Happy Friday La Tierra Community!
First of all we would like to thank all of our families who took time from your busy schedules to attend Parent Information Nights and provide us with valuable feedback on your experience with distance learning so far. We know distance learning presents many challenges and we acknowledge and have gratitude for your extra efforts and your patience as we navigate these challenges together. We will be looking at your suggestions and truly appreciate all of your support during this time.
Rhette and I continue to monitor the daily COVID numbers released by the Yavapai County Health Services and the weekly health benchmarks by the Arizona Department of Health Services. As was the case last week, Yavapai County has two benchmarks that fall in the Moderate Risk Level and one in the Minimal Risk Level. Yavapai County continues to have 51 COVID cases per 100,000 persons which is down from 56 last week, 6.8% positivity in COVID cases which is up from 6.1% last week and 4.0% hospital visits due to COVID-like illness. Yavapai County will need to have all three categories in the Minimal Risk Level for two consecutive weeks for us to return to in person learning.
As some local schools begin to make plans to return to school with hybrid learning plans over the next few weeks we have received some questions regarding the option for La Tierra to return with a hybrid plan. While Rhette and I did give a hybrid model full consideration over the summer we came to realize that this is not a viable option for our community. LTCS is unable to offer a hybrid plan because we do not have enough staff to implement both in-person and distance learning at the same time. There are many small charter schools in Arizona who have chosen the same route as we have by not offering a hybrid plan and also will not be returning to in person learning until the risk level is minimal for all 3 benchmarks.
We will continue to track the information by YCHS and ADHS closely and will continue to send weekly updates with information regarding the benchmarks and when we will be able to safely reopen. As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.
Julie & Rhette
