Delay School Starts by two weeks. This will allow teachers to ensure classroom are safe. Also, teachers need to be able to connect with online students and ensure students have needed resources including internet access. Teachers will also need to connect with online students to set clear expectations and provide clarity for students. Teachers have never been asked to do so much. USBE has provided the flexibility to allow this to be done for this school year without extending calendars.

2. Hybrid Model Start: We know students and teachers would like to be in the classroom if possible. With a complete hybrid model for every student, we can ensure the use of physical distancing as less students will be in classrooms at a time. This will keep the students and teachers safer. This allows students to have both online and in person instruction.

3. Increase online offerings in secondary schools: In July board meeting, it was described secondary students would have online only options through their local school. Schools were given the choice as to which classes to offer online. Many choose to very limited or no classes online. This leads students without advanced or honors courses and limited elective options. Also course offerings are dependent on your location and are not the same district wide. East shore does not offer honors or advanced classes. Online students should not be penalized by inadequate course offerings. School should expected to offer courses both online and in person.

4. Online in Elementary: online students enrolled at the local elementary need access to their teacher for more than 1 hour a week. One hour per week is fails to meet the needs of these students and shifts burdens into parents. These students should have daily access to a teachers. There is a solution which allows this and protects teachers. Have each school designate online only teachers to oversee online only programs. This allows online students more access to teachers and creates very needed online only options for at risk teachers.

5. Provide clear details for students with disabilities on providing services and support for those who choose online. Also, students with disabilities cannot be held to the quarter or trimester commitment. Learning modalities for more than 10 schooldays are considered a placement change and thus are an iep team decision per OSEP (Office of special education and rehabilitation programs). Because of this guidance, any IEP involved in distance learning needs an addendum addressing special education and services.

Included in the CDC’s July 20th 2020 Key considerations for school administrators are: <https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/prepare-safe-return.html>

*COVID-19 transmission rates in the immediate community and in the communities in which students, teachers, and staff live. Right now Utah County’s infection rate is over 10%. It’s reopening plan does not address this important issue.

*Concurrently implementing multiple strategies in school to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (e.g., social distancing, cloth face coverings, hand hygiene, and use of cohorting)

OUR ALPINE REOPENING PLAN CONCERNS AND SOLUTIONS

*When requested, the COVID specific data Alpine’s reopening plan was based on was refused, as were any clear metrics on when the current plan would be reevaluated.

You can log a complaint in regards to this here: <https://health.utahcounty.gov/contact-us/>

In order to address the CDC’s safety guidance for reopening our schools, we are insisting the following mitigations be implemented as found here:

<https://myuea.org/Default.aspx?page=issues_action%2Fcovid-19%2Fre-opening_standards&fbclid=IwAR30P3d6Gy7-lMqiqw2rsOI6DnKcLFTWdNpCqMgu8de0fJqk704K1-krqtE>

We need YOUR help!

 

It is vital that Alpine takes all safety measures seriously and implements them into the reopening plan. Even if this means delay the start of school until we can come to a solution. 

Parents and Teachers of Alpine School District, we need YOU to join us Tuesday, August 11th, at 2:00 p.m. at Lehi High to insure YOUR voices are heard! Bring your signs for the rally before the meeting begins, and sign up for the public comment opportunity during the meeting!