Nogales district concerned county is a COVID hotspot

Nogales district concerned county is a COVID hotspot

SMALLEST POPULATIONS INARIZONA'S 15 COUNTIES.

BUT ITHAS THE HIGHEST COVIDINFECTION RATE -- PER CAPITA.AND THAT'S WEIGHING HEAVY ONTHE NOGALES SUPERINTENDENT.NOGALES SCHOOLS WILL REOPENAUGUST 5TH -- REMOTELY.SUPERINTENDENT FERNANDO PARRAFEELS THE DISTRICT IS READYAND STUDENTS WILL REMAIN SAFE-- AT HOME.

HE DIDN'T WANT TOWAIT UNTIL AUGUST 17TH,BECAUSE HE WORRIED ABOUT THETEACHERS -- THEIR PAY WOULD BEDELAYED.

WE CAN STICK TOSTARTING AUGUST 5TH.

WE HAVETHE EQUIPMENT.

WE ARE ALREADYSTRUCTURED.

WE KNOW EXACTLYWHAT OUR TEACHERS CAN DO.AUGUST 17TH IS WHEN SCHOOLSCAN ALLOW STUDENTS TO RETURNTO CLASSROOMS -- UNLESS THEGOVERNOR PUSHES BACK THAT DATEAGAIN.

BUT EVEN IF ALL ARIZONASCHOOLS GET THAT GREEN LIGHT-- PARRA MAY STILL WAIT --UNTIL THE COUNTY'S INFECTIONRATE IMPROVES.

NOT ONLY IS HELEAVING MUCH OF HE DECISION INTHE HANDS OF THE COUNTY'S TOPHEALTH OFFICIAL -- SANTA CRUZHEALTH DIRECTOR IS ALSO PARTOF OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE, SOHE'S PART OF THIS GROUP THATWERE WORKING WITH.

HE'SRELYING ON PARENTS.

PARRA ISNOW SENDING OUT A SECONDSURVEY TO GET FEEDBACK.BECAUSE OUR LAST SURVEY WASDONE EARLY ON IN THE JUNE.

WEKNOW THINGS HAVE ALREADYCHANGED FROM THAT TIME TO NOWBECAUSE PARENTS ARE A LITTLEBIT MORE SCARED NOW AS TOWHERE WE WERE JUST A MONTHAGO.

REGARDLESS -- PARRAPLANNED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OFSTUDENTS NOT RETURNING IN-PERSON-- FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOLYEAR.

SO THE DISTRICT HASWORKED HARD OVER THE SUMMER TOBOOST THE RIGOR OF THE ONLINECOURSEWORK -- THAT COULDINCLUDE HANDS-ON MATERIALS --AND DIRECT INSTRUCTION FROMTEACHER.

THROUGH GOOGLE MEETSWILL BE ONE ONE WAY OF BEINGABLE TO DO THAT.

PARRA SAYSTHE DISTRICT NOW HAS ENOUGHTECH DEVICES FOR ALL THESTUDENTS.TEACHERS ALSO HAVE THE OPTIONTO CONTINUE WORKING REMOTELY-- WHEN SCHOOLS FINALLY OPEN