Davis school districts opened up the new school year with a hybrid schedule. Both elementary schools and secondary schools in Davis School District went to school twice a week and did online school 3 days of the week. The schools were split in two by last names. This is the safest and most logical way to keep schools open at this time with covid-19 still being such a large threat in Utah and especially in Davis School District.

On Tuesday, September 15th, Davis School District had a board meeting where they discussed how the next couple months of the school year would look. Either schools would keep the hybrid schedule or go back to 5 days a week. By the end of the meeting a unanimous vote had been put forth saying that schools will be going back for 4 days a week with Fridays being online. This means that all schools will be at full capacity, both elementary and secondary schools, secondary schools being middle schools and high schools.

Although, the hybrid schedule isn't ideal it is the safest way to keep students and every other citizen in Davis School District safe. The covid-19 virus is spreading and it's spreading fast. If the health department or the school your child or you are attending finds out that you've come into close contacts with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 they will ask you, and it's not very nicely asking, that you should/will be quarantining for 14 or more days and if you start showing symptoms you must get tested for covid-19. Now this is smart. This is how we will keep our students and ourselves safe. And with the hybrid schedule in place, we keep contact to a minimum. We have students wearing masks to lower the risk of spread, we keep social distancing practices in our hallways and classrooms and sports. And although it may not be great it is keeping us safe.

No opening of school will be 100% guaranteed safety to students, there will still be outbreaks, but with the hybrid schedule, and with online school still being how majority of students are learning this year, students who have to quarantine because of exposure or positive tests do not have to miss so much of school that they cannot get caught up. Quarantine is 14 days at the least, with the hybrid schedule students don't have to miss more than 4 days of in-person learning. They can make up all their school work online. It is easy for them to get caught up or just stay on track with the learning period if we go back to four or five days a week, with schools at full capacity, students being quarantined will have to miss eight or more days of school, with online learning now being limited with the opening of schools students will get behind, more students will fail, the stress levels will rise.

Opening schools to 4 or 5 days a week is not the right way to go right now. We cannot risk our kids, our students, ourselves, our family members getting covid-19 or getting quarantined. The hybrid schedule is still an effective way to run schools. Especially with how high Utah's covid-19 numbers are right now. We should not open schools to 4 or 5 days this early. We need to wait until we know we can handle and keep covid-19 cases under control. Too many kids are still being exposed before 4 day school. We need to do what we can as parents, as students, as teachers to keep everyone safe.

Think about the safety of everyone. Covid-19 had wrecked our world, but we still have a chance to get past it quicker, if only we stay smart. 

No situation is perfect but the best situation in our time right now is the option that allows us to social distance. 

Please sign this petition if you are a worried teacher, student, parent, friend, family member, or community member! 

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