To whom it may concern,

As an incoming senior, my peers and I share the frustrations of not being able to learn and interact on a daily basis as we otherwise would. During this extended summer break, we are now looking for a sense of normalcy and direction that can guide us back to how we once were. However, this period is long gone, and we must learn to adapt ourselves to these new circumstances with the cooperation of every party involved. It is not the argument of whether the students will contract Corona and die (a highly unlikely outcome for our age group), but it is more of who we pass it on to. Some kids are living with their grandparents and even have parents with underlying health complications who can’t afford to be exposed to the virus. And of course, we need to take measures to limit the spread so we don’t overload hospitals. I do not know what the situation will be like one month from now but I do realize we need to be proactive in our plan and implement a strategy that tackles everybody’s concerns, both parents and students alike. Since Tempe Union has not asked for student input yet, I would like to voice my thoughts with regards to going back to school. After reading many comments, listening to multiple debates, consulting with my peers, and from my own experience, I have seen an overwhelming number of people in favor of reopening school full-time, 5 days a week. I have also seen an equal number of people favor full-time online school. From what I’ve gathered through conversations with other students, one-day a week is not a viable solution to this problem. Though I understand the district is doing the best they can to satisfy everyone, both sides of the spectrum do not believe this is the best solution. Instead, I propose that the district should implement a plan that allows students to go five days a week if they want but it also allows for teachers to upload all their content online so that students who do not feel safe to come can do it online, similar to what Kyrene has created. For those doing the school year online, the distance learning structure from last year is not ideal. Lack of structure, interaction, and reliance on self-teaching made learning new concepts particularly difficult. Instead, the online format should mimic the in-person classes as closely as possible. I would like to suggest setting up a camera, a laptop with Zoom, or something of the sort, in the back of the classroom to livestream the classes. This allows online students to interact with the teacher and other students while receiving direct instruction. There are also many people like me who still want to go to school but also understand the risks of continuously interacting with a large sum of people every day. These people all have varying ideas of what they feel is the safest structure; for this reason, I want to suggest that in addition to offering a full time in-person and online option, there should be a provision for those who are in the middle. Students who go online should not be penalized for their absence. This way, students can have the option to attend school once a week or in intervals, and continue the rest of their schoolwork at home. I think a majority of students can agree that there is no substitution for the benefits in-person teaching provides. The main argument here is that we shouldn’t be penalized for doing one or the other or both. There are many nuances to this plan such as enforcing the fairness of tests, quizzes, etc. but I hope this is an idea that can lay the foundation for other parents, students, and district members to build upon. Perhaps instead of memorization based questions, teachers can be asked to integrate more concept-based questions to further secure the fairness of the tests. As for activities and clubs, I’m sure we can come up with something similar to what football has implemented. As once being part of band myself, I can understand that it is hard to advance if half of the team is missing. Therefore, something similar to the magnitude of a waiver is probably the best option at this time for activities, clubs, games, etc. Small modifications like that can help ensure that students receive equal opportunities to show their skills.  I understand this is a very optimistic and utopian plan, but I strongly believe that with enough planning and provisions, the district can design a plan to suit the needs of 99% of people. I support all the precautions the district plans to take i.e. as mandatory masks, temperature checks, smaller class sizes, safe distancing, professional cleaning, but I would also like to see the inclusion of air filters. Good air filters can clear many harmful particles and bacteria in the air thus lowering the risk of any unwanted disease. This would be a good investment, not only for this period but for future use as well. I understand this partly depends on funding from the state so I am not sure how realistic this would be but with the support of the parents, the district may be able to fund for air filters in every classroom. Another aspect that I believe would significantly improve students’ lifestyle is the addition of mental health counselors specifically trained to deal with depression, emotional trauma, self-harm, etc. Many students are spiraling down a rabbit hole of depression during this time because they quite literally have no one to share their pain with. The investment of trained counselors will prove to be extremely helpful for students returning back to school who are still experiencing the financial and mental repercussions from both Corona and the Black Lives Matter movement. After the first quarter of school, using any method of learning the district decides to use, surveys should be sent out to both students and teachers to assess the effectiveness of their program and what they can do better. 

Once again, this is just my feedback on how things should be handled, but I hope the district can create a plan along these lines to guarantee that the upcoming ‘20-‘21 year is maximized to its full potential. 

Thank You!