Scottsdale Unified School District Approves Second Semester Plan

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Scottsdale's school district will tweak its plan as students head back to school for the second semester in January.

The Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board approved a plan for its 22,000 kindergarten through 12th grade students at a Wednesday meeting. The decision was unanimous, according to a news release from the district.

“We’ve learned a lot since school began in August,” Dr. Scott Menzel, SUSD’s superintendent, said in a statement. “For second semester, we need a plan that is sustainable in terms of teacher and technology resources, yet reversible, in case the coronavirus pandemic forces us back to distance learning.”

When students return from winter break on Jan. 4, 2021, they will have three different learning models to choose from depending on their grades.

These three models will be available to kindergarteners through fifth graders:

• On-campus, in-person instruction five days a week, provided health metrics continue to support in-person learning, with early release on Wednesdays, or
• Enhanced Distance Learning through which students receive a full day of live instruction, including “specials” like art, music and gym classes, and other school services, such as speech.
• Current Scottsdale Online Learning students may choose to continue under a grandfathering provision, but will not have access to live instruction for specials.

These three models will be available to middle and high school students:

• On-campus, in-person learning five days a week, with early release on Wednesdays, or
• Enhanced Distance Learning in which students receive live instruction; or
• Scottsdale Online Learning in which students will take three courses every nine weeks.

There are currently 6,800 students enrolled in enhanced distance and online learning programs.

Parents will be asked to commit to one learning model for the rest of the school year by midnight on Nov. 12. Students currently taking part in on-campus learning who wish to switch to another model for the second semester must contact their school’s principal by that date as well.

The district plans to share second semester schedules with middle and high school students the week of Dec. 21.

The school district has struggled with virus outbreaks at several schools in recent weeks, with the bulk of cases stemming from Chaparral High School. Schools in hard-hit zip codes like 85251, 85018 and 85253 were considering a return to virtual learning. There are currently 38 active cases across its campuses.