March 12, 2020
Dear Families:
We would like to share an update with you and let you know that we are actively monitoring the situation locally and nationally with regard to COVID-19, previously known as the Novel Coronavirus. This update serves to share more information about planning steps we have taken, and steps your family can take to support our mitigation and contingency planning efforts. At this point, all teaching and learning will resume at all campuses on Monday, March 16. ASU Preparatory Academy Casa Grande is on Spring Break from March 16-20, and will resume classes on Monday, March 23.
Continuous Communication Plan:
In the absence of major developments, we’ll send an update to our families each Thursday, but please keep a close eye on your email because we will send any needed additional updates as we learn more from the Arizona Department of Health Services, the Arizona Department of Education, the Governor’s Office, and Arizona State University.
Spring Break Update:
During Spring Break, our team has been working hard to plan for continued learning in the event that our physical sites transition to our online learning platform. In addition, we have been deep cleaning the sites that are closed for Spring Break this week and will deep clean sites closed for Spring Break next week. The plans we have created for implementation, if needed:
- Methodology for providing all students with digital access to our curriculum so that their learning remains unaffected – including 504/IEP accommodations for students who have them.
- When needed, providing K-12 students access to the hardware or other resources needed to access their schoolwork online.
- Providing additional cleaning supplies to schools for use during the day, especially on high touch areas. This is in addition to the separate evening cleaning of the facilities.
ASU Courses:
High School students enrolled in ASU courses please review the notification from Arizona State University
here
.
For families with out of country travel during their Spring Break:
Staff and students are required to follow proper protocol (copied below) if they travel to/from CDC-identified affected countries:
- The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has provided destination-specific risk assessments for COVID-19 on their Traveler’s Health page of their website. Per CDC guidelines, a 14-day self-isolation period is required for ALL travelers – faculty, students, staff, affiliates and visitors – traveling to one of the Level 1, 2 or 3 affected areas. Travelers should self-isolate at their home for 14 days and monitor their symptoms before returning to campus. If symptoms occur, individuals should seek medical attention.
As you know, ASU Preparatory has focused on Personalized Mastery Based Learning for the 19-20 school year. Whether students are in-person or online, teachers will utilize Canvas as our learning management system to ensure quality instruction occurs for all K-12 students.
Resources for Personalized Mastery Based Learning:
- Have your child log into Canvas and add you as an observer:
- Link for ASU Prep Canvas Courses
- Link for ASU Prep Digital Courses
- Download the Zoom App to your phone, tablet, or laptop, so you can aid your child to call into live lessons provided by their teachers.
- Log in to your Infinite Campus account and confirm we have your current email and cellphone information to communicate with you in a timely manner.
- Mark your emails from us, including newsletters, to your “safe senders” list so that our messages do not end up in junk mail.
- Make a plan with your family as to how you will manage childcare and setting up your child to learn from home in the event that we need to temporarily shift to a online model.
- If you did not complete the survey sent out last week, please do so now to help our site leadership adequately prepare to support your students’ needs: https://forms.gle/gKExwLyvgVd7dVjN9.
Absence Policy:
- As I send this message, there will be no change to the absence policy. Families should inform the school of any missed days, and if a student will miss more than 2 days, they should also reach out to teachers about making up missed work.
- If ASU Preparatory moves learning online we will continue the school day with virtual attendance with more details to come. Unexcused absences will still be defined the same as they are now.
- There will be more specific guidance on voluntary and mandatory quarantine in the future as the information becomes available.
Questions:
- Our team has created an FAQ document that will be regularly updated, you can find this document here.
- We have developed a dedicated email address for questions regarding ASU Prep’s plan for continued learning. Please use the following email address should you have questions: [email protected].
Thank you for taking the time and care to review all messages sent.
Kind regards,
