Fountain Hills Unified School District has a detailed plan in place in case a COVID-19 quarantine needs to take place this school year.

All Arizona schools were given a short deadline to produce Instructional Time Models that would be utilized in the event of an outbreak or mandated measures at the state level, with two public hearings also required. The FHUSD Governing Board held its first public hearing Wednesday evening, Aug. 12. A second public hearing is expected to take place at the meeting scheduled for Aug. 25.

As Superintendent Kelly Glass pointed out at the top of the presentation, the Instructional Time Model being considered for FHUSD aligns with what was put into practice at the start of the 2020-21 academic year.

Detailed plans for two groups were presented, adhering to requirements and including everything from covering instructional minutes, assessment, required office hours and the like. A plan is in place for K-3 classrooms, as well as one for grades 4-12.

Plans are also outlined for special student groups, such as English learning students and special education. The presentation also noted that learning labs would be utilized at all sites, and Chromebooks and wireless hotspots would be assigned for students who require them.

According to the presentation, instructional hours may be delivered through any combination of direct instruction, project-based learning, independent learning and mastery-based learning. Instructional hours may be defined to include any in-person instruction and remote instruction. Schools may also reallocate any minimum instructional time or hours on a per-student basis to allow students to spend more or less time as needed in an individual course.

Instructional times and schedules may be staggered for students and courses, or other instructional time options may be offered on the weekends or in the evenings to allow students to not attend or complete school days or instructional time at the same time. Also, attendance policies must be aligned to reflect the instructional time and hour policies prescribed in the adopted Instructional Time Model.

Closure

In the event of a school closure, the district will provide access to a full curriculum with instruction and academic tasks that would meet the minimum instructional hours and number of subject requirements for full-time and part-time status.

The plan states that schools and classrooms will be closed due to an outbreak of COVID-19/Delta variant based on the requirements and advisement of Maricopa County Department of Public Health. Teachers are essential workers and would remain on campus to provide instruction for students assigned to home during the closure of a classroom, grade level or school campus due to an outbreak.

Details were also outlined for if a student must quarantine. Also covered were attendance procedures in the event of remote learning, and special guidelines for students who are homebound or living with a chronic illness.

Student health

During the meeting, board members echoed their excitement to see students back in the classroom, operating under normal procedures.

Board Member Jill Reed noted, however, that having a smooth school year is partially reliant on local families doing their part to keep kids healthy. She stressed that a student should not be sent to school sick or exhibiting symptoms under normal circumstances, but especially during these extraordinary times.

“Please don’t send them to school sick,” Reed said. “Even if it’s ‘just a runny nose.’”

To do so could result in a class, grade level or even an entire school having to quarantine.

Masks

Finally, the Governing Board suspended all mask policies that were in place during the past school year. These measures were suspended, rather than removed completely, in case additional measures become necessary.

Students, teachers and other adults on campus may wear masks if they choose, but they are not a requirement.