DAVIS COUNTY, Utah, July 28, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Davis School District has outlined its fall reopening plan in a letter to parents.
The letter, sent Tuesday, reads in full:
Dear Davis School District families,
This past June, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert issued a directive to resume public school operations for the 2020-21 school year. Each district was asked to submit a reopening plan by Aug. 1.
Originally, Davis School District planned on a “normal” school opening with required face coverings, enhanced hygiene/sterilization procedures, and — where possible — physical distancing. Due to the prevalence of COVID-19 cases in our community and in order to further limit the spread of the virus, we need to increase our capacity to provide physical distancing in our schools.
To accomplish this we will implement an alternate-day, hybrid (in person/remote) learning model. The schedule for the alternate-day learning model will be as follows:
• Students whose last name begins with A-K will attend school in-person on Mondays and Wednesdays with remote at-home learning on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• Students whose last name begins with L-Z will attend school in-person on Tuesdays and Thursdays with remote at-home learning on Mondays and Wednesdays.
• Fridays will be at-home remote learning days for all students with teachers working from the school site to provide remote instruction.
Our objectives in doing this are to:
• Reduce the number of students in schools and on buses by half — making physical distancing possible to minimize contact, exposure and spread.
• Allow teachers and staff to effectively monitor and encourage physical distancing, proper hygiene, sterilization, and use of face coverings.
• Enhance contact tracing by the Davis County Health Department.
• Maintain the traditional feel of school and retain good in-school learning habits.
• Maintain students’ personal relationship with teachers and staff, which is an integral part of learning.
• Provide social connectedness and peer interactions between students, which are essential to a child’s well-being.
• Minimize overall risk until the threat of COVID-19 subsides.
Our teachers must be healthy to teach. Our students must be healthy to learn. During this pandemic, and in these extraordinary times, we believe it is best to cautiously proceed with this alternate-day schedule. Please know these decisions are the result of much research, discussion, and genuine concern for all.
We also recognize the strain this alternate-day schedule places on families (work schedules, childcare needs, etc.). Our hope is that we will see a substantial decrease of COVID-19 cases and be able to resume a typical school schedule as soon as possible. At this point, we are planning for a continuation of the alternate-day schedule until winter break.
We will continue to follow the direction of local health professionals and local governing authorities. Our fully online option remains available if you determine that it will best meet your family’s needs.
Please watch for additional, detailed information from your school’s administration and/or your child’s teacher(s). As with any change of this magnitude, we ask for your patience and support as we work to provide a quality education to your child in uniquely challenging circumstances.
Sincerely,
Reid Newey,
Superintendent
