LESD students begin first full week in class

By Kelly O’Sullivan
Twitter: @AzNewsmedia

As nearly 7,000 students in Litchfield Elementary School District begin their transition to five-day-a-week in-person learning, administrators are confident they are prepared to safely navigate the potential perils of COVID-19.

“It’s such a delight to have more kids on campuses right now,” Superintendent Jodi Gunning said via email Wednesday, Oct. 28. “We continue to watch the local data in case we need to return to distance learning in the name of health and safety.”

Based on Ms. Gunning’s recommendation, LESD’s governing board voted 4-1 Oct. 13 to transition students whose parents signed them up for in-person learning at the beginning of the academic year from hybrid’s two days in class to five days.

READ: LESD moving to five-day in-person learning Oct. 26

LESD operates 11 elementary and five middle schools serving about 12,000 students in Avondale, Buckeye, Goodyear and Litchfield Park.

Preschoolers through fifth-graders started back full time Monday, Oct. 26. Sixth- through eighth-graders will begin their first full week Monday, Nov. 2.

Ms. Gunning told the board that 61%, or 6,574 students, signed up for in-person learning.

Another 1,398 enrolled in the hybrid model, with students in class two days a week and online three days a week; and 2,768 students enrolled in the online-only Digital Learning Academy will not be required to return to class full-time, though hybrid students can request to move to in-person.

She also said 82% of teachers are on board with full-time classroom instructions.

In response to a public records request, the district reported that as of Oct. 12, one teacher had left their job with the district rather than return to the classroom and two took 10-month leaves of absence.

Active case data, protocols

Every Friday, the district posts a list of active COVID-19 cases on its website, indicating  a student or staff member participating in on-campus activities has tested positive for novel coronavirus.

As of Friday, Oct. 23, there were 13 active cases in the district: five at Mabel Padgett Elementary in Goodyear, three each at L. Thomas Heck Middle School and Scott L. Libby Elementary in Litchfield Park; and one each at Belen Soto Elementary in Goodyear and Verrado Middle School in Buckeye.

When someone tests positive for COVID-19, they are excluded from in-person, on-campus activity until their 14-day self-isolation period is completed. At that time, they may return to school and their case is remove from the active count.

Principals will notify families in writing when someone tests positive on their campus.

If a child was in close contact with the infected person (within 6 feet of or with that person for 10 minutes or longer), they will receive a letter stating the child must stay home for 14 days and can return to school on a specified date if they do not  show symptoms.

If the contact was indirect (more than six feet away) the family will receive a letter stating the child does not have to stay home, but they should watch for symptoms of COVID-19 infection.

Safety measures in place

On Oct. 22, the district received its HealthyVerify certification after undergoing a review of its health and safety protocols and a walk-through inspection of schools.

In addition to regular janitorial services, offices, classrooms are disinfected nightly and teachers and staff disinfect their areas throughout the day. Student transporters and monitors disinfect buses three times a day

Face coverings are required on buses and on campus, and social distancing is encouraged through assigned seats and seating modifications.

Everyone is required to wash or sanitize their hands regularly.

For a complete list of health and safety measures LESD has implemented, click here.

Kelly O’Sullivan can be reached at kosullivan@newszap.com or 760-963-1697.