As COVID cases among the younger population are increasing at an alarming rate, masks and vaccination have become even more important. Most of us have kids who can't yet be vaccinated due to their age. So we are at a loss since this is not something we can control. However, there are lot of things that schools can control.  Current COVID mitigation measures in BASIS schools are not sufficient to prevent COVID cased in schools. We understand that schools are not able to mandate masks or vaccines but there are so many things that are totally in your control that can be and should be done now to reduce interruptions in school year. BASIS had done a great job with mitigation measures back in Feb/March but at that time the number of kids in schools were also very small which helped keep COVID out of our schools for the most part. But we feel BASIS Ed hasn't done enough this time around. It has been less than a week and we have elementary school kids coming down with COVID in BASIS Scottsdale Primary East, BASIS Peoria Primary and several other BASIS schools. And everyone who has been quarantined due to this has to rely on the homework buddy system for school work and homework instead of getting proper instruction via Teams. 

We feel the following steps can easily be taken by BASIS Ed to reduce the chances of COVID spread in our schools:

1. Keep kids in the same classroom instead of rotating them to various classrooms and crowding up the hallways.
2. Have kids eat lunch in their classrooms. Either school provides a plexiglass shield for kids to put around them while eating or let parents buy it for their kids. 
3. Have designated no-mask zones to give a break from masks during the day.
4. Limit the number of kids in the restrooms. 
5. Those who are eligible for vaccines and have chosen not to get vaccinated should provide a negative COVID test on a weekly basis. We don't believe there is any Federal or AZ law that prohibits that.
6. Offer online schools for those that are interested and for those who have to quarantine. Your survey was done in February when situation was much different. Situation has totally changed now and a lot more parents are interested in that option now than were back in Feb/March. 

Also, since BASIS Ed is a private employer and all teachers are employed by BASIS Ed and not individual schools, can BASIS Ed require its teachers to be vaccinated?

We are hoping that BASIS Ed will take a hard look at the emerging situation and new data. Currently, AZ tops the chart with 3.5% of those hospitalized with COVID complications being children. That is very concerning. We hope to see some if not all of the above suggestions taken into consideration and implemented sooner than later.