By L. Parsons Winslow Unified School District Superintendent Kathryn Zanin is looking to reopen Winslow schools beginning Aug. 3. “Governor Ducey issued an executive order that delayed the reopening of in-classroom learning until at least Aug. 17 due to COVID-19. We, as a district, are currently evaluating the feasibility of starting online classes on our original start date of Aug. 3.” She explained that the district is exploring options on what that reopen will look like. “We are considering a hybrid in-class and online instruction model that will allow for greater flexibility when students eventually return to the classroom.” The planning process has been arduous, according to Zanin. It began with talking to the administration teams at each school site. “From there,” she said, “we created a framework looking at transportation and setting up classrooms. Then we took it back to the schools, meaning the teachers. We then took it out to health professionals, tribal leaders, parents and business leaders to look at the initial framework and get their feedback.” Three meetings were held to gather that feedback, she explained. Those who were in attendance were personally invited and chosen at random. In those meetings, other perspectives were offered. “We were looking at it from a district standpoint and those conversations let us see it from other directions.” The next step was to take those suggestions back to the teachers and begin planning for a different type of school year. “The teachers are in the trenches, so to speak, so they began the process of looking at each individual site, their class sizes, things we need for protection, face masks, so on and so forth.” The district has not yet settled on whether masks will be required of children in school this year. They have, however, already begun taking precautions to protect the safety of the students, as well as the teachers and staff inside each school site. Zanin continued, “I do not want my teachers wearing a face mask while they teach lessons. We have purchased face shields for all of our teachers so if you’re wearing a face shield and you’re 6 or 10 feet away from the child, that is better. Every decision being made is in the best interest for the safety of the child, the teachers and the teaching assistants. We have purchased drinking fountains that are touch free water bottle fillers. We have purchased water bottles, 10,000 masks, cleaning and sanitizing products, refillable sanitizer bottles and kegs of hand sanitizer.” She did emphasize the responsibility of families as well. “We do ask that if your child is sick, you do not send them to school. We have ordered 60 thermometers to take temperatures before people come on to the school.” Transportation has been an ongoing issue in the Winslow school district and this development has not ended those troubles. “We are working with our transport director to figure it out. Some of our routes have 80 plus kids so instead of having one bus, now we have to take more than one trip and we are still short on drivers. We are trying to create situations that will be the most efficient and safest for our children.” Bus drivers will also be wearing masks and sanitizing busses on a regular basis. Routes exist within Winslow and in to the Dilkon area as well. Zanin said, “It is my understanding that the Navajo Nation has received a federal grant. Their first priority is running water, then electricity, then internet. Hopefully, that will help the kids out there to be able to do the online learning. In terms of the kids coming in, we have not made a decision to not transport children from the reservation areas. It is my understanding that the residential hall will be operating at about half capacity, they are limiting the number of children that they can allow to live there this year.” A hybrid model of instruction for the Winslow district does not come without challenges. Zanin is not unaware of these challenges. One of the greatest issues facing the district is equitability. Making sure each student has the tools and the infrastructure needed to facilitate online learning will be a priority, according to Zanin. “Moving our in-classroom start date means we have more time to plan for minutes of instruction, and that fair and equitable instruction is being provided for all students. We have met with Arizona State University online for their high school program and will be meeting with them about kindergarten through eighth grade online instruction. There are questions, to start online instruction on Aug 3, what do we need to have in place? How do we need to structure the day toward online education and provide it not just during regular school hours?” The superintendent recognized that a large percentage of the students in Winslow have working parents. “We are looking at it from the perspective of our parents who have to work, we want to support that. With that comes the need for flexibility for instruction during the evening or other hours. We have to be flexible and do whatever it takes to help support families. We are looking at other platforms as well. We need to figure out what best supports our families and our teachers who are going to be having to teach in these new ways. We are ordering 500 computers so that we can roll those out to families who need them. We are looking at working with Verizon to put Wifi connectors that can boost signals throughout town. We are looking at the possibility of purchasing hot spots for kids to be able to do their work online.” Funding for the purchasing of safety equipment and technology will come from the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act. “We want to use our CARES money in the most efficient way possible. Some of it is already spent on hiring more teaching assistants so that when kids are back in the classroom, we are able to have smaller groups. We have also purchased and will continue to purchase plexi-glass dividers as another precaution as the kids are interacting with each other.” The district, as all other schools in the state, relies on funding from the State of Arizona to function each year. Zanin explained, “We get paid as a district based on our average daily membership. The amount of kids in class on the 40th and 100th day determines our state funding. What we have asked the governor is to not decrease our funding by more than two percent. That will be up to the legislature and the governor. We also, by mandate, have to be available for instruction for 180 days of the year. Governor Ducey said our site buildings have to be open 180 days this year so we have to provide opportunities for kids to learn five days a week. The hybrid schedule may have students in school two days a week and online instruction available the other three. This will give us an opportunity to sanitize each site as well. Our district does have permission from the state to provide online learning. However, the number of minutes required for online instruction is higher. The program we are looking at at Arizona State University has the ability to track student hours.” Yet another challenge facing schools nationwide is registration. Kindergarten as well as new student sign-ups will be different this year. “We want to limit people from spending time on campuses, so we are working on figuring out how we will do that. We will send out a mailer to every home in the community that will outline registration processes. There will also be information on that on our website.” Zanin said she is still open to hearing feedback from parents and community members. “Our teacher leaders are our most valuable assets. They are giving us the feedback that we need because we have to look at it in terms of what is best for the children. Our parents’ views are also important. We have already sent out a couple of surveys to parents. We have had over 600 responses to those surveys and we know right now that 411 families have committed to sending their kids to our schools this year. We also know that 195 families do not feel comfortable having their kids in the classroom.” She concluded, “I know there is an incredible amount of fear in the community and I am doing my best to get information out. I will be setting up some more community meetings. We will have to do a Zoom blast at least four different times to get information out and to have as many people as possible participate. By the week of July 20, we should have a fairly good plan in place for what our school year will look like.” There are still many challenges and concerns facing the Winslow School district. The original start date of Aug. 3 remains intact as of press time. However, as Zanin explained, even that could change at any moment. For the most up to date information on school re-openings, visit your district’s website at www.wusd1.org or on its social media.
