDLUNCH.

NOGALES SUPERINTENDENTFERNANDO PARRA IS IN CHARGE OFTHEIR EDUCATION.

AND COVID 19HAS BEEN HIS BIGGESTADMINISTRATIVE TEST -- BY FAR."THIS IS NOT ONLY ANUNPRECEDENTED SITUATION.

THISIS AN UNSEEN.

THERE'S NOPLAYBOOK FOR THIS." IT'S ACHALLENGE -- A LOT OFSLEEPNESS NIGHTS.

ANUNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGE TOSUDDENLY WITHOUT ANYDIRECTIVES TEACH STUDENTSREMOTELY.

"THERE'S NO RULES.NO POLICIES.

YOU KINDA HAVE TOJUST FIGURE IT OUT ON YOUROWN." PARRA CAME OUT OF THESTARTING GATE -- STRONG.SHUTTING DOWN THE SCHOOLSBEFORE THE GOVENOR'S MANDATETO KEEP KIDS AND STAFF SAFE."THOUGHT THIS WAS THE RIGHTTHING TO DO AND WORRY ABOUTCOMPLIANCES AND MANDATE AFTERTHE FACT." HE THEN BEGANINNUNDATING STAFF AND FAMILIESWITH EMAILS ABOUT THEDISTRICT'S MOVE TO BEGINREMOTE LEARNING.

ALL THE FACTSTHAT WE GET AS SOON AS WE GETTHE INFORMATION IT'S SHAREDWITH OUR COMMUNITY.

PARRA HADTO TACKLE TECHNOLOGY.

THEDISTRICT HAS CHROMEBOOKS FORALL OF THEIR STUDENTS --THAT'S NOT NOT AN ISSUE.GETTING IT TO THEM -- SAFELY-- IS.

THIS WEEK STAFF ISDELIVERING DEVICES -- PLUSMATERIALS AND LESSONS --PRINTED OR ONLINE -- FOR ALLGRADE LEVELS.

"OUR PHASE ONEEFFORT IS JUST GETTINGLEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THESEMATERIALS AND LESSONS TO OURSTUDENTS." HE SAYS HE'S NOTCONCERNED ABOUT PRODUCING NEWLESSONS BECAUSE THAT'S NOTWHAT THEY'D NORMALLY BE DOINGTHIS TIME OF YEAR.

WE WOULD BEDOING INTERNAL AND STATEASSESSMENTS AND REVIEW.

THEBIG QUESTION NOW CENTERS ONGRADES.

WHAT ARE THEACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES FORALL STUDENTS?

PARRA HOPED TOGET SOME GUIDANCE DURING ANARIZONA BOARD OF EDUCATIONMEETING THIS WEEK, BUT HE LEFTTHE SESSION FEELING SOMEMEMBERS EXPECTATIONS AREUNREALISTIC.

THE SCHOOLDISTRICTS NEED TO OPERATE ANDMANAGE AND CONTINUE THE SAME.NO, NO.

THAT'S NOT TRUE.THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO DO THATRIGHT NOW.

PARRA NOW SPENDSHIS DAYS WRITING A NEWDISTRICT PLAYBOOK FOR WHAT'SNOW BECOME A NEW NORMAL.

"IT'SBEEN A VERY HUMBLING EXPRIENCEWE HAVE TO CONTINE TO REMINDOUR STAFF, TEACHERS ANDPARENTS.

HE REMINDS THEM --WHATEVER THE DISTRICT DOES ISNOT GOING TO BE PERFECTBECAUSE THE HEALTH AND SAFETYOF STAFF AND STUDENTS -- COMESFIRST.

"EDUCATION IS NOT APRIORITY -- SHOULD BEUNDERSTANDING AND SHOULD NOTFEEL GUILTY ABOUT THAT."THE BOARD HAS RULED -- GRADES-- FOR SENIORS -- WILL BEDECIDED BY THE DISTRICTS.PARRA SAYS SEVERAL STATESUPERINTENDENTS HAVE BEENDISCUSSING GRADES -- THEACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES -- TOTRY TO COME UP WITH SOMETHINGCONSISTENT ACROSS THE STATE.HE SAYS THEY'RE RECONVENINGSOON TO BRING PROPOSALS TO THETABLE.