TUSD: No date set for return to in-person classes

TUSD Board agrees on framework for how students will return to classes

RETURN TO CLASSROOMS. IT'STENTATIVELY SET FOR OCTOBER19TH.

BUT THE BOARD TABLED THEDISCUSSION -- AFTER LOTS OFQUESTIONS ABOUT MEETINGMETRICS -- AND WORRIES ABOUTSETTING A HARD DATE.

IT DOESTHOUGH HAVE A HYBRID MODEL INPLACE.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK ATTHE DISTRICT'S RE- ENTRY PLAN.T-U-S-D IS CHOOSING TO KEEPTHE SAME INSTRUCTION MODEL FORALL OF ITS STUDENTS RETURNINGTO CAMPUS -- AT ALL GRADESLEVEL -- K TO 12.

THERE ARETWO CO-HORTS -- OR GROUPS -- AAND B -- AND THEY WILL BESPLIT IN HALF ALPHABETICALLY.BOTH GROUPS WILL BE IN THECLASSROOMS -- TWO DAYS A WEEK.EITHER MONDAY -- THURSDAY.

ORTUESDAY -- FRIDAY.

THE OTHERTWO DAYS -- THEY WORK ON --OFFLINE PROJECTS AND ONLINEPROGRAMS. AND ON WEDNESDAY --ALL THE STUDENTS WILL BEWORKING REMOTELY -- IN GROUPS-- ON ASSESSMENTS -- OR 1 TO 1SESSIONS.

KGUN9'S ROGELIOMARES JOINS US LIVE FROM TUSDHEADQUARTERS -- WITH MORE FROMTONIGHT'S MEETING.THE DECISION CAME AFTER ALENGTHY DISCUSSION BETWEENBOARD MEMBERS.

MOST MEMBERSEXPRESSED A CONCERN ABOUT ANYMODEL THAT SENDS STUDENTS BACKTO SCHOOL WITH A LINGERINGHEALTH RISK.

THIS MODELCREATES TWO GROUPS OF STUDENTSWHO WOULD HAVE INTERCHANGEDBETWEEN CLASSES ON CAMPUS ANDONLINE LEARNING EVERY OTHERDAY, WITH ALL STUDENTS DOINGDISTANCE LEARNING ONWEDNESDAYS.

WHAT MOST BOARDMEMBERS SEEMED CONCERNED WITHWAS THE IDEA OF SETTING A DATEOF OCTOBER 19TH FOR SOMESTUDENTS TO RETURN TO IN-PERSON CLASSES.

THE MODELS ARERELIANT ARE DATA FROM PIMACOUNTY'S HEALTH DEPARTMENTABOUT DIFFERENT BENCHMARKS OFCOVID-19, WHICH THE DISTRICTSAYS CAN BE DELAYED BY UP TOTWO WEEKS.

ANOTHER CONCERNTHAT CONTRIBUTED TO TONIGHT'SDECISION: A COMPONENT IN THEPROPOSED MODEL THAT COULD HAVELED TO STUDENTS HAVING ADIFFERENT EDUCATOR.

THESUPERINTENDENT ASSURED THEBOARD THAT COULD BE CHANGED INA FUTURE PROPOSAL.

WE'RE GOINGTO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TOADOPT AN ONLINE-ONLY MODELTHAT DOES NOT PRESENT ADISRUPTION IN TERMS OF ACHANGE OF TEACHER.

THAT HASCOME THROUGH LOUD AND CLEAR.WE HAD A LOT OF TEACHERSSTEPPING UP AND VOICING IN THEFORUMS THAT THEY WANT TO FINDA WAY TO KEEP THEIR KIDS.

THEBOARD SAYS IT WILL TAKEMODIFICATIONS ON THIS MODELFROM THE SUPERINTENDENT ANDREVISIT THE SUBJECT AT THEIRMEETING ON OCTOBER 6TH.REPORTING LIVE, ROGELIO MARES,KGUN9 ON YOUR SIDE.AS